do you drink or party before or during gigs?

[Hamer Player]

You can be honest... it's just us musicians hanging out backstage. :cool:

I might have a beer in the stage during the 2 nd set, but I don't drink or do any other "partying" before or during gigs.

I need to keep my playing up to snuff, I'm not good enough to perform wasted.

[THX1138]

I'm kind of a weird one where thats concerned, cause I'm all backwards. I (bass player) tend to load up before the show and get to my "comfortable" buzz-zone. Then I'll have a few beers thoughout the night to kinda maintain. But after the show, I really don't drink much.

Drummer is Jack & Cokes all night.

Singer ALWAYS has a shot of Jack sittin on his amp head at the start of the show. But other than a shot here and there, he takes his singin too seriously to get all faced.

Lead geetar player is a don't stop til you pass out kinda consumer.

We've all been doin the live deal for years, so we manage to not fall completely apart when all liquored up.

[Guitar Guru]

Due to the sheer physicality of our live show, and the fact that I have to sing as well as play guitar, I never drink alcohol before a set. Plenty of water, plenty of honey in that water......keeps me hydrated and keeps the throat healthy.

After a show, I'll probably have a little more water then a few beers after the adrenaline slows down.

I'm a really sloppy player if I'm even slightly buzzed on stage......and the singing really suffers too.

[Brian Krashpad]

Originally posted by THX1138
I'm kind of a weird one where thats concerned, cause I'm all backwards. I (bass player) tend to load up before the show and get to my "comfortable" buzz-zone. Then I'll have a few beers thoughout the night to kinda maintain. But after the show, I really don't drink much.

Same here.

BK

[caveman]

I usually have one or two Bloody Marys with plenty of hot sauce and sip them over the course of the night. I read an article where Linda Ronstadt said she eats the hotest peppers she can find just before she goes on and it strengthens her voice.

The hot stuff works for me too.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Never under any circumstances, and I've fired more than a few rhythm section players over this. This applies to practice, too.

We're paid to play/sing our very best...and that requires total sobriety.

After the gig is not my concern. ;)

[Shovelhead]

If the night is going well, I might sip on a drink during the last set. I never drink in the first 3 sets. I absolutely HATE it when I can hear the effects of alcohol in my bandmates.

[THX1138]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall
Never under any circumstances, and I've fired more than a few rhythm section players over this. This applies to practice, too.

We're paid to play/sing our very best...and that requires total sobriety.

After the gig is not my concern. ;)

Guess we won't be sharing the stage anytime soon?:D

Seriously though, we have to take into concern what kind of music we're all playing with our different bands, and the environments we're playing in. For example, we are a wide open, energetic rock band, and we play mostly rock clubs, putting on a rock show. The two most important things to club owners with the venues we play is the number of people coming through the door, and the number of drinks being sold. Most club owners could care less if we were the greatest or crappiest band on earth. Our music doesn't matter as much as the party we bring. They want their place packed, and they want the bar to make insane amounts of money. They want their place to be "the place to be".

Our main job as the live entertainment is to be alcohol salesmen.

[caveman]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall
Never under any circumstances, and I've fired more than a few rhythm section players over this. This applies to practice, too.

We're paid to play/sing our very best...and that requires total sobriety.

After the gig is not my concern. ;)

I've fired people for excesive drinking and limit my players to one drink per set. It's just enough to keep them loose and having fun.

[Outrider]

Nobody in any of my bands has ever been to drunk to do their job, so it's never been an issue. Currently, everybody has 3 or 5 drinks over the course of the evening and it's just not a problem. It would be addressed if it became a problem.

Advantage of being old & fat...higher tolerance!

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by THX1138


Guess we won't be sharing the stage anytime soon?:D

Seriously though, we have to take into concern what kind of music we're all playing with our different bands, and the environments we're playing in. For example, we are a wide open, energetic rock band, and we play mostly rock clubs, putting on a rock show. The two most important things to club owners with the venues we play is the number of people coming through the door, and the number of drinks being sold. Most club owners could care less if we were the greatest or crappiest band on earth. Our music doesn't matter as much as the party we bring. They want their place packed, and they want the bar to make insane amounts of money. They want their place to be "the place to be".

Our main job as the live entertainment is to be alcohol salesmen.

Well, that goes w/o saying, although in some cases you can substitute "cappucino", "pizza" or "catfish" for alcohol...still, we need to help the venue sell whatever the venue sells if we want return bookings. :)

[fastplant]

It's weird, in my band that I play bass I can drink till I can't remember the night and play just as well as I do sober. But in the band I play drums in, if I'm even slightly buzzed I start falling apart. Not sure why that is. So in the one band I drink quite a bit, but in my drumming band I tend to stay as sober as possible (it's not always easy, hehe).

[machinegun78_2]

we're a "whatever you can handle" rock band, and like someone else said....we are the "party favors" and "beer and shot" girls....or guys, as it is....but you get the drift. I'm not a big drinker unless I'm trying to get DRUNK....

I would MUCH rather be up there after putting out the doobie, than after crunching a 12 pack....but that's me. I AM in a rock band, and there are some drinkers in it. as long as what you do doesn't effect the band, you can do whatever you like....

;)

[Lee Flier]

It's kinda bizarre, after years of playing in bands where at least one person was a borderline or not so borderline alcoholic, I'm now in TWO bands where drinking is almost nonexistent. We're more into caffeine. :D I have to say it's a huge relief actually, nice to be focused on the music instead of wondering who's going to fuck up because they're too drunk to play well, who I will get a call from in the middle of the night because they're in jail with a DUI, who I'll have to drive home and clean the barf out of my car, etc. We have this really focused, in your face energy onstage that people definitely notice, so it works for us.

[Burgess]

I don't drink at all anymore. It's been a while, like almost 15 years since I've had a drink.

I'm a pretty boring guy truth be told...

[THX1138]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall


Well, that goes w/o saying, although in some cases you can substitute "cappucino", "pizza" or "catfish" for alcohol...still, we need to help the venue sell whatever the venue sells if we want return bookings. :)

This just occured to me... Hope you didn't interpret my comments as argumentative, cause they weren't intended that way at all. I completely understand and respect your stance on aclohol relating to the folks in your band. And you're 100% spot on... gotta do whatever makes the club and its patrons happy.

[Fr!tz]

I will usually have a chilled shot of Crown Royal and a beer before the 1st set after that it's water and redbull till the show is over. I used to drink beer all night but like fastplant stated it's a little difficult to play drums when you are FUBAR.:D

[guitarmook]

I'm usually too busy setting-up and getting everything ready to have more than a beer before our set starts... I usually gotta have a cigarette, tho...

and on a REALLY crazy night, I'll have 4 beers... you say lightweight, I say cheap drunk!

[Caevan O'Sh!te]

Other than a good beer or two- not even a blip on my tolerance-radar- no. For me, playing and hearing music is its own buzz, entirely. I'm not even likely to drink (or "party") when I go to a big concert, believe it or not!

That is NOT even remotely to suggest that I'm a tea-totaler, not by a long-shot! I love a good ale or stout or mixed-drink (or two or three or dozen), when appreciation of the arts and crafts of brewers and mixologists is the agenda and priority. Not to mention just wanting to get $h!tfaced once in a blue moon! It's just that playing or digging real music precludes all that for me.

