Most I ever did was four separate gigs on a New Year's Eve - all with the same band. The shows were short, but the whole day was: setup, play, pack up, repeat, repeat, repeat. It was tiring, but felt like we had been on a whole tour at the end of the night.
now that may be a record! three is my most in one day. and that was back in my freelance days in San Diego. No PA break down for me, just pack up drums and go. Got a speeding ticket between last two shows. made the entire day pointless. ugg. don't get me started on NYE gigs! I've played some real funny one's, mostly all were a bust , no crowd no party... well paid rehearsals. One time we showed up to the Peak's in Telluride, CO (where all the celebrities stay up there in Mountain Village) and management didn't even know they had hired a NYE band. They scrambled to figure out where to put us... ended up downstairs in a alcove between the bar and restaurant right outside the elevator. problem was both bar and restaurant closed by the time we started at 9pm. so it was playing to ourselves. People would randomly be in the in elevator and the doors would open and WALLA, a band playing ten feet outside the elevator in a space not big enough for more than a few people. One couple was on their honey moon and decided to bring their drinks down from the the upper level bar and they sat in the chairs on either side of the elevator doors, and got a free concert. that gig Paid $700 each and rooms! This dang hotel changed managers every 6 months and therefore had no consistency. no wonder they had no idea they had hired a band.
The life! I consider it a blessing to still be able to lug drums in and out, up and down and still enjoy playing after 60 years! Much respect to all working drummers!
I did 2 gigs in a day last Spring, one being a small group jazz gig in a church for a student recital then a Jewish synagogue gig for a cantor’a retirement. Not a lot of time in between, but a good day of money and playing. Days like these make us feel good that people want to pay us to do it. I love your range and experience as a musician. Thanks for the video!
Hah! As a drummer who's life for the last 35 years has been a carbon copy of exactly this, working drummer / sometimes bandleader / private lesson instructor, It pains me to think of how you were able to video your day and doing a damn fine job of it. Hats off to you my dude for pulling it all off!
@@malonedrum 🤣 oh man. do I. I felt every bit of this video down to my bones. lol. Every time somebody asks "what do you do?", i'm sending a link to this video. Or if a student wants to know what its like being a working muisician....here ya go. I love what I do. This video is a great example of taking what you love to do (and have studied to do) and going out and making a living doing it. I love this video. Thank you for putting it together and posting.
Hats off to ya. I use to do this for years. I am a drummer-percussionist too. “It’s a lot”. I am retired from the scene, I’ve grown to enjoy simpler more manageable things in life. I play every day at home. I turn down gigs that find me. I’ve never been more at peace. I applaud your love for gigging. Many wishes , thanks for sharing
Your Quality of Contant and how well produced this is and how much effort you put into these videos on top of what you were already doing with traveling to gigs, learning songs, perfecting your craft, is extremely underrated. 🤠
I played for 48 hrs straight, with 6 15 minute breaks. It was for Charity. We raised 240,000 bucks. Small sacrifice to make. Cool video Bro...keep it up!🤘
As a retired professional aviator - I've always admired other people's skills and professions. Great expose, I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Two thumbs up and congratulations on having and making a fun time... :)
This is great. All of the different video shots indoor and out are awesome. Playing early gigs isnt always that fun, but you look like you enjoyed it. Your organization skills are impressive. Thanks for sharing.
Kudos to you dude! I know how hectic even TWO gigs in a day can be...let alone three. You need to be organized, practical, flexible, professional, and well rested to pull off days like these. This video is a reality check (in a good way) for anyone wanting to be a working musician for a living. Not many drummers are on this level, and the ones who ARE, get the gigs! Cheers and thanks for sharing this!
I think I had 5 or 6 and @ 12 for the weekend once. That was when I was doing pipe band though, so only my marching drum. This dude is also traveling light, so it's highly doable. Profitable is another story that depends on other factors. Anyone want to express on that?
I have done two gigs in one day with around 3 hours tavel time all up. 2 sets for the 1st gig and a full night for the 2nd gig, all dance rock tunes with some in your face blues, we were fortunate to only have to set up the P.A. and lighting for the last gig of the day. i too am a drummer with P.A.and lighting to deal with plus pay the guys. It was good day for us.
IN MY YOUNGER DAYS: I did a Triple-Header~~ 2 in Park City and the last in town, Salt Lake City. A Rock/Cover Band. 4 piece. 2 front guys on horns and "strap-on" Keys/ then Bass and Drums. We were quite in demand back in the late 80's and got the best gigs (which ticked off the other bands). Won't do that again. I'm 72, still gigging in Mesa, AZ. Many times I will unpack the next day. I sub in a fair number of bands. Not full-time with anyone b/c prefer to not be too busy. LOVE IT. YOU, My Drumming Bro'. are an ~~ ALL-STAR.
