h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

BAND LOG 001

Since my rock/blues band has been doing well lately when it comes to gigs, I've decided to start keeping a gig log here (so I can be sure to don't get any more gigs, if I know the laws of life ) I'll start with yesterday's gig, but first I'll introdyce you to the band:
DROWNIN' DUCKS
Vocal - Runa
Guitar - Daniel
Bass - Tine ('Tiny') (my sister, Daniels girlfriend)
Drums - Daniel
Saxophone - Susann
Trumpet - yours truly
Mascot - Arnold the stage-diving Duck (a stuffed toy duck, if you wondered )

The band arrived at the Vormvik stage in Eidsvoll at 8 PM where we started the sound rehearsal with mixed results - the soundmen had never worked with sax and trumpet before, so the experimenting with mikes took some time. The drum set was also placed all wrong, so we had to correct that. After that we devoured our payment in form of stringy chicken, burnt french fries, long gone salad and mineral water (still better than nothing, we don't usually get paid at all) we started to get bored.

Then followed an hour with boredom and loneliness (note to self: Get a boyfriend to take along to gigs. Me and Susann was the only band members who didn't have a partner to keep warm and entertained with during the wait ) The waiting was mostly because they ('they' meaning the leaders of the Vormvik stage) wanted to wait until the room was filled with audience. After the hour they accepted it wasn't such a popular concert - there must have been about 18 persons spread around in the room, and most of them was drunk upon arrival So we started off.

The songs we played was as follows: 'Ballroom Blitz', 'Proud Mary', 'Tush', 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Birthday', 'Spinning Wheel', 'Son of a Preacherman', 'Travellin' Band' (this one with an improvised ending because Marius forgot to count), 'Witch Queen of New Orleans', 'Go Down Gamblin' and 'Still Got the Blues'

Let it be said; I never, never, ever want to play for a drunk audince again!! I mean I've played for school classes, kindergarden children, teenagers, old people, most things... But no one behaved as embarassing as drunk adults! Like when Runa presented each band member, including Arnold the Duck, somebody in the audience commented "What did she say? Anus the duck?" and the whole audience went off worse than teenagers And what can I say about their dancing? During the drum solo of 'Ballroom Blitz' they cluttered up the floor with what looked like a mix of swing, line- and tap dance. I didn't know what to think. Okay, so I really was three years too young to be there legally, but no one could have prepared me for that audience... Jeez...

We wrapped up and left after we had listened to three songs with the surprising good band Loud'n'Proud (with a vocalist my sister had a big crush on some years back - and I've been acting on the same stage as) We arrived sometime AM, so I was dead beat when we got back home.

What do you think? An okay gig, I guess

In my very short stint as a heavy metal bass player, I've found that loud and simple goes over quite well with drunk audiences. Plus, playing music that no one can dance to cuts down on embarassing dancing quite a bit.

But what makes it worth it is those gigs where everyone plays right on, the equipment is tuned just right, and the music matches the audience so well it's as if you had wrote it just for them. Those nights are few and far in between, but when they happen, there's nothing quite like that feeling.

Aaah yes, the dream gig I've had a few of those and love them. Once I was asked for autographs afterwards - that was great.

I've had two such gigs. The only things missing from both of them was to be swamped under by hot groupies.

Oh, well...