I've unfortunately had to deal with bandmates who were so tanked at gigs that it ruined their performances, while they had sounded GODLIKE at practices... :rolleyes: Forgetting or screwing-up their own lyrics, singing HORRIBLY, trainwrecking their own songs, nearly falling off from stages, ALL CAUGHT ON VIDEO, EVEN; and beligerantly denying it all later... :eek:

[Badside]

I'm a "confort zone" kinda guy too, especially if it's the usual "9-5 work day, 3 hours drive, 2 hours setup, 1 hour dinner, 3 hours show" thing. Once the show finally start, I'm pretty much burned out and it's hard getting in the mood to jump on stage and rock all night. A good meal and 2-3 beers before the show will usually do the trick. It doesn't get me drunk, it gets me in the "confort zone" where I can play as good as always but I feel a little more like partying. Somehow, having some alcohol in your blood makes you behave in a way that encourage people in the audience to drink more, and the more drink the bar sell, the more they like us!

I sometimes do it completely straight, if the place is packed and the crowd is cool, I don't need anything else. But somehow, when you're in a small bar that barely fits 50 people in the middle of nowhere, it's kinda hard not to drink!

Once the show is finished then it depends, we might drink till we pass out (not paying for your alcohol makes you do stupid things), we might end up partying at someone's place (usually someone we never met before), we might take a beer or two at the hotel room while we do our "debriefing", we might get a Big Mac, or we might just go straigth to bed.

[THB]

Originally posted by Hamer Player
You can be honest... it's just us musicians hanging out backstage. :cool:

I might have a beer in the stage during the 2 nd set, but I don't drink or do any other "partying" before or during gigs.

I need to keep my playing up to snuff, I'm not good enough to perform wasted.

I'm like you HP. I can't get fucked up and keep it together with the band. Solo it's easier, but after going alsohol-free for 6 months my tolerance ain't what it used to be and I really have to watch it.

Never any "other" substances during a gig for me, and probably not until after the truck is loaded.

[squealie]

In a perfect world, I would reach that party/flirty/uninhibited yet high-functioning buzz in the middle of the first set, and keep it right there all night.


Reality works a bit different.

What I really need is a beer with about 1/3 - 1/2 the alcahol of domestic light beer.

[zookie]

I have a 9 to 5 day job, where I'm up at 6am. After a full work day, there's the drive to the venue, set up, 3 sets, breakdown, drive home, get ready for next day.

There's no moral judgement involved, but usually when I reach for a drink at a venue, it's water. Having a beer would relax me too much; I need to stay sharp.

For weekend gigs, once I'm safely home and all the gear's dealt with, I'll have a toast to a successful night.

I do a lot of a acoustic duo work in folkier venues. It's a different vibe.

[worthyjoe]

I'm the singer guitarist in my band and I'm naturally a pretty reserved person. So I usually have a few beers before the first set and maintain the rest of the night. We're a cover band so I'd rather create a fun atmosphere while drinking as long as we don't cross the line where the music suffers noticeably. If it was originals I might care more about nailing the music. But for the most part, people just want to have a good time and will not notice most mistakes that we as musicians notice.

[XamendedX]

I like a couple rounds of rum before the gig and a cigar and a hard tea afterwards:cool:

[Electric Catfish]

Originally posted by squealie


What I really need is a beer with about 1/3 - 1/2 the alcahol of domestic light beer.

Domestic light beer has the same alcohol content as regular domestic beer. The "light" designation has nothing to do with the amount of alcohol in beer. The "light" refers to the calories. Budweiser and Bud Light, for example, each have 5.5% alcohol per volume (which is pretty average for domestic beers).

Not sure if that's what you were referring to or not, just thought I'd take the opportunity to clear that up, as it is a common misconception about light beers.

Steve

[Badside]

Funny, the Bud Light we get here (Canada) is 4% (unless I'm wrong). Same goes for Coors Light.

I once tried to get drunk on Coors Light, I got sick from drinking too much liquid before I was able to get drunk.

[Tedster]

I'll have a drink before the gig to loosen up. Just one. Then maybe one a set, but more often I'll drink Coke or diet Coke...maybe iced tea.

[daddymack]

Bar gigs I generally drink tonic water until I know everything is sounding good. Then I will do one beer per set...and a couple during tear-down/load-out. Never be more messed up than the audience!;)

For the Festival gigs, since we play only one set, it is strictly sober.

For other outdoor gigs, depending on the location and the weather, I will usually stick with the same as the bar gig, but I may start the beer a bit earlier...:cool:

[PBBPaul]

I drink beer throughout the gig. I like to have enough alcohol influence to relax the muscles and loosen the inhibitions but never lose control. (about .04 according to the cops' field breathylizer ;) ). It's fine line but I've learned to walk it quite well.

[mchen]

Not until after the 3rd set. Then only 1 until we are done.

[DaveH]

Water, Snapple, or some kind of 'sport' juice, these days.

It used to be "whatever you got, and plenty of it", but I've (pretty much) cleaned up my act.

I find that refer tends to cut my energy, so I rarely use it when playing the with band.

[LateGreats]

I used to be a Paul Westerberg/Shane McGowan drunk at gigs. Start early, start often. Since I quit, I play stone cold sober and can hear every single mistake drunk bandmates make. My tolerance for drunks in my bands is shrinking.

I know some guys in a local band who drink like vikings on a rampage at gigs. In a really strange way, it works.

[shredheadjohn]

i personally believe alcohol is kinda lame, killing your judgement but at the same time boosting your ego to almost nonexistant proportions, the lead singer in my old band churchburn used to always have a beer or two in him by the time we were rehearsing our songs and he ALWAYS came in off rhythm and ended up almost throwing us off a lot (just listen to ashes of the priest at churchburn on soundclick.com in my profile)

me personally i always enjoyed a joint or couple pipeloads because i dont get the sloshy coordination and hot brain nuke feeling i usually get from alcohol, instead marijuana gives me this blissful intelligence rush that does not destroy coordination and entice emotions and aggrivation like alcohol but in fact it does the opposite it allows more creative energies to flow and mellows the musical vibe much so which i find very very useful for songwriting

as far as alcohol goes...feels headachey and it causes tons of problems in modern day society compared to thc which shrinks and destroys cancer cells when injected into them

[orfalot]

We are a classic rock cover band and we are supported by our local Budweiser distributor, yes we drink on stage but not to excess. Drummer drinks water, the other three of us will have 3 beers apiece during the course of the night. That has been the case for about the last seven years but we used to have a drummer that would get soused and that led to his departure. While I don't drink a beer untill after our first set, I do try to make sure I come in contact with mother nature before the performance.

Great Duane Allman quote Electric Catfish, I'd never seen it before.

[e-b-e]

Some nights I don't drink anything but soda and water.

Other nights I may have a beer or two, possibly ONE shot.

I know I'm being paid to play drums and have a responsibility to play as well as I can.

What other job in the world are you allowed to drink at and not get in trouble?? I consider it a bonus that ya can have a few drinks, and I don't overdo it.

I once saw a good friend of mine who is a fantastic drummer totally ruin their last set due to drinking too much. That really stuck in my head and left a lasting impression.

I also once went to see a band that I used to play in do a show at a local bar. It was their first show with the new drummer. After the drummer messing up the intro to a song (they tried it like 3 or 4 times before they asked me to come up and sit on the song), I went up and played the tune. After the song, I get up and go to hand the sticks back over to their new drummer and the singer/guitarist is like "No, fill in the rest of the night, new guy is trashed!" . So I sat in last 6-8 songs while their new drummer drinks more, dances with a support pole on the edge of the dance floor area and passes out.

[Dr. Jimmy]

Only water for me, hell I can't even eat before a show! I hate feeling weighed down.

