The Jam Room Blog Thread.

[RAGER]

Sounds familiar but not something fully remember. I'll have to check it out.

[agent of change]

Had my first taste of embarrassment, being (re)asked last minute to open for two touring bands. First feeling of being 41 and just starting a new project last year, from the bottom up, simple CDR demo and no merch. The touring bands just got back from Europe, had a huge backline, all 70s vintage clothes, tons of well-designed merch, etc etc. We had like 7 people there and went on at 9:15. The drummer from the headlining band was really sweet and stood up front (alone) for our set. But overall it was humbling to be scrapping it out in a small mountain town while other bands take some simple 70s riffs and turn it into glamour and money. All I could do to salve my wounded ego was be honest and friendly - we got asked last minute and have played 3 shows in the last week and a half. And our set was tight and mean. The bands were pretty cool to us (besides getting high downstairs while we played), and the club owner thanked us for playing last minute and said they would like to have us back for a properly promoted show.

Funny how playing dive bars amongst our people I feel righteous, but in a higher end club opening for bigger bands I felt like a washed up geezer.

/truejamroomblog

[RAGER]

Been there. You go on and there's like 50 people in this cavernous club and magically by the time the headliner goes on there's 400 people stuffed in there. 

[Pissy]

Been there. You go on and there's like 50 people in this cavernous club and magically by the time the headliner goes on there's 400 people stuffed in there. 

In my experience, playing to 50 people is a great success.

I actually tend to judge how well we're perceived as a function of if the crowd grew or shrank, and how well the people that are there are into what we're doing. Last show we played, we went on at last call. Not ideal. But we kept the few that were willing to stick around, and gave them a good set. I felt like we did well for the circumstance. Last band on a 5 band bill that started at 10:00.

[Danny G]

20 people going apeshit > 200 people staring blankly or looking at their phones.

[RAGER]

200 people staring blankly or looking at their phones.

Oh you've been to some shows in Portland.

Been there. You go on and there's like 50 people in this cavernous club and magically by the time the headliner goes on there's 400 people stuffed in there. 

In my experience, playing to 50 people is a great success.

A success to me also but I'd rather it be in a basement or small club rather than a hall.

[agent of change]

That room sure was big and empty. Even the folks at the bar were paying attention though. I try to sing/scream at people and get as much eye contact in as they can handle. We got a few compliments after from folks we didn't know. Thanks for the commiseration dudes.

[RacerX]

20 people going apeshit > 200 people staring blankly or looking at their phones.

Yeah, but where do you find that these days? Not in the clubs, for the most part.

[agent of change]

The 20 people going apeshit or the 200 people? I haven't seen 200 people around here probably since High on Fire played the Orange Peel. As far as people going apeshit, we're starting to figure out how to hook people here. It's a funny dialogue, playing your music, but tweaking it so that people want to go apeshit.

[RacerX]

The 20 people going apeshit or the 200 people? I haven't seen 200 people around here probably since High on Fire played the Orange Peel. As far as people going apeshit, we're starting to figure out how to hook people here. It's a funny dialogue, playing your music, but tweaking it so that people want to go apeshit.

Sorry for the fuzziness— I meant the 20 people going apeshit.

I think the answer these days is most often found at "alternative venues."

[khoomeizhi]

^ true dat. 'cause people are excited already, just because something different is happening.

edit: meant to ask, agent, how'd the record store show go?

[Mr. Foxen]

What does going apeshit to drone look like? We got a "YAY!" once.

[RacerX]

What does going apeshit to drone look like? We got a "YAY!" once.

If the audience are all lying on the floor, soaking up the vibes, count them as "going apeshit" to Drone.

[dogfood]

Jib, Rib Burn Off Saturday, let's meet.  What time?

[Mr. Foxen]

What does going apeshit to drone look like? We got a "YAY!" once.

If the audience are all lying on the floor, soaking up the vibes, count them as "going apeshit" to Drone.

Had small kids rolling on the floor holding their ears once, didn't necessarily take as a good sign.

[RacerX]

heh. Probably not.

[agent of change]

^ true dat. 'cause people are excited already, just because something different is happening.

edit: meant to ask, agent, how'd the record store show go?

