What's your post-gig routine?

Iamnobody

MikkiMcMurderer said:

The shipping forecast and national anthem on radio 4.

Followed by a speed wank and possibly a dump and I'm sleeping like a baby.

Wank and dump at the same time? Is that why it’s a speed one because it saves time doing these mundane tasks individually? Could you not clean you teeth at the same time for extra efficiency?

When I was gigging in an originals band we’d stick around to watch the other band(s) if we played first and have a few drinks.

If we’d headlined (drawn the short straw and had to bring the kit and bass amp) then it was usually a case of packing up and going home. Maybe a few drinks if the place stayed open late.

fastonebaz

Sometimes I listen to something like radio 4 or classic fm on the way home, just to give me ears a rest.  

Lewy

Don’t gig that often these days but the old ritual used to be ...

Local gig - R4 Today in Parliament
Long drive home - load up on Ginsters and Tangfastics for the drive, then a massive poo when I got home (ideally)

SNAKEBITE

I liked to get packed up and get ready to go a.s.a.p.

It all depended on whether I was driving, or we were in the van.

Waiting around whilst the generally pissed singer/guitarist was saying his fond goodbyes to each and every punter was the best.

vonLayzonfon

Kebab shop on the way home and beers while watching telly to unwind.
Oh, and as I'll always be driving, a pox on venues that give you drinks at the bar in part payment. 

Sassafras

Voxman said:

Sassafras said:

I like to wind down by having loads of sex before going home to the wife.

I'm impressed that you've still got strength left in your hand afher playing guitar all night! 

Flagged for calling me a wanker.
No matter how true that is.

jeztone2

My rider specifies Four lines of Gak followed by being ”tromboned ” by a pair of Japanese Sixth Form Girls. 

But in reality I had a head cold this weekend. So I went home after an afternoon festival set and had a kebab and a lemsip while the missus assembled Ikea furniture. 

Normally if if there’s not too far to drive I like to watch the other bands. I’ve met some cracking people that way over the years. Also I think on the originals circuit the “arsehole careerist indie musician” cliche is finally dying. About 15 years ago I’d always find someone with a £200 Toni & Guy haircut wanting to borrow gear. That seems less commonplace now. 

Gassage

Spliff and a wank.

ICBM

I do a lot of coke.

Being a bass player these days, I tend to travel to gigs with just my bass, pedal and leads in a gig bag, which means I can drink beer.

A pint of Coke is necessary to make sure I don't fall asleep on the bus home .

Then poke my favourite groupie.

Gently, to wake MrsICBM up and tell her I'm home, since she's usually gone to sleep on the sofa...

Jota

After the show is over I change clothes, pack/load the gear and I'm in the car in about 15 minutes.

I get home, take a shower and go to sleep.

I'm too old for partying... guess I always was!

jasperthecat

I was a full time solo pro singer/guitarist for best part of 14 years up until 1980, touring throughout the UK up to 40 weeks a year so very often much of my time I was living in pro-digs which catered solely for pro entertainers. Back then I used to work areas in blocks of a minimum of one week at a time though I could be there for several weeks in one area. They were used to people rolling in during the night after gigs and if we didn't feel like going back to the digs for an early night we'd go to a night club after the gig which usually allowed us in for free back in those days.
You just went to the club door, told them you were an act working in the area and they let you in....that was the way it was back then.

If they didn't serve any food in the clubs, there were usually some all night diners in the bigger cities if we felt hungry. The accommodation usually had a kitchen that we could make a drink and toast or sandwich so we didn't go to bed hungry. Most acts, like myself preferred accommodation which catered for acts rather than hotels plus we got to know the accommodation owners so it was like staying with friends much of the time. Breakfast was usually from about 9.30 until 10.30-11.00. Evening meal was 5.00pm so everyone got fed before going to their gig.

When I was working from home in say Yorkshire, I was usually home by about 1.00-1.30 am so my wife would often have a meal ready for me or I'd pick up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and she would come and eat it with me.
If I was travelling back to East Yorkshire from  London, Wales, Liverpool etc then I'd maybe get home anywhere from 3.00 to  6.00 am and even when I got home after such a long drive I'd still take two hours to unwind which would very often include a full meal if I hadn't eaten on the road home.