[elsongs]

I drink and party after the gig. :)

[axe2 2001]

depends on the job. If it's one of the same old gin mills on our small circuit, i'll induldge in free booze but there have been a few times that I even knew I was sloppin the place up. Usually by that time the patrons don't give a shit cause they are all ripped anyhow. There are the shows that I consider more important so i'll have a few to loosen up and then chill. Somtimes it's not worth fuckin up a show when you put so much time and energy to prepare. Then again i'm 41 now. Twenty years ago it was a party till mornin thing and the show was good as long as I took some hotty home!!:cool:

[TheMan]

When setting up before most gigs, I virtually always start drinking as soon as the bar will serve. I don't take any special precautions, cause I've been drinking, and playing (and drinking and playing) for over 20 years, so neither gives me much trouble anymore. I've noticed that a given number of drinks that might be "just right" one night might be too much or too little on another night, so I just pay attention to how I feel. On the rare occasion that I go a bit over the edge, I'm usually the only one who knows it.

The major side-effect of drinking too much before a show is that the show then becomes work instead of fun. I hate to work.

[fastplant]

Originally posted by Electric Catfish


Domestic light beer has the same alcohol content as regular domestic beer. The "light" designation has nothing to do with the amount of alcohol in beer. The "light" refers to the calories. Budweiser and Bud Light, for example, each have 5.5% alcohol per volume (which is pretty average for domestic beers).

Not sure if that's what you were referring to or not, just thought I'd take the opportunity to clear that up, as it is a common misconception about light beers.

Steve

Actually, light beer DOES have less alcohol:

http://www.realbeer.com/edu/health/calories.php

[dughaze]

Great thread. I have been there and done that for years with beer cigarettes and alcohol. I'm 47 and just started playing music again a year and a half ago. One day it hit me that if I removed all obstacles, except for the wife and kids, from my life I could probably do more and do it better. It's only been 7 months since I quit drinking almost a 6 pack a day and a pack of cigarettes a day for the past several years and it is really working for me if I can stay the course.

I am becoming so intolerant of seeing people killing themselves with the stuff much less the retardation that sets in musically when people start partying. I'm getting my high from working out and watching people enjoy the music while I am too.

[MoreGuitars]

Twenty years ago my band and me were hard drinkers. Many times the sound reflected it too!

Now, as I'm older I really can't stand being drunk and being with people who are drunks. Just not for me. I still have old friends who have not stopped a bit, and believe me, drinking for many years does it's damage. It's really sad.

[riffdaddy]

I'll usually have one before each set. I'm not a beer guy, because I find beer to be too filling and somewhat inhibitive to my desire to move around. I also go through a tall club soda on each break, so I'm probably washing quite a bit of it out of my system.

[Body Bomb]

Originally posted by LateGreats
I used to be a Paul Westerberg/Shane McGowan drunk at gigs. Start early, start often. Since I quit, I play stone cold sober and can hear every single mistake drunk bandmates make. My tolerance for drunks in my bands is shrinking.

I know some guys in a local band who drink like vikings on a rampage at gigs. In a really strange way, it works.

Ah, so you're familiar with our work.

[Sleepin' Deeper]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall
Never under any circumstances, and I've fired more than a few rhythm section players over this. This applies to practice, too.

We're paid to play/sing our very best...and that requires total sobriety.

After the gig is not my concern. ;)

Are you seriously telling me, Terry, that in all your life up on a stage, you’ve never had a sneaky beer or doob before the performance? Come on dude! :rolleyes: ;)

[Sleepin' Deeper]

Originally posted by zookie
Having a beer would relax me too much; I need to stay sharp.



Damn dude! You need 6 frikkin' beers. You must have one of those rectums that turn coal into diamonds in a week. :eek:

[FlogRock]

Well it's been a while since I gigged regularly :(, but when I did, I stayed completely sober. That is, I decided to stay sober after two disastrous gigs. One is where I smoked pot in the break, and couldn't count to four anymore (did I play this part four times already? While the rest of the band started on the next part...), and forgot what song I was playing halfway during a song. I started playing a different song that had similar chords. :o (Yeah, Dutch pot is pretty strong. :cool: ) And I have similar experiences with playing drunk.

So I stay sober. I you're with a tight band, there's no need to drink a lot to get into the music. Unless the others screw it up because they're drunk, then you need to be drunk too.:o

[fastplant]

Originally posted by FlogRock


So I stay sober. I you're with a tight band, there's no need to drink a lot to get into the music. Unless the others screw it up because they're drunk, then you need to be drunk too.:o

I say if you're in a tight band, that's more reason to drink. You don't need to worry so much about the musicianship. Sometimes when you've been playing the same tunes over and over, the magic is gone. And when you're up there to entertain, you need a little something to get you in the mood.

[ZenFly]

I'll have one beer after the 1st set (assuming it's a cover gig w 4 or 5 sets). It doesn't make any difference in my playing, I just like Newcastle. The rest of the gig I drink water, coffee and chew gum. Doesn't make any difference to my voice (I'm also a lead singer).

I prefer Newcastle. When I'm not gigging, I also consume 1 Newcastle per night. I rarely go more than 1.

The rest of the band varies. The singer rarely drinks but will do shots on occaision.

The bass player goes nonstop as does the drummer as long as the freebies keep coming from the audience.

Doesn't make much difference in the playing.

[fastplant]

Funny story about drinking:

We were playing this one outdoor show, and our manager came out to see us (a rarity seeing as his own band plays pretty much all the same nights). Anyway, we were up on stage having a great time and I see him running up to the stage with a plastic cup of beer with a big grin on his face. I'm like, "oh man, what is this." So he runs up while I'm playing bass and pours it down my throat, everyone was cheering, I guess it looked cool, I don't know. Anyway, about 3 big gulps in I realized, this ain't beer, it was 1800 tequilla. It just looked like beer in the cup. Yeah, don't chug that stuff. I thought I was going to puke right there on stage. But I managed through it. Pretty funny thinking back on that.

[Nrrrk]

I never drink before going on stage, because drinking alcohol makes my throat feel kinda dry and crappy, so I'm uncomfortable drinking before a show, because I can't sing at my best when I do.

After a show i always drink a lot.

As for my band members, they drink a lot before going on stage, guitarist + bassist especially, they go wild. :D

[Badside]

fastplant: that reminds me of a cruel prank that two guys from my band pulled on another band (friends of course). They brought them a round of shooters, the band thanked them and proceeded to drink them... and walk off the stage straight to the bathroom.

What they just drank was an almost toxic mix of Jack Daniels and Tabasco sauce. When they ordered the shooters they asked the waitress to put just a little bit of tabasco sauce, but apparently one of the guys in the band was her ex and she had unresolved issues or I don't know and went crazy (the shooters were like blood red). I guess it wouldn't be so funny if it happened to me, but that wasn't the case and I had nothing to do with it, so it was in fact quite funny :).

[Meatball Fulton]

It varies from one gig to the next.

In general, I don't drink AT ALL but at some gigs I will have one or two brews during the night. Tux gigs like private parties and weddings I might have a few more than that ;)

I used to party hearty back in my younger days but once the DWI laws got draconian I gave it up. Being on the road after 2AM on a regular basis is just asking to get pulled over for a sobriety check.

I have a lot of personal evidence that getting cocked has a negative impact on my playing :cool: I remember doing gigs that paid $7.50 a man plus all the beer we could drink (which was a LOT) and I'm sure other old-timers can recall bar gigs that were paid off in weed or blow rather than cash.

[fastplant]

Originally posted by Hardtailed
fastplant: that reminds me of a cruel prank that two guys from my band pulled on another band (friends of course). They brought them a round of shooters, the band thanked them and proceeded to drink them... and walk off the stage straight to the bathroom.