Pretty good. Sounds really good in there, and it was reasonably well-attended. Scored some new fans and sold a few cds. Made connections with the touring band. Didn't get paid though; it all went to the touring band. I'm starting to wonder about a cost/benefit analysis of playing shows that don't pay anything.

[mortlock]

the cost is it costs you money to play. gas, equipment maintenance, etc.. the benefit is that you actually get to play. you cant really ask for money if you don't bring people in with your band. I love places that give the bands the door. its a true measure of what you deserve..

[RAGER]

^ true dat. 'cause people are excited already, just because something different is happening.

edit: meant to ask, agent, how'd the record store show go?

I'm starting to wonder about a cost/benefit analysis of playing shows that don't pay anything.

There are lots of opinions on this whole thing.

[liquidsmoke]

http://madison.craigslist.org/msg/4492321186.html

Checked out this cab today(for bass, not guitar, relax guys). It farts(or something) bad on low notes, not sure if the speakers are blown or they were slamming against the nailed on replacement wooden grill. The guy is going to call me if he can figure out and fix the problem.

[AgentofOblivion]

Last night my suspicions were confirmed:  I've been a dope most of my life.  Let me expand on this.  Long story short, I have an amazing Eventide Space pedal that sounds orgasmic on clean stuff but due to the design of the amp I'm using (relies on power amp distortion), it sounds like utter horse shit with even vary modest gain despite being in the FX loop.  I never liked it as much as my JCM 800, which was mainly pre-amp distortion. 

My suspicion became, "If all I really want is pre-amp distortion, why am I lugging around a big, expensive, fragile tube amp instead of having a tube front end feed a solid state power amp?"  Well, last night we had a band practice whose goal was only to dial in tones for the upcoming show.  After a fruitless hour of trying to get the amp not shit on the ambiance of the Eventide we decided to hook up this little pedal tube pre-amp my buddy has and go into his solid state PA power amp.  This little pedal of his is like $300, has a clean, overdrive, and heavy overdrive channels along with an FX loop.  I plugged that Eventide into the FX loop of that guy and holy shit! 

Even without the Eventide on, this little pedal pre-amp into a SS poweramp sounded fucking amazing.  It was incredibly responsive to touch and really let the sound of the guitar dominate.  I hate amps that sound about the same whether you're using a Les Paul or Strat.  I was getting huge tonal variation with pickup selection, all of which were musical, and it seemed somehow more pure and transparent--perhaps it's the better bass response of the clean headroom that the power section had.  The other great thing is it sounded just as wonder at bedroom levels as it does at band level, not to mention it's less shit to carry around.  And I could buy that whole rig for about $500. 

So me with my expensive guitars and amps that Eddie Van Halen used or what the fuck ever am a big dope that bought into the hype from marketing.  It only took me 19 years of playing guitar to figure it out.

[Danny G]

Best way to get those 20 people to go apeshit is to ROCK YOUR ASS OFF.

If the band onstage is having more fun than the crowd, it makes the crowd want to get in on the fun \m/,


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[agent of change]

We've found that set list order can make a difference too. Are people ready and eager to have their faces ripped off by our blistering 5/4 metal opus? Or do they need to be softly massaged closer with our slow pulsing doom wall?

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[JemDooM]

I'm curious to know who those bands were agent that's bad gig etiquette to sit downstairs getting high while the support band is on, or while any other band is on, I cant stand that, if you want support from the scene you gotta give some...

I used to feel embarrassed playing shows where the other bands have a ton of nice amps and cabs and I show up with my one solid state head and single cab, with my guitar in a soft case with massive holes in it, (and leads in a plastic shopping bag haha), but over the last year iv had so many experiences that told me it really doesn't matter!

This is for rager and mort tho its pretty damn awesome so check it out! Old band from Liverpool, its got some nice synth action..

[Danny G]

If a band is on tour, they can do whatever the hell they want during my set. I don't know what kind of day/week/run they've been having. Unless they are dicks and just don't care, heh

Being visible and checking out a few songs of the support bands is def good etiquette tho


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