You most memorable gig?

What is the gig that sticks out the most in your memories? Whatever the reason, share with the board.

well, the most recent one, of course.... c'mon, I am not getting any younger here and thousands of gigs later many of hem run together a little

To thin the heard a bit, I'll assume gig means you got paid for it.

It was a church youth group thing. Multiple churches in the areas got all their kids together for a week, I guess a retreat or something, and it ended with a, "Meet at the Pole" kind of thing. This took place at the church where I normally play, so we had our nice stage, lighting, and sound system. We only played 4 songs, but it was the best show for me. Every kid was singing to what we played and made a beautiful large chorus effect. You could hear them over your inner ears, over the amps. They went crazy at the end of each song and made me feel like a rockstar.

There are a few songs I've learned for church that I found had a perfect setup for a bass solo, but didn't have one. They usually just have this open, boring spot and it really drops the momentum of the song. We played 2 songs that were like this. The first solo I played, the kids were frozen. They didn't understand what was happening because they were so used to the radio version. The second solo I played, they went nuts; clapping to the beat, screaming, it was awesome.

I almost got the chance to do another one of these, and really wanted to even though the pay was going to be smaller. It ended up falling through a week before the show and I was super disappointed. I really wouldn't mind playing them for free. I think it's weird for a church band to get paid to begin with.

all joking aside I think my most memorable gig was really my 1st non-school gig (or the 1st one I remember).... just a keg party when I wasn't even old enough to drive in a shitty jr high punk/grunge band.... but it was a revelation

Hard to pick just one. When I was a junior at UGA, one of my drummer buddies kept nagging at me to play with him up in Charlottesville (where, for some random reason, he'd been commuting for gigs). I finally agreed. One Thursday afternoon, after classes let out, I hopped in the car with my guitar and drove about seven hours North to the most beautiful mountain city I've ever seen. It was Superbowl weekend, so there was TONS of snow everywhere. The air was cool and crisp. I arrived around 2 AM, unpacked into the band house - which was actually quite decent - and slept. We all woke around 10 AM on Friday, ate, rehearsed for a few hours, then hit the town for some partying. Saturday, more rehearsing and then ... the gig! Some UVA frat house, I don't remember the Greek letters but it was so cold outside. There were around 700 warm bodies crammed into their main room. Our stage was just a wooden platform running the length of the side wall. We jammed and rocked for a solid 4 hours with only one break (college life!) during which time I managed to make out with some random girl. During the second half of the show, she and some other girls hopped on stage and started grinding on me. That was definitely memorable. But mostly, I remember just having one heck of a good time playing with new and old friends, to a PACKED house, in a strange beautiful town, and playing my arse off. My solos were spot on. Really tasteful music that night. Everyone was happy, too because it was before the big game. Eventually the cops came due to a noise complaint and pulled the plug (literally, power cut). When the lights came back on, we packed up. That girl gave me her number, and then I must have given her mine because she called me an hour later with her [female] roommate and asked me to come over. I was so exhausted and sweaty though, and she was on the far opposite end of town. No thanks, and no regrets. That was a perfect weekend.

I got another one! I don't exactly remember it because it was back when I still drank heavily and indulged in drugs, but I know it happened and people I know still talk about it. Philly, Pontiac Grill (before it turned back to JC Dobb's), 1st show of this instrumental/experimental proto punk meets dance music band I was reluctantly in with my best friend, Dog and Pony.... very well attended. We decided to forge a rep as the loudest band in Philly, so I used 3x 100 watt half stacks (superleads and a dual showman), the other guitarist had my AC30B and his modded silverface twin (and maybe my 50 watt 800 combo as well, not sure now), the bassist had an SVT rig and an Acoustic folded horn rig (like John Paul Jones used to play)... the drums got the whole PA but we also put kick snare and toms thru an old tube PA head, effects and some guitar 4x10s using contact mics :-) I think I also used a Roland Chorus Echo with all the different functions controlled with momentary switches so I could just punch it up for shits and giggles, the regen was cranked into full chaos on the echo and the verb was set to pyscho dwell. I think that ahd its own amp with no dry signal too, either one of the superlads or maybe a 4th amp. Cannot remember. This guy Greg said we 'rocked harder than Manowar atop a pile of flaming skulls' and a friend of mine commented that it was so loud something broke in her ear.... hahaha

it was a real party atmosphere and most of the audience came back to my place afterwards and proceeded to party into the next day. I remember the party better than the show itself as I was pretty fucked up at the show trying to overcome a case of the jitters as this band had barely played together before my friend booked us a gig... I just remember being high and drunk and having a blast. So that's a best show.... and something I would never do as an adult. Not the psycho volume, not the drugs, not even the bourbon...

and when I say loud I mean loud, everything was turned up at least to 7.... my favorite plexi was full up, all knobs but presence.... I remember sliding them all up right before we were going to start and thinking "this one goes to 11!" I thought the building was going to collapse. It was a sound you felt more than heard.... you couldn't escape it. Those were the days before noise ordinances on south street!

wild and free like Can or Neu, against my better musical judgement and fueled by alcohol, cocaine and Xanax, truly a show to try to remember though its hazy... later shows were also insane like the Philly rollerderby fundraiser at the triton... my worst band hands down, but the most fun

I think it's weird for a church band to get paid to begin with.