What they just drank was an almost toxic mix of Jack Daniels and Tabasco sauce. When they ordered the shooters they asked the waitress to put just a little bit of tabasco sauce, but apparently one of the guys in the band was her ex and she had unresolved issues or I don't know and went crazy (the shooters were like blood red). I guess it wouldn't be so funny if it happened to me, but that wasn't the case and I had nothing to do with it, so it was in fact quite funny :).


Haha, that's awesome. We used to drink something called a Prairie Fire which was tobasco and tequilla. But not that much tabasco.

[forceman]

I generally only drink water during rehearsal and while gigging.

Occasionally drink some beer.

Afterwards, Dewars scotch (at home) to help wind down.

[ratthedd]

7 piece cover band. 2 singers, 2 guitars, bass, keys, drums. We all like to drink at practice, so we're used to playing a bit lubed.

The problem comes in when they guys forget how many they've already had. There's been at least two gigs I can remember when the keyboard player had too much whiskey (his wife wasn't around at either gig) and ended up slumped over his keyboard at one gig and embarrased himself royally at the other.

Our first drummer liked the White Russians and would down double doubles most of the night. This got to be a problem, too.

Neither of the singers drinks anything but water to conserve their throats, until either the last set or they wait until the night is over.

I only drink as much as I feel I can take during the evening. Some nights it's 2 beers before we start and 2 beers on each break, other nights I stick with water and diet coke. I rarely drink during loadin/setup since I'm the one who owns all the PA gear and, apparently, the only one smart enough to figure out how to match up the cables.

The current drummer, the other guitar player and the bass player seem to be able to handle beers all night without a hitch, but then again, I'm not counting to see how much they drink.

[JT1]

One beer before we go on. Let the audience get looped, we have to be spot on. Third set I cut lose if all is going well.

[whiteroom]

Originally posted by JT1
One beer before we go on. Let the audience get looped, we have to be spot on. Third set I cut lose if all is going well.

Right on!
I don't play well drunk. I don't sing well sober. So I try to stay somewhere in between. Buzzed enough to sing, sober enough to play! It's a fine line to walk for four hours. Beer seems to work well.
As for other intoxicants, can't say. Gave the illegal things up when I was a wee lad.

[fastplant]

Originally posted by JT1
One beer before we go on. Let the audience get looped, we have to be spot on. Third set I cut lose if all is going well.

I'm the exact opposite. I have a few beers, maybe some shots before the first set, then about one beer per set for the rest of the night.

[LateGreats]

Playing New Years Eve a decade ago, the guitarist in an old band of mine passed out while playing. He never sounded better...

[Brian Krashpad]

For some reason I found this pic to be apropo. Taken after a show a couple weeks back.

Sorry about the nips. (I put a shirt back on as soon as I'd cooled down-- this was an outdoor show in Florida in July.)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v26/BrianKrashpad/2005-07-20_143909_bk.jpg

BK

[riffdaddy]

Originally posted by Sleepin' Deeper


Are you seriously telling me, Terry, that in all your life up on a stage, you’ve never had a sneaky beer or doob before the performance? Come on dude! :rolleyes: ;)

Actually I shared Terry's attitude up until about a year ago when I started having an occaisional drink. Now I see the relaxing effect it can have. I can honestly say I play a little better after one drink. It slows down my thinking just enough to where I can focus on a select group of ideas. Otherwise, my brain sort of overloads with the magnitude of possibilities for what I'm going to play next.

I still don't particularly care to be around drunk people (read: drunk--not somebody who has had one or two) when I'm sober.

[M-1 Fan]

I do absolutely zero alcohol two days before a gig. Otherwise my voice breaks up and quits. I can't play under the influence. I used to think I could back in the '70's when they'd actually prop me up after a dozen gin and tonics. It's a pain in the ass running to the bathroom all the time.

[Thundercranium]

Originally posted by shredheadjohn
i personally believe alcohol is kinda lame, killing your judgement but at the same time boosting your ego to almost nonexistant proportions, the lead singer in my old band churchburn used to always have a beer or two in him by the time we were rehearsing our songs and he ALWAYS came in off rhythm and ended up almost throwing us off a lot (just listen to ashes of the priest at churchburn on soundclick.com in my profile)

me personally i always enjoyed a joint or couple pipeloads because i dont get the sloshy coordination and hot brain nuke feeling i usually get from alcohol, instead marijuana gives me this blissful intelligence rush that does not destroy coordination and entice emotions and aggrivation like alcohol but in fact it does the opposite it allows more creative energies to flow and mellows the musical vibe much so which i find very very useful for songwriting

as far as alcohol goes...feels headachey and it causes tons of problems in modern day society compared to thc which shrinks and destroys cancer cells when injected into them

Sadly, this behaviour has completely destroyed my ability to use punctuation or proper grammar... :D

[Hanshananigan]

In context- I'm not a terribly good bass player, and tend to play just a bit beyond what I can actually do comfortably. I also get a bit of the stage fright, though it's not as bad as it used to be.

For our band's recent "sayonara show", I decided to not drink the usual couple of beers while setting up.

I find that although booze helps take a bit of the edge off, it also makes my brain a little sluggish and I am less able to regulate my nerves.

In contrast, by not drinking, I still felt nervous, but feel more comfortable in a way because I was able to put my full facilities into regulating the nerves, and my full brain into staying focused on what I was playing/on the groove.

I probably wouldn't drink again before playing unless I was really, really, really, comfortable with playing the songs.

[shreddersteve]

I have never played a show sober.
New Years eve 2004-2005 I was so drunk that I had to pound an entire pot of coffee just to play. I later watched the video and realized that I was way too drunk, not because I messed up, but because I could not hit the footswitches!!

[shreddersteve]

Originally posted by shredheadjohn
i



as far as alcohol goes...feels headachey and it causes tons of problems in modern day society compared to thc which shrinks and destroys cancer cells when injected into them

THC absolutely does NOT in any way shrink cancer cells!!!! Doctors prescribe medicinal marijuana to cancer patients to lessen some of the negative side effects of chemotherapy. It alleviates the nausea and helps restore hunger. Please go tell your friends.

[Badside]

Originally posted by shreddersteve
I later watched the video and realized that I was way too drunk, not because I messed up, but because I could not hit the footswitches!!

You're like me! I play the same whether I'm sober or drunk (read: I'm sloppy anyway ;) ), but when I had too much to drink, I'll mess up effect switching (like stepping on the tuner and muting, going into a clean break with the OD boost on the lead channel and wondering why I have to lower my guitar's volume so much...). Usually I'll even find this funny as the bassist gives me "the look" and then the next day I'll realize I'm an idiot and drink less.

[Hollow body]

Originally posted by squealie
In a perfect world, I would reach that party/flirty/uninhibited yet high-functioning buzz in the middle of the first set, and keep it right there all night.


Reality works a bit different.

What I really need is a beer with about 1/3 - 1/2 the alcahol of domestic light beer.

Great thread. I haven't yet read the whole thing, so sorry if I'm being redundant, but....

I'm an older man, and I can't get inspired without booze. Too bad, but there it is. However, the booze is always in the service of the music; I don't get buzzed and play just for the fun of it. We always joke that we should all be on IV's and have a nurse at the computer regulating the substance flow to achieve squealie's ideal state.

My best taped performance happened back in the day when we were a rough and tumble outfit: after a good meal (3 beers) I chugged a third of a bottle of Glen Livit (forget how to spell it) chased with a quart of water. Wow. Every solo right on the money.

