Who's gigging tonight?

RocknRollDave · March 2023

Private party, Stratford-upon-Avon

Musicwolf · March 2023

Musicwolf said:

Starbelly will be playing at The Wheatsheaf in Preston tonight. This will be our first outing as a three piece.

This turned into quite an event. We were due to play our first gig as a three piece. Vocals, 2 x guitars and b vocals with pre-recorded drums (Superior Drummer 3), bass and keys, all played by myself and the other guitarist. 5 minutes before we were due to go on our singer got a message to say that her young daughter had been taken into hospital following some kind of allergic reaction. Naturally there’s nothing that you can do except tell her to get to the hospital asap.

We explained to the pub manager what had happened, he was naturally understanding, but I said that I had a recording of her vocals that we could add to the mix (it’s just something that I recorded in the rehearsal room to help me mix the backing tracks). I explained to the audience what had happened and off we went End of the first song and fantastic applause, so we carried on. Two 45 minute sets later and everyone’s having a good time. We’d told the manager that we’d naturally be playing for free but he insisted on giving us £100 and is looking forward to having us back.

News from the hospital this morning is that the singer’s daughter has stabilized but it may have been a first asthma attack, which is not great but I suppose it could have been a lot worse. Hopefully she'll be on the mend soon.

Rowby1 · March 2023

The Millipede Micro Pub in Stapleford nr Nottingham this afternoon with The Gerry Farrow Band from 4pm.

shufflebeat · March 2023

Musicwolf said:

Musicwolf said:

Starbelly will be playing at The Wheatsheaf in Preston tonight. This will be our first outing as a three piece.

This turned into quite an event.

Great to hear catastrophe averted on all fronts. You do realise, however, that you’ve just gone and proved that there only really needs to be one of you there in person - and that’s just to press “play”. As soon as the landlord discovers Spotify that person is redundant as well.

Well done, though on your quick thinking and commitment.

Musicwolf · March 2023

shufflebeat said:

Musicwolf said:

Musicwolf said:

Starbelly will be playing at The Wheatsheaf in Preston tonight. This will be our first outing as a three piece.

This turned into quite an event.

Great to hear catastrophe averted on all fronts. You do realise, however, that you’ve just gone and proved that there only really needs to be one of you there in person - and that’s just to press “play”. As soon as the landlord discovers Spotify that person is redundant as well.

Well done, though on your quick thinking and commitment.

This is why the singer plus backing tracks is taking over.

We’ve gone from being a 5 piece to a 3 piece plus backing tracks whilst the money has mostly stayed the same (we have now taken on additional gigs for less money in smaller venues that we couldn’t have otherwise played). The sound is better balanced, we’re all direct to PA so it's basically just a case of adjusting the master volume to suite the venue size. We rehearse less. We were paying £120 per month for a weekly rehearsal spot which we’re now about to cancel. That’s £1,440 pa (£480 each) which we’re saving. When we do need to rehearse we can hire the smallest of rooms as and when we need it. Sound levels / quality on stage is much improved, we played last weekend’s gig using an old pair of Adam A5 studio monitors on high stands. The lights are sync’d to the backing via MIDI / QLC+ as is the switching of my Helix. I now just play and interact with the audience, no more looking down and tap dancing.

Of course I would love to be playing with a proper band made up of competent musicians who were always available to gig and rehearse, who knew their parts, playing on stages that were big enough to accommodate us and for the sort of money that allows us to operate at profit – but sadly that isn’t the case. At least this way we can carry on doing what we enjoy.

darius · March 2023

shufflebeat said:

Musicwolf said:

Musicwolf said:

Starbelly will be playing at The Wheatsheaf in Preston tonight. This will be our first outing as a three piece.

This turned into quite an event.

Great to hear catastrophe averted on all fronts. You do realise, however, that you’ve just gone and proved that there only really needs to be one of you there in person - and that’s just to press “play”. As soon as the landlord discovers Spotify that person is redundant as well.

Well done, though on your quick thinking and commitment.

Landlord? What about the poor singer who just got replaced by her virtual self.

That’s pretty amazing that you managed to save the gig without a singer. I think we would have resorted to Freeform Jazz Odyssey and asking for volunteers who think they can sing!

Musicwolf · March 2023

It was lucky. The reason that I recorded her vocal in the first place was because it made it easier for me to balance the rest of the backing tracks in my home studio. Pretty much the whole set was recorded in one session where I didn't alter the gain setting on her mic. As a result the recordings weren't perfect, there were a couple of times that she missed her cue and came in half way through the first line and one M8 that was so far out of time that I'd cut it because it was so annoying.

I have the vocal track, and the other guitarist's track, running alongside the backing but muted. That way I can bring them back in for home practice or use them if someone either can't make, or is late for, rehearsal.

What was really interesting was the audience reaction. Certainly some people understood what had happened and were sympathetic but, as it was just a brief announcement at the start of each set, there must have been people in the pub that had either missed it it or hadn't being paying attention - yet nobody commented on the lack of a singer.

I played in another band some years ago with vocals, bass, guitar and backing and I've had people speak to me later who were absolutely convinced that there was a real drummer there.

Musicwolf · March 2023

I should add that the singer's daughter is on the mend. It appears to have been a virus and her coughing lead to a narrowing of her airways which in turn caused her oxygen level to drop. Very scarry but hopefully a one off with no lasting damage.

darius · March 2023

If you’re in Derby, some of us will be at the Hairy Dog full band jam night on Thursday. Always a good laugh.

darius · April 2023

This Friday (14) Agent Utah brings a Foo Fighters special to The Victoria Inn, Derby (opposite the train station). Its like a tribute to a tribute. An ace pub that used to be on the toilet tour and is now much much nicer.

Dave says you should go.

https://www.facebook.com/events/736843087820187/

Musicwolf · April 2023

Starbelly will be playing at The Jubilee Club, Ashton in Makerfield this evening.

ESBlonde · April 2023

Tonight we do our first band E okie at Stonham barns theatre. Over 200 songs on the list fr punters to sing many of which have been learned in the last five weeks, I still look at some and think how the hell does this one go? Hopefully they ask for the stuff we know well, but I doubt it.

Fez · April 2023

Borrowed Time are at the Swan in Crawley tonight.

Rowby1 · April 2023

Gun Money are playing the Boathouse in Shardlow tonight.

Musicwolf · April 2023

Starbelly are playing at The Sportsmans Arms, Birkenhead tonight. Our first time at this venue and a first outing for my PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo

Jonathangus · May 2023

With Desperate Measures NZ and Remones at the Facebar, Reading. Free entry.

Rowby1 · May 2023

Cask Bar in Loughborough with the Gerry Farrow Band from 8:30pm. New venue for me.

Musicwolf · May 2023

No gig for us this weekend but tomorrow (Saturday) Starbelly will be shooting a showreel video, which should be 'interesting'.

TheBigDipper · May 2023

Lonely Trees makes its debut tomorrow (Saturday) at the 6th birthday party festival for Drop The Anchor brewery in Christchurch.

Fez · May 2023

Borrowed Time are at the White Hart in Crawley tonight

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Who's gigging tonight?

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