You're a hard working guy that's for sure, I think that trolley is a great Idea, it's a pain, literally, picking up drums and hardware with the back and forth of it all. Top man! 👍
I used to haul around a plethora of acoustic bits while gigging about town, but after playing an older TD-20 kit at a local church, I looked into the latest Roland e-drums. Now I have sold nearly all of my acoustic drums and only need a single e-kit to meet all my drumming needs. It can be wired into the PA mixing board. Since you handle the PA and sound board, you can preset your e-kit so its simple to plug and play If you have several gigs as in this video, you would need 2 or 3 drum racks for your 4 pc kit, which you could setup at each venue, Then all you would need to move from one venue to the next are your drum and cymbal pads and your drum module. The TD-17 would be more than sufficient for your needs. The MDS compact rack would equally service your demands as well, as you tend to keep everything within a small space. You could make use of a CY8, FD8 or FD9 setup for you Hi hat and eliminate the need to cart an additional stand around. having each rack have an identical cymbal setup, would allow you to move only the drum pads, your throne, stick bag and bass pedal and pad from gig to gig, Prewired racks would make it easy to plug in the pads and taped off pad stands would make it simple to repeat your setup. ....... 1- TD 17 and a few pads could have easily supplied the sound for your Latin group, further, feeding it through a small PA, would have allowed you to control the sound (outside or inside), regardless of how boomy the interior space might be. ....... When your done, you simply bag your pads, fold the rack, grab your small PA bits and off you go. You could even fit the PA you would need, into a small rolling rack
I've played plenty electric kits at churches and such, and in some settings they work really great, and streamline to process of live sound and acoustic sound. Not something I'd personally enjoy playing on regularly, but in some settings I have fun on them. For jazz, and salsa music I really don't think an electric kit would be appropriate or fit the genre, but I'm sure for some genres it makes your life a lot easier.
The Prius is criminally underrated as far as it’s massive cargo capacity. I’ve fit an entire 5piece kit as well as full bass rig for a road trip to Boston. CHEERS!
We truly are lucky to be able to call this work. Yes, it’s hard work sometimes, but it’s just a massive release and so therapeutic. Nice to earn the money too.
First off and before even watching the whole vlog, let me say that you're my kind of drummer. I love the organization of your drums in the house and your garage...looking forward to watching the rest of this.
I was working drummer for over 32 years and often played 40 or 50 gigs a month. Having two or three drum kits, so that you could run and set up early for the last gig is always helpful. Also having extra stands and an extra throne and bass drum pedal is very helpful as well, especially if the gear is all similar so that it feels and plays the same, unless you’re playing completely different styles of music, in which case you probably want some thing that’s appropriate for each genre. For 31 of those years it was awesome and then it started feeling like work! Now I’m extremely selective about what gigs that will take and only play about eight months.
I grew up playing and studied with some great LA session drummers but I couldn’t pull the trigger on moving forward after college. My favorite teacher played toured Bette Midler and I asked him, “why are you giving me lessons?”. He said, the road/gigging is hard man. That did it for me. Some are built for it.
I bummed to hear that you couldn't see it as a realistic career path for you, but as I've heard before "If you can see yourself doing anything else for a living, do that"
My only 2 Gigs in one day was with a Pop/Rock cover band on a bleeding hot summer day at the Beach, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Immediately after the Full show breaking down & loading all the gear, onwards for another 1h45m drive to another 3 Set Gig, unloading setting up soundcheck Gig breakdown load in 2hr drive back unload gear at our compound finally heading home for a well earned sleep 😅 Respect 2 U ! From the Netherlands..
@@malonedrum Yep.. And putting on a full on Rock show with all the Bells & Frills to please the crowd, takes a lotta energy Hahaha My Drummer in my band was Jimmy Griego, 7 year Drummer with Bobby Kimball (Toto) Total Respect 2 U brother..
This is the first video that I have ever watched that gives a very realistic view of a gigging musician's day....not just edit of all the cool parts of the day. Great work! I'm sure it was a pain to video, but it was worth it. If I go back to teaching, I would definitely have my students watch this video to get an idea of what this life looks like.
Last weekend we had a festival gig Saturday night. It was an hour away and we played four hours, didn’t get home till around 3 am. Church at 8 the next morning. Had to do some homework then we had a wedding to play that Sunday night. Woke up at 5 am to eat breakfast with my girlfriend and head back to college for my 9:30 am. College is 3 hours away🙃
WOW, Mike, that was some day. Your efficiency and organization have to be the major factors in your ability to handle such a hectic day. Three gigs with three different genres a music has to be a bit taxing. Which genre do you enjoy most? Thank you for sharing this busy day with all of us.
Personally, I think I enjoy the variety. It’s realistic in my area for you to join a working cover band, and just play with that one group, and maintain a busy schedule while making a decent living. I’ve had a couple opportunities to audition or take a role in a full time band like that, and I think I’d suffer from getting bored or disheartened after 6-8 months of doing that. I really thrive off the variety. With that said, I absolutely love playing with the final band in this video, The Pocket Kings, and also the second band, Stuck On Blue.