All that said, I totally respect those who serve the music by playing straight. In fact, last night at practice I drank nothing and was therefore uninspired, but it was great in another way -- cerebral as opposed to ballsy. But I doubt that would work for me at gigs.

[Sordid1]

I always try to keep my drinking before and during the shows to a minimum. On stage I drink water primarily just because it's so damn hot. The only time I will falter from that is if we are playing last i.e. after midnight and the crowd is fairly small. I still always stick to beer and don't drink too much.

[Carbophos]

I think, there's nothing bad in relaxing drink. Sometimes you need it, if you had a hard day right before the gig. So just one small drink may help to leave it all behind. But I'm totally against playing fucked up or hangover. This goes for practice too. As for afterparty, I don't feel that the band just should party at any given chance, but having few beers together after the gig is an obvious thing.

[BC Powder]

I'll have 2 or 3 beers at most, then it's the ice water and Diet Coke program from then on (especially if I have to drive).

I can't smoke pot and play gigs anymore, period. I start forgetting lyrics or chord changes and then I get rattled. Just can't do it.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Sleepin' Deeper


Are you seriously telling me, Terry, that in all your life up on a stage, you’ve never had a sneaky beer or doob before the performance? Come on dude! :rolleyes: ;)

Not in a little over 20 years, seriously! Keep in mind I've been gigging about 30, though! ;)

I used to party as hard as anyone (primarily tequila and primo "bud"} before, during and after the gig...until someone came out and video-taped one of my gigs in it's entirity...that was a MAJOR reality check, and so I started gigging stone-cold sober.

About a month later, I saw another video-recording of one of my gigs, sober and liked what I saw better...and my bank-account looks better, too!

There's always time to burn a bowl after I get through w/ the gig and my gear is loaded, ya know? And, since discovering my diabetes a few years ago, I quit drinking alcohol entirely.

[Sleepin' Deeper]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall


Not in a little over 20 years, seriously! Keep in mind I've been gigging about 30, though! ;)

I used to party as hard as anyone (primarily tequila and primo "bud"} before, during and after the gig...until someone came out and video-taped one of my gigs in it's entirity...that was a MAJOR reality check, and so I started gigging stone-cold sober.

About a month later, I saw another video-recording of one of my gigs, sober and liked what I saw better...and my bank-account looks better, too!

There's always time to burn a bowl after I get through w/ the gig and my gear is loaded, ya know? And, since discovering my diabetes a few years ago, I quit drinking alcohol entirely.

I hear ya dude, and I can see the logic in that. Just wanted to make sure you were once young too. ;)

[DonaldDemon]

I like to begin by doing some lines off my Les paul then popping a few chilly pills to loosen up and come down. I should be dead by next year. No seriously, I gotta have some drinks to loosen up being the singer/guitarist/frontman in a 3 piece. Its the all night gigs that get pretty ugly but by that time the whole bar is smashed so they think we were great anyway! I cannot ever smoke ganja before a show though. I get way to spaced out and can't stick to the song structure. Great for creativity but not for a tight perfomance. When I had my instrumental space rock ban that was a requirement though:D

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Sleepin' Deeper


I hear ya dude, and I can see the logic in that. Just wanted to make sure you were once young too. ;)

Well, admittedly back then dinosaurs still ruled the earth...:eek:

;)

[Juandetejas]

Originally posted by THX1138




Our main job as the live entertainment is to be alcohol salesmen.

The sad truth about the club scene.:(

[JBJ]

I'm fairly blessed in that people regard me as pretty much a born showman. I wouldn;t say it was cockiness or arrogance but I just get nervous about very little, gigging, doing speeches in front of lectrures at uni, karaoke, anything seriously so i don't need a drink to relax or calm nerves before a gig but I do drink alot and i enjoy it so i have a couple before a gig.

we used ot drink way too much and still managed to pull it off and sometimes miraculously sounded excellent but the chances of us sounding excellent after a couple of pints or a large glass of wine or a case of beer split between 2 with a couple going elsewhere are much higher.

thing is. even when we've been absolutely mashed on stage, we've still kept a certain amount of decorum and respect for the situation. I hate and mean absolutely HATE seeing bands who either can;t handle their drink or just drink way too much than they know is a good idea and then start shouting down the mic at the audience and generally being arseholes. This tends to be guys who rarely got gigs on the proper scene here and didn't know how to compose themselves.

[Strings74]

Beer :) is my friend. My guitar :) is my friend. Therefore beer is my guitar's friend......

Er.......


...or something.

:(

[ratthedd]

Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall


Well, admittedly back then dinosaurs still ruled the earth...:eek:

;)

Keith Richards and Mick Jagger?

[ratthedd]

The worst part about being paid $300 plus drinks is that you feel in order to be well paid for the evening you have to down a lot of alcohol. :(

[ZED]

do you drink or party before or during gigs?

No.

[Craigv]

If I'm running/providing sound, no way do I touch anything at all. I can't imagine anything worse than trying to load-out with a load on.

[skrimshaw187]

i always toke a little cheeb before i go on stage. it loosens me up

[Cortfan]

No. Our band has a 2 drink limit when we gig. I don't drink or smoke anything, anyway. The only one we have to watch is the guitar player, and he is about to get the message.

[Stonedtone]

We play really well while buzzed. Never over the top, but at a lose level some of the time. Been together for like 5-6 years. Drinking mico brews and between sets hits is kind of the norm. I do the gig thing for fun and $ to buy more music toys. If I'm not making an excellent weekend night out of it, it's not happening. We're great friends and family (sister and broth in law). I look forward to partying with them. yo hammer P- never any coke, though

[rim]

I used to need a drink to settle my nerves before going on stage, but I guess I've done it long enough were I don't need to any more. Then again, I think I've substitued smoking cigs cuz I tend to smoke quite a bit before during and after. As for drinking alcohol, I usually don't start until the 3rd set and only have one or two during the set. For a 2-setter, I'll usually wait until after the gig. I've found I don't sing well (forget words) if I'm a little buzzed. I don't think my guitar playing is affected as much as my singing.

Our drummer tends to be the worst for wear in our band with alcohol (and he tokes up, once in a while). Fortunately, the last few gigs, he's controlled himslef and has been almost error-free and chooses the right tempo. The bass player tends to drink moderately during the gig and our female lead singer doesn't drink or smoke until after the gig.

Having said that, there was a friend's wedding we played at, and being friends, we were there all day and didn't just show up to setup before the gig. We tried to hold off as much as we could but it was too long of a day not to drink while other folks are partying it up. By the time we played, I was feeling pretty happy. I didn't realise how badly we played until the singer told me the next day.

Live and learn.

[JBJ]

one thing I will say.

How many times do you go to see gigs and not drink? even if it's just a few beers?

probably every time or just about so your perception of the bands playing is affected by the drink too and by the end of the night everyoen is much worse off than the band anyways so it doesn't entirely matter how they play unless they're really fucking up solo's or song structures or whatnot.

[Craigv]

Originally posted by JBJ
one thing I will say.

How many times do you go to see gigs and not drink? even if it's just a few beers?

probably every time or just about so your perception of the bands playing is affected by the drink too and by the end of the night everyoen is much worse off than the band anyways so it doesn't entirely matter how they play unless they're really fucking up solo's or song structures or whatnot.

I wonder how many bands lost out on the opportunity to get signed because they were as drunk as the crowd, but a lot drunker than the rep from the record company watching them.

[JBJ]

if you think A&R or label reps go to a gig, drink water and take notes then you're sadly mistaken my friend.

