Contract riders have the stigma of being reserved for only the über-elite – and über-pompous – bands. The reality is, though, that riders can be very useful and helpful devices in ensuring not only a great performance, but a smoother gig-day experience for everyone. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their favorite rider items, and why they have them. There’s more, including Read more…
If you were starting all over again with your band, what would you do and how would you do it? That’s the question Paul poses to Dave – and, by proxy, all of us – today. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk through all of this and a LOT more. The LOT? Well, there’s a conversation about how Read more…
How do you introduce new songs to your band’s setlist? This is a pretty loaded question, it turns out, and your two favorite weekend warriors chat through this. Seems it might even need some kind of intentional process, especially if you want new songs to enter your band’s top 10. Mothballs might be involved. And you’ll need to learn about Read more…
Are you in for a rollicking good time? Enjoying your summer, either playing in the streets or watching bands playing in the streets? That’s fun! Got a player who can’t stay in the pocket? What about when the bandleader isn’t up to snuff? How about when a festival doesn’t wanna pay local bands? Uh huh. And what do you do Read more…
Sometimes you get to go on stage with a band of musicians with whom you’ve played many times before. Sometimes you get to go on stage with musicians you’ve never met! Both can be rewarding – and a little scary! – and it seems Paul and Dave’s bicoastal synchronicity has struck once again. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors discuss their Read more…
How do you define “great”? More importantly: do you and your bandmates share that definition? If not, is there someone in your band to whom you all defer on that topic? How do you make sure your band comes across “great” all the time? Paul and Dave think there’s another word that helps this: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. And that comes in a Read more…
Wanna hear about some cool, new gear? Wanna learn a new twist on how to have your band wish someone a happy birthday? Wanna hear some geeky stuff about how Phish appears to time their sets? How about some ideas for new venues to ply your craft? Well, Paul and Dave deliver all of that – and more – right here Read more…
Need advice on using in-ears? Check! Want to learn how to play with a click? Check! How about managing all those wireless channels? Check! Paul and Dave have have all sorts of tips for you… and then a discussion (also tip-filled!) about requests and how to handle them. Don’t miss this one, folks. You’re gonna love it. Chapters/Timestamps: Gig Gab Read more…
Play long enough and you’ll lose a booking, it’s just how it goes. The questions are: how do you handle it? And what can you do to help keep it from happening in the first place? (Psst: sometimes you can’t!). That’s not all, though. Listener Kevin has some ideas about portable staging, and Paul and Dave talk about tempos and Read more…
Where can you hear about Sweet Home Alabama, Sample In a Jar, Tower of Power and, yes, Teen Town in the same place? This week’s Gig Gab Podcast, of course! Plus, for those of you who aren’t coiling cables correctly – and that includes pretty much every one of you if you haven’t played in a band with Dave – you Read more…