Hey drummers

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Audio Monster
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Hey drummers

Post by Audio Monster »

Do you guys get pissed off when the other guys don't stick around after the gig to help you tear down and load out? I stick around only when my original band plays, I help him (Dave) because he gets it and wants to get his shit loaded while he has the help. The cover band drummer has a tendency to socialize a little after we're done as he slowly makes his way to tearing down. Meanwhile I'm packed and loaded within 15 minutes. So fuck 'em?

Do drummers ever regret not being a guitar player, or even better a singer where the load out of ones personal gear takes a considerable smaller amount of time.

Just wondering
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Greg_L
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by Greg_L »

Nope not me. I accept the life of a drummer. For one, I don't want any help setting up or tearing down. I'm pretty particular about how everything has to be. I do have guys that help carry shit up to and down from the stage though. We have two guys that sort of "work" for us. But the actual assembly.disassembly is all me because I know how it's supposed to be. I'm usually faster and packed up and out before the guitar players are.

But I do know the difference between being a drummer and something else. I play guitar live too. That shit is like a vacation compared to being a drummer.
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rammer24
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by rammer24 »

I don't care, either. What sdid used to piss me off is fucking diva female singers not touching anything when it comes time to load into the truck. Amazing how "Equality" is a very selective thing. It only happens when it's convenient. That's just one of the long list of reasons I'll never play with a chick again.
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liv_rong
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by liv_rong »

I get help loading in and out but I set up and break down myself. Saturday night I fucked up. It was an odd situation where they had me take my shit down just in front of the "stage" instead of off to the side. During putting shit away and taken down my guitar player started carrying my shit out. After everything was packed I helped finish and came back for another trip but everything was outside already. Or so I thought. Yesterday I realized I left my snare there. Fuck. I think someone must have moved it off to the side when we were bringing shit out so that's why I didn't see it. I should have taken a more detailed inventory at the car. Now today I'll make an3 hour round trip to pick it up. What an idiot.
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Greg_L
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by Greg_L »

liv_rong wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 11:46 am I get help loading in and out but I set up and break down myself. Saturday night I fucked up. It was an odd situation where they had me take my shit down just in front of the "stage" instead of off to the side. During putting shit away and taken down my guitar player started carrying my shit out. After everything was packed I helped finish and came back for another trip but everything was outside already. Or so I thought. Yesterday I realized I left my snare there. Fuck. I think someone must have moved it off to the side when we were bringing shit out so that's why I didn't see it. I should have taken a more detailed inventory at the car. Now today I'll make an3 hour round trip to pick it up. What an idiot.
Damn, that's bad.

I'm super duper OCD about making sure I have everything before I leave. I've even pulled over on the way home, many times, to look back there and double check because it'll eat at me while I'm driving. I've never forgotten anything, but it still gnaws at me.

One thing I do to never forget anything that I think helps is I pack my shit the exact same way every single time. I've made like a mental layout in the back of my truck and put everything in and out the same way every time. For one, it all fits neatly and securely, and it's easy to spot if something isn't' right.
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Minerman
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by Minerman »

I'm not a drummer yet, but I did play gigs for years so here's what I think about that...

Unless you're disabled, if you play/sing/whatever in the band, you need to pull your weight...Like Rami, I too played in a band with a chick, she was actually the drummer, & would always seem to disappear when we were tearing down...I get that she couldn't carry heavy stuff, but she wouldn't even help tear her kit down...Her Dad was the soundman, & he'd made some pretty cool wooden boxes for everything...Still, she would not help do anything, wouldn't roll up any cables, she wouldn't even take her cymbals off their stands...

Back then, I worked 4 on - 4 off, which is exactly what is says...I worked 4 days in a row, then got 4 days off...It jumped/rotated a day every week, so there would be 3-4 weekends in a row I had to work Friday/Saturday/Sunday...I was on day shift, & it was about an hour drive from my house, on top of however long it took to get home from the gig...I never missed a gig, & I never missed a day of work, I was never even late to either, ever...But I always helped load/un-load/set up/tear down...I got my foot broke once at that mine & was off work for about 6 weeks, but even then I still helped load/unload & set up/tear down with a big cast on my foot when I was supposed to be on crutches...

The only time I ever forgot anything I left my bag of cables at the house (amp power cable, speaker cables, guitar cables...) & had to turn around about halfway there & go back to get 'em...I made it to the gig on time, but I drove like a maniac to do so, I'm lucky I didn't get pulled over & slapped with a great big ticket, but didn't...

Again, my take on this is if you play in the band, you need to pull your weight when it comes time...
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vomitHatSteve
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by vomitHatSteve »

I'm ok with the singer in particular not helping with load-out as long as they do their actual job: get to the merch table and schmooze.
If you play an instrument, the first three minutes after you finish is spent clearing the stage - including helping the drummer clear their pile of stuff. If you just sing, go straight back and sell some shirts.
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Mr Clean
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by Mr Clean »

In my last band the drummer was the driver, mainly because he had a van, so I always mucked in with carrying his gear. (I don't drive and he would always pick me up) After a few months I could set up his kit quicker than him and to the exact same specs that he wanted. Even when he changed his kit to a new one or another he decided to play with that night. I also used to sound check the kit for him with the SE so he didn't have to mess around.

Even though I'm learning drums now, I wouldn't want to be lugging that heavy shit around again. It was bad enough with my bass cab and head.
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jonny deep
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by jonny deep »

Greg_L wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 12:52 pm
liv_rong wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2017 11:46 am I get help loading in and out but I set up and break down myself. Saturday night I fucked up. It was an odd situation where they had me take my shit down just in front of the "stage" instead of off to the side. During putting shit away and taken down my guitar player started carrying my shit out. After everything was packed I helped finish and came back for another trip but everything was outside already. Or so I thought. Yesterday I realized I left my snare there. Fuck. I think someone must have moved it off to the side when we were bringing shit out so that's why I didn't see it. I should have taken a more detailed inventory at the car. Now today I'll make an3 hour round trip to pick it up. What an idiot.
Damn, that's bad.

I'm super duper OCD about making sure I have everything before I leave. I've even pulled over on the way home, many times, to look back there and double check because it'll eat at me while I'm driving. I've never forgotten anything, but it still gnaws at me.

One thing I do to never forget anything that I think helps is I pack my shit the exact same way every single time. I've made like a mental layout in the back of my truck and put everything in and out the same way every time. For one, it all fits neatly and securely, and it's easy to spot if something isn't' right.
Say it out loud as you check each item, then you can play it back from your memory and not be so neurotic about it :happytrees:.
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Bubba
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by Bubba »

Must be something about girl drummers. The one we had when the Shambollix first started was the most bone-idle bitch I've ever met. We all help to bring stuff in and load it out, but we set up and tear down our own stuff. Everybody has jobs when helping to set up the PA and lights so nobody is slacking off. It's a pretty well-sorted bunch of guys.

One time after I'd only recently bought Stan the Van, somebody put a mic stand in the back at the last minute before setting off. I pulled onto the first roundabout only for the back doors to fly open and the PA rack to tumble out onto the road! Fuck! Thousands of pounds worth of amps!

It took a few minutes to get turned around due to the one-way system, but when I got back some likely-looking lads told me that the venue had recovered the rack and wheeled it back in! Nothing was damaged - those ABS racks are pretty damned good. :biggrin:

I always, ALWAYS check and re-check the doors before setting off.
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Audio Monster
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Re: Hey drummers

Post by Audio Monster »

Mr Clean wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:27 pm In my last band the drummer was the driver, mainly because he had a van
Drummers can be creepy enough. Personally, I'm not comfortable with allowing any of them to have a van.
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