Even the big labels guys drink like fuck at gigs.

that just reminded me of a gig we did years ago in glasgow. it was quite expensive to drink and the club always liked to think it could run with the really big name clubs in the city but it really couldn't. anyways one of my sisters mates was there and decided to play on this and told the barhe was from sony and was looking at my band so he wanted a tab for the label and anyone who was with the band were on it.

what would happen with the big boys here is the gaffer that night would have phoned someone they knew from sony and asked who was coming up to which they;'d been told no one. this club was just so into the idea label reps were there that they didn't question it at all.

25 people on a bar tab courtesy of no one = alot of questions asked when the next stock take comes round.

[elbow]

4 sometimes 5 piece band and the 4 regulars drink.. but only in moderation... except our drummer. He has killed us on a couple of gigs. We'll start up a song and by the time we're in the second verse, the beat, tempo, everything is different. That had to stop.

We usually get a free tab for band players and sound man. One place we didn't get a free ride and had to pay for drinks, we actually had to pay the place $7 at the end of the night.. we had drank our pay + $7 (there were some girlfriends and spouses involved somehow). That was in our earlier days and it has stopped. Like I said, we drink.. maybe a beer a set. Nobody gets hammered but the drummer.. ocasionally.. and he's been told "no more".

Funny that there seems to be a sub-theme in this thread about drummers that get blasted and tank the show. Just an observation.

[Roy Brooks]

I don't drink much at all. And I don't care for musicians who get drunk during the course of the night.
I like to smoke some reefer before I play and maybe on break.

[THX1138]

Originally posted by Craigv


I wonder how many bands lost out on the opportunity to get signed because they were as drunk as the crowd, but a lot drunker than the rep from the record company watching them.

Motley Crue, Guns N Roses, Aerosmith... just a few off the top of my head who were notorious users and abusers who didn't seem to have much problem getting inked. They may not be your favorites, but they got the deal nonetheless.

Music business ain't about music so much as it is about entertainment and marketability.

[joestanman]

thank god im not in some of these bands with "drink limits"... i mean if you fuck up you fuck up... but all these "I have a one drink max for my band..." pshhh.

[The Funk]

Never any alcohol. When playing in a jam band a joint or bowl before the last set of the night to increase the "weird". But with any other kind of band, nothing but water all night. Well....maybe some coffee.

[Stonedtone]

Originally posted by ratthedd
The worst part about being paid $300 plus drinks is that you feel in order to be well paid for the evening you have to down a lot of alcohol. :(

Yikes, only $300?

[72 bonne]

Originally posted by Stonedtone


Yikes, only $300?

That's about the going price in these parts as well. $500 if your one of the more well known bands in the area.
Sad thing is, is that these karoke DJs are geting the same amount at bars and they don't even have to split there money up with 4 or 5 people.
Our band has come to the realization that we play only for fun and certainly not for the money.
That being said. When we did gig bars we drank as damn much as we pleased seeing as we didn't hardly make a dime anyhow. We also brang a good drinking crowd along with us too that made bar owners happy.

[Next to Nothing]

Originally posted by joestanman
thank god im not in some of these bands with "drink limits"... i mean if you fuck up you fuck up... but all these "I have a one drink max for my band..." pshhh.

if this bugs you, don't read the 'what do you wear on stage' thread.

[eldubioso]

Everything in moderation. If the law says that I am impaired after "X" amount of drinks, I'll try to limit it to that. Usually 1 drink per set, if it's a cocktail hour gig, no drinks till after. That's easy enough to stick to. Puffing and playing is a questionable practice, but it really depends on the conditioning of the musician. Some people are used to it, others can't take it. I would do a test run at a rehearsal and record the after-effects, and if any are truly noticable, I'd nix it. Sometimes I'd burn in between sets and go back and jam, but it depends on the setting. Check out live Dead shows where Jerry has what appears to be incense burning on stage and he picks up a doob and puffs on it a bit and goes back to jamming. I wish it could be like that, but not yet. In a band setting, things are more dependent upon an agreement between band members, but solo, anything goes, more or less. In a solo gig, you are the sole provider of music and if you're trashed, it will defintely come across in your sound. If somewhat sober people are coming up to you, saying you sound great, I'd stick with the plan, but like I wrote before, record yourself while messed up and see if you can do a set or two in the same condition.

I was in a situation on stage, where the drummer was puffin' a roach before the start of the set (on stage, behind his kit) and was quickly removed and replaced on the spot. He never played in the band again.

A clear example of violating an agreement with bandmates.

Words to live by:
To thine own self be true.

[vanlatte]

Holy Thread Necromancy, Batman! :eek:

[GreenAsJade]

Fascinating, excellent, timely thread.

It seems that if you've been doing it long enough, you probably get away with booze & music, and if you don't give a damn what you sound like ... well you don't give a damn.

I just discovered the hard way that I don't get away with it at all!

First band 4th gig ... had a beer between sets. Like someone else above, I'm still pretty "performance anxious", got up to the second song and blew it... started playing the chorus when it was the verse. From then I was toast: the blur from just one beer combined with the hit of the mistake and my brain fried! Songs I've played a hundred times I was suddenly unsure of... and once I'm unsure, I'm in trouble!

So... no more beer for me, until after the show, until I'm a _lot_ more experienced at least! (Shame, 'cause I'm hanging out for a beer by the end of the first set!)

GaJ

[Actionsquid]

Holy Thread Necromancy, Batman! :eek:

I know. This one is ancient! :eek:

My general rule: 0-1 drinks before I play, one while onstage.

After the gig- as needed. :D

I find one or two drinks can really help me get a little more relaxed and extroverted while onstage. More than that and I dont trust myself to play well...

[GreenAsJade]

I know. This one is ancient! :eek:



I guess the topic is timeless, and there's always going to be someone new discovering the joy of screwing up while buzzed...

:freak:

GaJ

[MartinC]

It's corporates for me, and I'm the leader, so no booze, or I'd have to tell those blond headset wearing uptight bitch event planners where to shove that headset. I often have a doob rolled for the drive home. I throw on some tunes in the car, and smile about the easy money I just made, or forget about the indignities I just suffered, or both.
In my former life as a rocker, I smoked snorted drank and then some.

[Roy Brooks]

I might smoke a tater during the course of the evening. But if I am going to be doing any partying it will most likely be after the gig.

[wades_keys]

I might smoke a tater during the course of the evening. But if I am going to be doing any partying it will most likely be after the gig.


Tater ;) - that's one I've never heard before:p

Round here a few hicks have been known to call em hog legs :lol:

[squealie]

I've had approximately 1000 gig beers since my last post in this thread.

:confused:

[Blackbelt1]

After watching my dad die of alcoholism, and realizing that same gene is in me, I quit drinking and smoking years ago. I started running marathons again, figuring if I'm going to be addicted to stuff, it had better be good for me.

:lol:

I'm not in a band anymore either, it's just me, myself, and I. So now I'm up there on stage completely cold turkey. I could sure use a visit from Bandgrl and friends to liven up one of my gigs.

:wave:

~Blackbelt

[guitarsjb]

I drink a few before the show, and 2 during our set. Then after that, I have some fun. I never get drunk, because I am the one in charge of the business end of our band, I have to collect the money after the night, pick up the merch etc. None of us get plowed before the set though..business first, fun later.

[squealie]

I could sure use a visit from Bandgrl and friends to liven up one of my gigs.

:wave:

~Blackbelt

She'd bring you a platter of shots.

[Electric Catfish]

Tater ;) - that's one I've never heard before:p

Round here a few hicks have been known to call em hog legs :lol:

That's pretty funny...I used to confuse the hell out of folks in Louisville asking if they had/wanted to partake of a "potato", which was just me fucking around with "tater". Hardly anybody got it...even after I said "tater".