I didn't drink alcohol as such other than the occasional one and never during gigs as I had to drive home and the police were hot on out of town cars back in those days, especially in the early hours so you were likely to get stopped and losing your licence through drinking would have been a disaster. 

I never enjoyed packing up. It was bad enough humping a 70 odd pound 100 watt valve combo amp, a steel cased 40 lb 100w PA amp, a pair of 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 PA cabs, plus all the other bits up three flights of stairs when you're fresh but nothing to look forward to after the gig unless I was heading home after not being home for several weeks.

I was always a night person and even now I love the early hours when the house is quiet and I can do my own thing.





 

Sassafras

jasperthecat said:

I was a full time solo pro singer/guitarist for best part of 14 years up until 1980, touring throughout the UK up to 40 weeks a year so very often much of my time I was living in pro-digs which catered solely for pro entertainers. Back then I used to work areas in blocks of a minimum of one week at a time though I could be there for several weeks in one area. They were used to people rolling in during the night after gigs and if we didn't feel like going back to the digs for an early night we'd go to a night club after the gig which usually allowed us in for free back in those days.
You just went to the club door, told them you were an act working in the area and they let you in....that was the way it was back then.

If they didn't serve any food in the clubs, there were usually some all night diners in the bigger cities if we felt hungry. The accommodation usually had a kitchen that we could make a drink and toast or sandwich so we didn't go to bed hungry. Most acts, like myself preferred accommodation which catered for acts rather than hotels plus we got to know the accommodation owners so it was like staying with friends much of the time. Breakfast was usually from about 9.30 until 10.30-11.00. Evening meal was 5.00pm so everyone got fed before going to their gig.

When I was working from home in say Yorkshire, I was usually home by about 1.00-1.30 am so my wife would often have a meal ready for me or I'd pick up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and she would come and eat it with me.
If I was travelling back to East Yorkshire from  London, Wales, Liverpool etc then I'd maybe get home anywhere from 3.00 to  6.00 am and even when I got home after such a long drive I'd still take two hours to unwind which would very often include a full meal if I hadn't eaten on the road home.

I didn't drink alcohol as such other than the occasional one and never during gigs as I had to drive home and the police were hot on out of town cars back in those days, especially in the early hours so you were likely to get stopped and losing your licence through drinking would have been a disaster. 

I never enjoyed packing up. It was bad enough humping a 70 odd pound 100 watt valve combo amp, a steel cased 40 lb 100w PA amp, a pair of 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 PA cabs, plus all the other bits up three flights of stairs when you're fresh but nothing to look forward to after the gig unless I was heading home after not being home for several weeks.

I was always a night person and even now I love the early hours when the house is quiet and I can do my own thing.





 

Sounds like a lot of eating was involved.
How much do you weigh?

jasperthecat

Sassafras said:

jasperthecat said:

I was a full time solo pro singer/guitarist for best part of 14 years up until 1980, touring throughout the UK up to 40 weeks a year so very often much of my time I was living in pro-digs which catered solely for pro entertainers. Back then I used to work areas in blocks of a minimum of one week at a time though I could be there for several weeks in one area. They were used to people rolling in during the night after gigs and if we didn't feel like going back to the digs for an early night we'd go to a night club after the gig which usually allowed us in for free back in those days.
You just went to the club door, told them you were an act working in the area and they let you in....that was the way it was back then.

If they didn't serve any food in the clubs, there were usually some all night diners in the bigger cities if we felt hungry. The accommodation usually had a kitchen that we could make a drink and toast or sandwich so we didn't go to bed hungry. Most acts, like myself preferred accommodation which catered for acts rather than hotels plus we got to know the accommodation owners so it was like staying with friends much of the time. Breakfast was usually from about 9.30 until 10.30-11.00. Evening meal was 5.00pm so everyone got fed before going to their gig.

When I was working from home in say Yorkshire, I was usually home by about 1.00-1.30 am so my wife would often have a meal ready for me or I'd pick up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and she would come and eat it with me.
If I was travelling back to East Yorkshire from  London, Wales, Liverpool etc then I'd maybe get home anywhere from 3.00 to  6.00 am and even when I got home after such a long drive I'd still take two hours to unwind which would very often include a full meal if I hadn't eaten on the road home.