It is because church bands are used to playing in their own church for free. Damn... come to think of it, I'd feel weird being paid to play anywhere else just because you lose that care for money.

Speaking of feeling like a rock star, my favourite gig... can't really remember when it was. Maybe a year ago? Everything just went smoothly, we played some really emotional songs at our own church and everybody just felt emotionally exhausted afterwards. I love playing for my church, partly just for the fun, but because I'm taught on how to be humble about it. It's incredibly hard, but It's really similar to what everyone calls "serving the song" rather than just playing for yourself. I'm still learning, though.

Oh hey, I have days to play electric live! Those should be fun since I rarely get to play the electric.

I think it's weird for a church band to get paid to begin with.

It is because church bands are used to playing in their own church for free. Damn... come to think of it, I'd feel weird being paid to play anywhere else just because you lose that care for money.

Speaking of feeling like a rock star, my favourite gig... can't really remember when it was. Maybe a year ago? Everything just went smoothly, we played some really emotional songs at our own church and everybody just felt emotionally exhausted afterwards. I love playing for my church, partly just for the fun, but because I'm taught on how to be humble about it. It's incredibly hard, but It's really similar to what everyone calls "serving the song" rather than just playing for yourself. I'm still learning, though.

Oh hey, I have days to play electric live! Those should be fun since I rarely get to play the electric.

I was just discussing with my band leader that I have a problem worshiping when on stage. I tend to lock myself into a musician purpose, and not a worship purpose. This last week I told myself I was going to forget about the crowd and was going to sing and play right to God, but once I hit the stage, I completely forgot and it became all about keeping the timing perfect, hitting all my solos, and trying not to mess up the new song we made. I don't know how to work on this though. At home, I can do exactly what I meant to do on stage with no problems. Once their are people watching me, it becomes about musicianship.

Narcist, there is a book I am reading and really enjoying the tar out of called, "How To Worship A King" by something Neese. It's really changing the way I think about what I'm doing and addressing questions I had about the more modern church atmosphere. I grew up earlier in very traditional, hymnal singing, piano only kind of churches. When I left my old life and decided to go back to church, that's the kind of church I felt comfortable in. Now, I play for what could be called non-denominational or inter-denominational, they things are of course different. Small stuff like, "Why are they raising their hands when they sing?" is all coming together for me now. I have an audiobook version for my phone on christianaudio.com . If you want, I'll let you log into my account and download it.

Zach Neese, got it. I appreciate the offer, but I'm not partial to audiobooks. Tried once, felt wrong. I can snag a new one for $10 and get it Monday.

Most of my friends from church grew up Catholic in that sort of atmosphere, but I can't relate. I did once go to that type of church... So strange. It's almost robotic. After that, I was happy to be back at my church.

As for playing with feeling, the lead guitarist in my band explained it something like this: When joining a church band, you have three paths: A Rock Star, a Worshipper, and a combination of the two. The Rock Star plays for himself and forgets that he's there to worship. A Worshipper doesn't know shit about music. He's the guy with the acoustic guitar who'll sing his heart out a bit out of key and strum the guitar a bit while failing to finger a G chord.

The combination is one whose practised enough that playing is second-hand and worship can be done seamlessly. You're in an unfortunate gray area. I can't say for sure, but I don't think you have a problem with worshipping. You just need to practise more and become comfortable with how you play rather than being anxious about what you play and whether people approve.

I'm the type that stares at my fret-board a lot. I CAN play for extended periods without looking and often test myself to see how much of a song I can play with my eyes closed and without missing a note. When I worship at home I can, and do, play like this. For some reason, I have a higher percent chance of messing up on stage. When I do let loose and just watch the crowd or close my eyes on stage, I eventually hold the wrong position or forget about a change coming up. When this happens, I get so embarrassed and angry at myself. I lose all the emotional and spiritual sense that I was going through and become a dictator of the bass.

I don't emote well either lol. I've discovered this for myself with youtube but also watching the services I've played for. I will be playing a song I love, singing along, smiling, and moving around stage. I'm so in it. When I watch the video of that moment, I look nothing like what I was doing in my head. My mouth is open and my tongue moves so I can sing, but you can't tell I'm singing from watching. I don't move, I don't smile. I'm trying to force myself to over-emote, so that it looks like a normal person is up there :) I'm sure I weird people out with my brutal metal grimace during "This Is Amazing Grace".

instead of being more aware of yourself on stage learn to be less aware of your body regardless of what you are doing.... want to emote well and never look down at the fretbaord? learn to forget yourself and the audience.... your sub-conscious is playing tricks on you at shows, Boom. Instead of thinking what you are going to do or what you think you look like think about something else or nothing at all. Going to ballroom and swing dancing lessons with a girl I used to see back before I married really got me to just feel the music and let my body do its thing without thinking about it. You may laugh, but just letting yourself follow those steps while thinking about getting the dry cleaning or talking to your dance partner about where you're going to get a drink later really teaches you to be more natural on stage and to just elt the music happen while you connect with the audience.