Tater, hog's leg ('laig', here in the mountains), hoot(er)...hillbillies have the best drug references, hands down, imo.

[nerol1st]

do you drink or party before or during gigs?

No.

[gtrjones]

Last gig I had one drink all night, between the first and second sets.

Other nights I get one when I'm done setting up, and another between sets. I think I've had 3 or 4 ONCE in a couple years. One or two doesn't bother my playing too much, and the band is kind of about helping to create and nurture a good party atmosphere anyway.

[jbviper4]

i
me personally i always enjoyed a joint or couple pipeloads because i dont get the sloshy coordination and hot brain nuke feeling i usually get from alcohol, instead marijuana gives me this blissful intelligence rush that does not destroy coordination and entice emotions and aggrivation like alcohol but in fact it does the opposite it allows more creative energies to flow and mellows the musical vibe much so which i find very very useful for songwriting



+1 for me. Weed buzz intensifies my focus. Although my stage moves generally consist of staring at my hands until the first half hour passes. :D

[vanlatte]

I guess the topic is timeless, and there's always going to be someone new discovering the joy of screwing up while buzzed...

:freak:

GaJ

Good point.

Maybe it should be a sticky.

:D

[FitchFY]

I've always tried to limit it, but this is very timely -- May 4th, to get a parking spot in downtown Boston, my guitarist and I arrived at the venue at 6:30pm for an 8pm load in. We grabbed dinner (with a beer)... and then a beer on the way back to the venue. Got there, realized we didn't have to load in... hung out with the other bands (had a beer with them)... basically, by the time we went on at midnight, we were both crossing into drunken territory. It led to an AWFUL show, and our new rule is "2 beers max prior to getting on stage."

Our job is to put on a set of high energy, intense rock music: being drunk has no place in that. So until we can perform as professionals, we self-mandated our alcohol intake for the next several months. :thu:

[GibsonGeek]

I can NOT smoke weed before a gig, it makes me useless. Blow makes me play too fast, plus crash hard after about 2 songs. I gotta pass on that stuff.

3-hour cover gigs (3 sets): A beer or two between soundcheck and gig-time. 1 beer per set. 1 beer between each set. Half-way thru the last set I'll go ahead and take advantage of the free Jagerbombs being forced on us from the crowd. I will occasionally do a shot earlier in the gig, but only if its mandatory.

Original gig (45 min. - 1 hour): I'll have 2 or 3 beers before we play. Maybe drink 1 or 2 while we play. Nothing major, just no liquor.

Bottom line: I won't go onstage buzzed/drunk anymore. Doesn't work for me.

[Jimi Ray Halen]

Funny thing about alcohol - once you stop drinking for awhile, your tolerance goes way down. Quickly.
I lost my taste for beer a few years ago. So if I drank I'd have a few mixed drinks. But never when I was playing.
I went out one night with my wife to see a friend's band and we had a couple drinks each.
Then my buddy calls me up to sit in.
I couldn't focus. On a I IV V song! In C!
I struggled with it. And I remember thinking to myself - never again.
The second song was Sympathy for the Devil which I'd never played before. I just closed my eyes when it came to the lead and remembered Keith's riffs in my head and played on autopilot.
It sounded good but I was amazed at how much two little drinks had affected me.
What a wuss I have become!
Oh, well.........
But everybody's different. To each, their own and all that stuff.....

[vanlatte]

I have found there is a fine line between that sweet spot, that just takes the edge off, and going overboard. I learned the hard way during one particularly bad gig exactly where that line is :freak: Still have the gouge in my bass to remind me every time I pick it up.

Of course these days with the DUI threat at every street corner I am not drinking at all. Unless of course I am not driving, then all bets are off :D

( Er, oops, we were talking about drinking and gigging weren't we....)

If I am playing, one or two before. Nothing during, only water. Afterwards depends on if I am driving or not.

I don't even consider anything other than alcahol: no chemicals or grown substances for me. Meh, those days are over. I didnt even really enjoy them when they were happening so I sure don't want anything to do with them now.

[BndGrl]

She'd bring you a platter of shots.

It's meh job.

:D

Of course now I only bring not buy. "Put them on the guitar player's tab."

[BndGrl]

I've had approximately 1000 gig beers since my last post in this thread.

:confused:

You mean since Thursday.

[Rich4Once]

She'd bring you a platter of shots.


That happened to me at one of my most infamous gigs. It was in '95, and we were playing in Creve Coer, Illinois, which is just outside Peoria. We usually drank a beer per set each, and we maintained pretty well. A table of girls bought the band a round of shots, and the waitress brought them up to the stage. Each guy waved them off....I didn't want to insult a table full of girls by refusing their generosity, so I took the tray and set it on my rack.

After the song was over, the girls started the "Drink! Drink! Drink!" chant and I downed each shot one after the other, and eating up the cheers from everyone in the club. Our soundguy always had a blank tape handy, and put one in the deck to document the rest of the evening. We listened to that tape the next day, and I was rightly lambasted by the rest of the band. My playing was thoroughly horrible, and I swore I'd never get drunk and play ever again. That wasn't the first time, but it was the worst time.

These days, I go to the bar before we start to get my drink for the evening, and it's a pitcher of ice water. I usually get a refill after the 2nd set.

[BndGrl]

Saw a guy the other week get pissed off and walk out of the club because the band didn't do the shots he had just bought them immediately. Even though he had all ready bought them two rounds all ready.

[Jimi Ray Halen]

Saw a guy the other week get pissed off and walk out of the club because the band didn't do the shots he had just bought them immediately. Even though he had all ready bought them two rounds all ready.

I don't drink anymore so when people buy me a drink I take it, thank them, take a sip, and put it back by my amp.

I know a guy who will stop his band and refuse to play until they all get another shot brought to them by their favorite server. :rolleyes: They will stand there for a couple of minutes at least, which seems like an hour. But he is an alky. He's been playing so long that he phones it in anyway. Not everybody gets like this, of course, but he is definitely jaded.

A friend of mine packed his gear and left a gig during the second "set" because the other three clowns he was playing with got so shitfaced they couldn't finish a song. I can't blame him in a way. Having to stop one song is bad enough - but 4 or 5? :eek: :mad: That's a tough situation. It's bad enough if one guy is too drunk. But the entire band - except for you? What would you guys do? He's not a quitter but at some point it's best to get away before you explode. How do you forget Sweet Home Alabama? That's almost unpossible.

[wades_keys]

I've got a three beer limit at gigs (with an option for four :)

I like to make sure everyone in the band understands that - cuz I don't want any bad vibes when I start getting my drinks.

I've got a pretty insane tolerance for alcohol - 3 beers doesn't even affect me.

It's amazing though how people can interpret drinking - I had one band pretty much calling me a drunk because I drank 3 beers at their gig.

Those guys were some F***g squares.

[BndGrl]

So how do all the non-drinkers or light drinkers handle it when people buy you shots? What do you say? What do you do with the shot?

[Jimi Ray Halen]

So how do all the non-drinkers or light drinkers handle it when people buy you shots? What do you say? What do you do with the shot?

You fake it and turn towards your amp. Nobody can see what you put on the floor behind your amp. You don't want to seem like a stiff (not conducive to "party atmosphere") but it affects my playing. I have to be on top of my game as the guitarist in a trio. There's a lot of stuff to remember and we do some fairly guitar-intensive songs.