I didn't drink alcohol as such other than the occasional one and never during gigs as I had to drive home and the police were hot on out of town cars back in those days, especially in the early hours so you were likely to get stopped and losing your licence through drinking would have been a disaster. 

I never enjoyed packing up. It was bad enough humping a 70 odd pound 100 watt valve combo amp, a steel cased 40 lb 100w PA amp, a pair of 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 PA cabs, plus all the other bits up three flights of stairs when you're fresh but nothing to look forward to after the gig unless I was heading home after not being home for several weeks.

I was always a night person and even now I love the early hours when the house is quiet and I can do my own thing.





 

Sounds like a lot of eating was involved.
How much do you weigh?

I'm slim and about the same weight now as I was back then though there was a bit more muscle...never varied more than two inches in waist size, ever.
Food was always important to me. I've always liked my food and still do. I could eat huge meals for weeks on end and never put on a pound.

Mark1960

Pack up - a beer at the venue with the rest of the band, then off home. My wife usually leaves a cooked pizza out which i have with a nice cup of tea!

fastonebaz

jasperthecat said:

I was a full time solo pro singer/guitarist for best part of 14 years up until 1980, touring throughout the UK up to 40 weeks a year so very often much of my time I was living in pro-digs which catered solely for pro entertainers. Back then I used to work areas in blocks of a minimum of one week at a time though I could be there for several weeks in one area. They were used to people rolling in during the night after gigs and if we didn't feel like going back to the digs for an early night we'd go to a night club after the gig which usually allowed us in for free back in those days.
You just went to the club door, told them you were an act working in the area and they let you in....that was the way it was back then.

If they didn't serve any food in the clubs, there were usually some all night diners in the bigger cities if we felt hungry. The accommodation usually had a kitchen that we could make a drink and toast or sandwich so we didn't go to bed hungry. Most acts, like myself preferred accommodation which catered for acts rather than hotels plus we got to know the accommodation owners so it was like staying with friends much of the time. Breakfast was usually from about 9.30 until 10.30-11.00. Evening meal was 5.00pm so everyone got fed before going to their gig.

When I was working from home in say Yorkshire, I was usually home by about 1.00-1.30 am so my wife would often have a meal ready for me or I'd pick up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and she would come and eat it with me.
If I was travelling back to East Yorkshire from  London, Wales, Liverpool etc then I'd maybe get home anywhere from 3.00 to  6.00 am and even when I got home after such a long drive I'd still take two hours to unwind which would very often include a full meal if I hadn't eaten on the road home.

I didn't drink alcohol as such other than the occasional one and never during gigs as I had to drive home and the police were hot on out of town cars back in those days, especially in the early hours so you were likely to get stopped and losing your licence through drinking would have been a disaster. 

I never enjoyed packing up. It was bad enough humping a 70 odd pound 100 watt valve combo amp, a steel cased 40 lb 100w PA amp, a pair of 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 PA cabs, plus all the other bits up three flights of stairs when you're fresh but nothing to look forward to after the gig unless I was heading home after not being home for several weeks.

I was always a night person and even now I love the early hours when the house is quiet and I can do my own thing.





 

That is an epic tale.  But kinda puts me off wanting to be a touring musician.   

rico

Hang around, sell some merch for a bit if the crowd are in a buying mood. If no interest, we load out and collect payment as quick as possible then hit the road. On the drive back to the storage space we'll have a debrief of the show and enjoy the euphoria/buzz. More often than not we'll get a McDonalds or a kebab.

By the time I drop the others off I get home, quick shower and then try not to wake the wife. Then lie in bed still buzzing.

Anyone else find the morning after playing a great gig, everything just feels good in the world?