I'll give it a go next time I'm up there.

That's sound advice right there, Jim. What is swing dancinf like?

fun! with a good partner and a pregame martini? wooo

playing on stage is the same as dancing, you wanna be relaxed and enjoy the music with the audience not sweatin' it, just be one with the band, loose and easy.... all aspects of the performance will happen without effort once you are just comfortable playing as you with people you like to play with... but aside from being comfortable in your musical skin you need to becomfortable being you with people watching you, its like dancing, not wrestling

let the front of your brain go somewhere else while the musical part of your brain just does what its made to do, which is be part of the music.... everything will follow from there and you will have more fun without trying.... and I don't know about you but I know I play better when I am having fun

I just got picked to play bass for a church camp for a whole week. So stoked. Some band over booked themselves and ended up needing a drummer and bassist. Furthermore, it's in Albuquerque, New Mexico... home of Walter White. I'm going to take advantage of the situation and totally get me some Los Pollos Hermanos. I've wanted to tour that town for like, 4 years. I LOVE playing for youth. LOVE it. So this is like the Superbowl of playing as far as I'm concerned.

To celebrate early, I give you the greatest song ever written about the town.

"A.....L.....B.....U...... querque!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JE37e1eK2mY

It's funny.

I posted this question without really considering an answer. What makes for a most memorable gig?

I loved the gigs we would get to, just to find bump in is up two flights of stairs.

Or cramming two guitar amps, a bass amp and a keyboard amp, assorted guitars, basses keyboards and stands, crate of vinyl, camera gear, a keyboardist, guitarist, DJ/ Manager and photographer into a '75 Chrysler Valiant to get to a gig.

Or having the bass player ecstatic that he has just bought a Hofner F hole hollowbody bass and will be gigging with it first time that night, but finds out at the gig how much it howls with feedback ( he played distorted on a few songs) and having him end up with two 20 foot cables stretched from amp to pedals from pedals to bass, and him standing in front of the crowd... 40 feet to side of stage!

Or turning up to a venue to find either the support, the headliner, or ALL other acts have pulled out since first billing, would we be able to give 4 x 45 min sets? Can only pay what you were originally quoted, plus alcohol. (Complete the new revision of the booking under new terms, finish pleasantly drunk and taking home a supply to last a week).

Where I live, there were a few small pub style venues and then there was the jump to the two international venues: The Playroom and the Patch, that saw Rollins, Sonic Youth, Motorhead (the Infamous 5 song show! in 1991), Pop Will Eat Itself, Carter USM, The Cure, The Buzzcocks, INXS, Bloodhound Gang and thousands of others grace the stage over the years.

While we were a regular mainstay at one of these venues (The Playroom: with the Manager often calling me at work because a band had fallen through, could I please fill the bill that night?), but it was on a night when we turned up to a show at the Patch to find the headliners had pulled out, and THEY were supplying the PA, sound engineer and lighting rig, that we performed a very intense intimate set to around 600 - 1000 with only stage amps and a mic (that the DJ used for onstage announcements) performing under a single blacklight, that some fans refer to as our most riveting set ever.

But perhaps my favourite though was a night our rhythm guitarist could not make the gig (sick or heading out of town). We relied on his guitar sound to compliment mine and his sweeping flanger was a mainstay to many of our tracks. We raided his house and that night his full rig was on stage, his guitar resting in a stand, flanger on and a desk fan on a barstool blowing across his strings to give us the sweep all night, being toggled on and off by the keyboard player.

Sure there were nights when all bands and members turned up, you played your heart out and the headliners came up and loved your sound or songwriting enough to actually tell you, but I find it is the quirky moments, where the night could have been a disaster but you made it through smiling that stick in your head the most.

Whatever it is, keep playing keep building those memories and share them with others... so they can feel inspired to get out there, play the gigs that almost don't work have the time of their lives, tell others about them, so that the new ears feel inspired to pick up tools and get on stage and keep this beautiful cycle of inspiration and dreams alive.

I hear that, I've played a million 'great' gigs in tight, accomplished bands sharing the bill with great and/or famous acts... I've had roadies and a tech to tune my guitars, but my standouts are the garage bands in tight, sweaty rooms, with a bad mix (or no mix at all), blaring noise after humping 3 halfstacks down or up a flight of steps only to discover I only get one free drink and we're not being paid despite drawing a few hundred people... those shows make you say 'fuck it, let's have a great time tonight!"

when they're happening you don't expect they'll be memorable, you think you'll remember opening for Peter Murphy or something like that, but you don't

Yay for the Peter Murphy show. I saw him while I was riding a wild fever in a converted backpackers hostel with broke AC... trying to find the strength to laugh at the 21st century new wave goth revivalist support band not only sweating through their makeup, but having the dye run out of their hair /clothes. They will look back on that night and try to remember Murphy above the day their credibility died.