To me, drinking or smoking a doob is something that you do after work, not before. I've just always been like that. Miller Time - you know? Even when I did drink I waited until after the gig - or at least the 3rd set.

That being said, I really don't care what the others do. I'm not the hall monitor or their mother. Only if they get wasted do I even notice. Free will, you know? :cool:

[THX1138]

Saw a guy the other week get pissed off and walk out of the club because the band didn't do the shots he had just bought them immediately. Even though he had all ready bought them two rounds all ready.

I hate that he left, cause he's always been uber-supportive of us. And I tried to get through his head that we'd all come over to his table after the set and do them with him. We were just tryin to pace shit out a little. I don't much dig all that rapid fire shot drinkin.

In the end though, if someone doesn't understand the reasoning, and feels the need to get pissed about it.... :idk:

I got a job to do.

[THX1138]

You fake it and turn towards your amp. Nobody can see what you put on the floor behind your amp.

I've done that trick a few times in the past when I felt I was at my limit, and quite frankly just didn't want anymore. Unfortunately, sometimes our soundguy has the stage lit up like a Sahara sunrise while we're doin shots, and I got no place to hide.:mad:

[bigfatmonkeyboy]

So how do all the non-drinkers or light drinkers handle it when people buy you shots? What do you say? What do you do with the shot?

no one, but no one has ever bought me a shot whilst i'm playing.

If anyone is in the North Bucks area most weekends, and would like to help me address this.......

[THX1138]

no one, but no one has ever bought me a shot whilst i'm playing.

If anyone is in the North Bucks area most weekends, and would like to help me address this.......


Be careful what you wish for.

[Guitar Centaur]

I usually do a shot of bourbon, or a double snifter of Irish Mist between sets.

I move and sweat so much onstage, it doesn't have time to get me drunk.

[bigfatmonkeyboy]

Be careful what you wish for.

i'm willing to take my chances...:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[jamsession]

Never under any circumstances, and I've fired more than a few rhythm section players over this. This applies to practice, too.

We're paid to play/sing our very best...and that requires total sobriety.

After the gig is not my concern. ;)

I guess well never play together.:rolleyes:

[wades_keys]

Never under any circumstances, and I've fired more than a few rhythm section players over this. This applies to practice, too.

We're paid to play/sing our very best...and that requires total sobriety.

After the gig is not my concern.

I gotta say I've never understood this kind of hardline approach - what's wrong with having a couple of beers or a toke or 2?

I've played some of my best stuff that way, as have many others.

The worst is when you are trying out for a band that had "no drunks" in the ad and it winds up being your type of hardline approach - I mean having a few beers to enjoy while playing music does NOT make me a drunk.

Oh well...:wave:

[Zurich17]

I'll have *maybe* a beer or two before the gig, but that's rare, I generally drink lots of Red Bull before the set, as does the rest of the band. What I like to do is have Red Bull or coke (cola) before the gig and just bring up a pint of beer on stage with me. That way I get to drink beer, but I won't be drunk by the end of the set.

No drugs beforehand either. Its not a reward when someone pulls out [something] before you play - if its after the set you feel like you've earned it.

Seriously though, I'm far from being straightedge in anyone's idea of the word, but people come to see me play my songs. They don't come to see me and my band wasted and trying to play our songs but failing miserably. Never got that. Also, if you save the alcohol or drugs for after the set, you don't have to make it last as long, so you get more wasted :)

[GuitarNoobie]

ok, let a band noob chime in... i'm 43 and in a garage band. we are still rehearsing and playing private parties although we are not up to a full night's 3 or 4 sets yet.

everyone in band drinks, some more moderately, some not. me as the rhythm guitarist, i need 2 or 3 before going on... once things start up, it's like, 1 an hour for me...

i agree with the thought, " there is a fine line between too many and taking the edge off "... we drink during rehearsal, we drink during our few and far between gigs...

i am formaly a big pot smoker, but have calmed that down quite a bit on that. i can concentrate pretty well when smoking, drinking i'm okay as long as i keep fairly limited...

i find 2-3 before playing, and 1 between sets is just right...

of course what do i know, at best i am getting free food and some beers, not getting paid yet...

i do find a few drinks before playing loosens me up just right...

[the stranger]

I usually drop about ten hits of acid and a quarter bag of shrooms an hour before the show. Right before we go on, I shoot up a cocktail of various lethal substances. I wash this all down with a case of beer and a fifth of tequila during the show.

[GuitarNoobie]

I usually drop about ten hits of acid and a quarter bag of shrooms an hour before the show. Right before we go on, I shoot up a cocktail of various lethal substances. I wash this all down with a case of beer and a fifth of tequila during the show.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

i think i saw you playing once...

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d172/babykix31/Funny%20Pics/passed_out_drunk_06.jpg


:D

[the stranger]

:thu:

P.S. Your avatar kicks ass! Do you have a bigger version?

[Matter-Eater Lad]

I don't hold with the "taking the edge off" attitude. I see band members do it all the time. No surprise the drop notes all the time. I never made a decision to stop drinking alcohol, it just happened naturally over time. Doesn't do anything for me now. I never drank much anyway, and certainly not when I played because I lose concentration. I can understand if drinking is a natural part of your day, you have booze after work, while playing, while rehearsing, then at the gig it would be no different. For me though to be dry 100% of the time then to have a drink at a gig, I'd be a basketcase.

[rackzilla2037]

I'm a water only person, and no food before playing. i haven't been drunk on stage since 1987 - wow that makes me feel old!

[GuitarNoobie]

:thu:

P.S. Your avatar kicks ass! Do you have a bigger version?

here ya go...

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6612/11208hjjk0.gif

[RupertB]

I might have a beer before a gig, but not often. Most nights I stick to water or Pepsi until after the first hour or so. Its rare that I drink more than a beer an hour during a gig.

I like beer but getting hammered hasn't felt "good" in a long time.

[the stranger]

here ya go...

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6612/11208hjjk0.gif

Thanks, man. My daughter will love that! :thu:

[Zeromus-X]

So how do all the non-drinkers or light drinkers handle it when people buy you shots? What do you say? What do you do with the shot?

You drink it! ;)

I'm in the opposite situation. For the first year or so, I was the only one in the band who drank. The singer didn't like to and the guitarist was underage and had absolutely no desire to. I've posted about it before but we played a show in Franklin, VA where I had 14 shots of Jager lined up on my drum riser, all empty. Allegedly I played the entire show fine, a little fast, but not too bad... until the last song, Freebird, which I'd never played or even heard before. The singer tried directing me through it for the tempo changes, etc, but I couldn't even see the drums in front of me at that point and just trainwrecked.

The bassist that joined up with us drinks a bit, and that works out well because if someone buys the band a round of shots, he'll split 'em with me. If I think I've had too many, or if the show is almost over (don't want to drive home trashed), I'll chase the shot with a Pepsi and just spit the shot into the glass, nobody will ever notice. I've also had mixed drinks accidentally spill behind the drum riser.

[mrcpro]

So how do all the non-drinkers or light drinkers handle it when people buy you shots? What do you say? What do you do with the shot?

I never refuse a gift. That's rude. Rather, I deflect it if it's sent up. There's always someone more than willing to take it off my hands. ;)

In the meantime, I'll thank the donor, but tell them next time to buy one for themselves instead. Or if it's set up, I'll direct their attention to the tip jar.

But it almost never comes down that way. Usually I'll be asked first what I'm drinking before it's bought, and then I'll politely thank them but tell them I'm not drinking that night. If I need to go further, I'll tell them that I'm an alcoholic in recovery and cannot drink. I never get shit for it. Usually it's just the opposite.