Preparing for a Gig – Learning from my mistakes

So you have a gig, brilliant, it can be the best thing you do with your kit. Enjoy your moment in the spotlight, but if you are fully prepared for when things go wrong, which they inevitably do, then your chances of success will be be more enhanced than the assets on the average club stripper.

This guide is based on many years of getting it wrong and what we did to avoid these problems the next time we went out. You can’t allow for everything that could go wrong, or you would end up duplicating your entire rig, but forewarned is forearmed.

Preparation

1.  At least a week beforehand practice setting up completely.  Strip your entire rig down into a box/boxes/bags ready for transport to make sure you can fit everything in.
2. Write down everything you just used, and I mean every thing. Use that list as a check before you set out to the gig.
3. Practice you entire set several times, and then turn off selective bits of kit to practice what you would do if there was a fault.
4. Check your gear in insured. Your standard household policy will have limits for specific items. If unsure send the list you made above, including replacement values to your insurers and check. You ARE insured aren’t you?
5. Check everything will fit in your transport.
6. If you use a laptop:
   1. Back up your system to a hard drive/memory stick, at least a week before. That way when, and I do mean when, something goes wrong or your laptop is nicked at the gig you will be able to recover much quicker.
   2. Make a copy of all the data you will use, including samples to a different hard drive/memory stick, and if possible make it read only. Take this with you in case you accidentally over write something during the gig.
   3. I take duplicates of the installation disks too, and license details, and have been able to use a borrowed laptop when mine threw up during the sound check.
7. Expect the venue to be truly skanky, dark, with sticky carpets, dodgy mains, thieves at every corner and dealers trying to use you are a venue to sell their wares so you wont be surprised. If it turns out to be light and airy with a nice decor,  rosewater fountains and a dressing room full of kittens, then all the better but then you might be thinking “do I really fit in here?”

Things to take

1. Martindale tester – this could save your life. It checks the state of the mains before you plug in. Do this before anything else, and refuse to play if it shows a fault. This really could save your life. Available from Amazon for £11. Just do it.
   
2. Mains extension leads, with built in RCD protection. Leave the tester above at the end of the extension chain throughout the gig.
3. Large waterproof, lockable bag or box containing:
   1. Spare leads, at least one of each, more if using 3.5mm patch leads.
   2. Spare batteries, and power supplies, although plan to use mains.
   3. Fuses for everything. Some stages are prone to spikes from lights, fridges etc and can blow both internal and external fuses.
   4. Large reel of gaffer/duct tape.
   5. A big bag of 6″ cable ties.
   6. Scissors to cut tape and cable ties. Don’t take a knife to a gig, that is asking for trouble. Yes I know you can stab somebody with scissors but they are not so visually aggressive.
   7. Multi tool, a decent one. I am always surprised at the number of times I use this, especially the screwdriver end and pliers.  You can get some really god ones for around the £25 but the big daddy has always been Leatherman. 
   8. OR Toolkit, even if you don’t know how to use it, somebody there might be able to help if there is a problem. Keep it locked at all times.
   9. Torch or headlamp. You will drop something and need to look for it. Don’t get your phone out during the gig, it will get nicked or lost.
   10. Light for during the performance, it is always darker than you first thought.
4. Food and water. Seriously, take some biscuits, snacks and plenty of water.  You will be starving afterwards and the venue will probably be too busy closing up to serve you late at night.
5. Small first aid kit, wipes and plasters. Some stages are really rank, keep the dirt out, you will literally have no idea what bacteria and virii are lurking there.
6. Stage clothes. Think about what you will wear, if you have just been setting up you will be sweaty and nasty. The audience are looking for a performance, look the part.
7. A copy of the contract/agreement. If you don’t have one, write down what you expect and check with the venue when you arrive. It will be too late afterwards to discover they actually wanted you to pay for playing or damage caused by your audience.
8. The check list you made before hand, and photos of your rig. This will settle arguments about who owns what and will help when the rozers pull you over at 2AM. No self respecting thief would have that list of what they have just nicked.
9. If you are not taking your own table or stand then a sheet of 12mm ply/chipboard large enough for gear in case what they give you is not big enough.
10. A moody black/decorated sheet. Nobody comes to see your leads, so draping it around the outside of your gear to hide the spaghetti can enhance your visual image.
11. Merchandising. Do you have CDs to sell? Badges? Tee Shirts? If nothing else a decorative card with a link to your website/ Facebook/ twitter/ Instagram/ Sound-cloud sites etc and dates for your next gig.
12. Complete backup of your set on your phone, and learn to mime (optional)
13. Map to gig.

After the Gig

1. Check your gear back off the list as you pack up to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything.
2. Say thanks to the venue, and give them your flyer, even if you thought it didn’t go too well.
3. Pack carefully, if it is late an night there will be more drunks about on the roads and you might have to do an emergency stop.
4. If you have been drinking/getting high then make sure somebody clean is driving, it isn’t worth the ban or killing somebody.
5. Update your web presence highlighting the good bits, don’y over BS the whole thing or the people there will realize and might lose interest for next time.