The above assumes i'm driving. For the rare occasions where I don't drive, all bets are off and I rely on the more sensible members of the band (the bassist, believe it or not) to make sure the gear and I are loaded into an Uber.

jasperthecat

fastonebaz said:

jasperthecat said:

I was a full time solo pro singer/guitarist for best part of 14 years up until 1980, touring throughout the UK up to 40 weeks a year so very often much of my time I was living in pro-digs which catered solely for pro entertainers. Back then I used to work areas in blocks of a minimum of one week at a time though I could be there for several weeks in one area. They were used to people rolling in during the night after gigs and if we didn't feel like going back to the digs for an early night we'd go to a night club after the gig which usually allowed us in for free back in those days.
You just went to the club door, told them you were an act working in the area and they let you in....that was the way it was back then.

If they didn't serve any food in the clubs, there were usually some all night diners in the bigger cities if we felt hungry. The accommodation usually had a kitchen that we could make a drink and toast or sandwich so we didn't go to bed hungry. Most acts, like myself preferred accommodation which catered for acts rather than hotels plus we got to know the accommodation owners so it was like staying with friends much of the time. Breakfast was usually from about 9.30 until 10.30-11.00. Evening meal was 5.00pm so everyone got fed before going to their gig.

When I was working from home in say Yorkshire, I was usually home by about 1.00-1.30 am so my wife would often have a meal ready for me or I'd pick up a Chinese takeaway on the way home and she would come and eat it with me.
If I was travelling back to East Yorkshire from  London, Wales, Liverpool etc then I'd maybe get home anywhere from 3.00 to  6.00 am and even when I got home after such a long drive I'd still take two hours to unwind which would very often include a full meal if I hadn't eaten on the road home.

I didn't drink alcohol as such other than the occasional one and never during gigs as I had to drive home and the police were hot on out of town cars back in those days, especially in the early hours so you were likely to get stopped and losing your licence through drinking would have been a disaster. 

I never enjoyed packing up. It was bad enough humping a 70 odd pound 100 watt valve combo amp, a steel cased 40 lb 100w PA amp, a pair of 2 x 12 or 4 x 12 PA cabs, plus all the other bits up three flights of stairs when you're fresh but nothing to look forward to after the gig unless I was heading home after not being home for several weeks.

I was always a night person and even now I love the early hours when the house is quiet and I can do my own thing.





 

That is an epic tale.  But kinda puts me off wanting to be a touring musician.   

Don't let it put you off and if you get the chance, take it!

It wasn't all fun and games and I missed my wife and young family at the time but once you've been there, done that and got the tee shirt you will always have those memories.

I did it purely for the money and security. By the time I was 22 I'd bought my first house outright without needing a mortgage. It was an old Victorian 5 bedroomed house which had been divided into two and in a terrible state of repair which needed a full restoration which took several more years to complete due to me being on the road so much but it was worth it and set us up for life with regard to never needing a mortgage for any house we owned. I also lived quite a nice lifestyle too during those years.

I was lucky in that I met my wife while I was touring so she knew what my occupation and lifestyle was before we eventually married. She preferred staying at home so she was happy to stay at home most of the time especially when the kids came along while I went on tour alone but in the end we both agreed that it was better if I gave it up to raise our kids together rather than me being an almost part time father. The money was good but some things are far more important than money alone and I'd got what I wanted so it wasn't such wrench giving it up. 

If anyone is single and wants to be a touring singer//musician then it's a great lifestyle. It can also work for a number of years if in a committed relationship as long as the other half remains happy with the arrangement. 

fastonebaz

@jasperthecat ; that's a great story,  thanks for sharing.  Sounds like you're sorted

jasperthecat

fastonebaz said:

@jasperthecat ; that's a great story,  thanks for sharing.  Sounds like you're sorted

Thank you.
Obviously I don't gig any more but I still have all of those memories and what's more, now I enjoy just playing for me without having to consider the audiences I entertained.
  
It was an exciting time in my life and one which I wouldn't want to have missed and I think it determined my entire future. I'd done the things that most people only dreamed about and then I set about getting the uni degree I'd always promised myself but had put on the back burner until the time was right. From then I went on into business and did well with that so with exception of sadly my wife passing away at an early age I've been very happy with my life.

If it hadn't been for my music I don't think I'd have taken the same route through life which I did or achieved the things I wanted in life which is why I always say if you are a musician/vocalist and have the chance then take it. It usually only comes around once so don't miss the opportunity.

Caffeine_Vampire

Not that I play out much these days but I generally get home asap 'cos I miss my dogs.