Have you ever stopped to think about what it would take to put together a Tribute band? Bruce Hilton of “Being Petty” did, and with the right people, the right ideas, and a lot of intention it can work out amazingly well. Listen as Bruce shares his ideas and gives us all some lessons we can apply regardless of whether Read more…
It’s not always easy to Always Be Performing, and yet that’s exactly our job as performers, isn’t it? Listen as Paul and Dave each share some recent lessons—from both sides of the stage—about how to best ensure you keep that performance going. Also this week is finding your bands own “Bill”…and we’ll tell you what we mean by that when Read more…
For many bands, vocals are the most noticeable element of your music. Has your band spent time learning how to sing together? How do you structure your vocal rehearsals…if you have them at all? Listen as Paul and Dave answer listener Rob’s question, talking through how they’ve approached this in various bands and projects they’ve had together (and separately) over Read more…
With some of the best wisdom ever shared in seven years of Gig Gabbing, this week Paul and Dave help you take your band to the next level. Sure, Dave has some great technical advice, but it’s Paul’s brand of big-picture thinking that takes this episode to the upper echelon. If you think the titular (now, now, Beavis!) quote is Read more…
Listen as Paul and Dave discover why “the hang” might be the most important aspect of being in a band, especially on tour. Also… have you ever played a morning gig? Do you do a pre-show band huddle? These are the questions your two favorite weekend warriors ask of themselves, and also of you! Listen to the episode and then Read more…
It’s not rare for us musicians to find ourselves needing to juggle our musical lives with our personal lives, and then even within the musical realm we’re juggling priorities of gigging vs. rehearsing vs. doing-the-business-stuff, too. Listen as Paul and Dave approach this concept from a few different angles, and then chime in with your own stuff at [email protected] to Read more…
How confident are you in your band’s ability to get setup on stage? What are the common pitfalls you encounter? Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk through the approaches they use with their bands, with a special focus on sound and, yes, in-ear monitors. Paul and Dave are here to share and learn, too, so make sure you Read more…
Your submissions to the mailbag help drive the bus today, with conversations about choosing good venues for your audience and selecting the right headset mics happening. Dave got to see The Coffis Brothers…and his audiologist. Both come with stories, some more pleasant than others, but a good PSA emerges, nonetheless! Paul brings an axe to grind with much wisdom and Read more…
How do you approach mixing your band from the stage when there is no FOH sound engineer? It’s Q&A time with Paul and Dave. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors share their thoughts on putting together the right stage setup to get a good mix for your audiences…every time. That’s not all though! A recent experience leads to a Read more…
How often does your band rehearse? Would you consider yourselves a “rehearsing” band, or a “rehearsal-less” band? Either way, what are the costs of that on your band’s show? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their experiences with both sides of this…and then listen as Gear Gab accidentally creeps into an answer to a question. Your two favorite weekend Read more…