I used to be a working drummer in Austin, Texas through the 90's and can totally relate playing multiple gigs in a day especially during the South by Southwest festivals. I went from playing a 7 piece kit with a bunch of cymbals down to a 4 piece or even just snare, kick and hihat with one cymbal depending on the band. The minimal kit actually made me a better player for the songs. The singers and guitar players really appreciated that. One tip would be to write regularly used song lists on your drum heads.
It's fun with friends but recording or touring with whoever you need at the time just because their good can be a real drag after a few years. Production company's and booking agents get what the gas stations don't and you are still wearing the same shoes 20,000+ miles later in my experience. I am familiar with you're neck of the woods being back home in Madison. You are alright man, best of luck. Keep up the good work!@@malonedrum
I've done two gigs in one day in two separate states on a few occasions. No going home to swap out gear. 11am start to 4pm (Winefest at Seven Springs PA) and then drove 104 miles to be set up and start from 10pm to 1:45am in Wheeling WV.
I've noticed experienced working musicians have 1-trip setups. (Mike had 2 trips, but his instrument took only 1-trip.) Going back to your car to get a duplex keyboard stand or monitor or whatever gets old real quick. Also, can confirm saxophone players help drummers with setup and teardown. When I'm on sax and the night is over, I can't just leave feeling smug about my smart instrument choices. xD
It’s usually one trip for me, but if I’m hauling Pa and lights, it’s two, which I also think is extremely efficient. I honestly don’t typically accept or need help packing up, because I know the order and exactly how to break things down and to what degree to make my life easiest. Same for loading it in the car, and unloading, etc. Appreciate sax players wanting to help though.
@@malonedrum Yeah, what I meant is that you did take 1-trip for your instrument. 1-trip for lights/Pa is really good, too. With drummers, I've discovered that the most helpful thing is helping to haul cases if there are stairs or something because, like you mentioned (and I kinda did, also), most experienced musicians have a 1-trip setup already. Also, I shouldn't touch the cymbals. I don't understand it, but I respect it. o_O
I remember a few 3-Gig days - the following day I was Toast. The only thing that got me going (after awakening after 12:00 PM) was 2 bowls of Cocoa Puffs, 3 chocolate Pop Tarts & a pot of Coffee.
Great video, man! I don't think I'll be able to gig this often in one single day, because here in Brazil live music only happens in certain events, and with really small groups like duos or trios. Or they pay way too low, sometimes not enough to pay even for gas... Anyway, great video! Love your content! Cheers!
I’m sorry to hear your scene doesn’t compensate in a fair way, I know the feeling (although not currently). Hope to hear of improvements in your situation soon!
@@malonedrum Definitely. It's very tempting to buy the cheapest option (especially these days when times are hard) but sometimes that can come back to haunt you.
Great video. I recently did 2 Shows , 3 1 hour sets with 30 min breaks. Each. These were 2 hours away and the first day gig was in the Fl sun and heat outdoors. 80’s hair metal banging and swinging away ! Good payday but that was a rough one. I usually gig with my double bass 7 piece kit with a Gibraltar rack. Everything goes in 2 cases with castors I built to fit perfectly in my truck. One for hardware and one for toms and snare. The kicks both go on top of the hardware case after it’s unloaded and set on the ground.
As a singer I’m a little more careful so the most I’ll do is 2 gigs a day. And I’m even not too fond of that. They are usually 3hrs or a little less each. Tbh, 5 a week is perfect for me 😎
One thing I learned very early on running a band and writing set lists, and planning gigs was how important it can be to keep your singer in decent shape. Singing 4 hour gigs in the heat takes its toll really fast on vocalists.
Had 3 in a day once. 2 kits preset and 1 packed for the 1st job. Had 2 kits in the car after the 2nd job. Fortunately the 3rd job was a theater gig and didn't have to bring those drums home. One triple header was enough for me.
Few months ago i played 3 sets with 3 different original bands in 3 different bars (thankfully on the same strip of bars in town) then packed up and went over to a 4th bar to play a covers show of 4 more sets. all in all 7 sets over the space of about 9 hours and that includes setting up, tearing down and carrying all my bits through a mall full of people at a light jog to get set up and basically count the first song in the moment my cymbals hit the stands
Most I ever did was around 6, but they were short ones with a college show choir doing a nursing home tour for Christmas. Thankfully I only had a Yamaha DD-14 Digital Drum Machine and a snare stand so setup/teardown was quick.
I couldn’t imagine doing 6, and moving/hauling a full drum set every time. That sure seems to make it easier. And I’m guessing sort shows , under and hour each
So my buddy and I play country music and we travel out about 3-4 hours per gig, some weekends we will travel from one side of Ga to the East coast of Florida. Set ups take 40 minutes to 1 hour. We do get very tired when we travel 3-4 hours out and play 2 shows only to travel back for a next day show. Yes money is good and I sleep like a baby when I do get home.
I’ve done the multi gig days as front man guitarist/ sound/ lights. It’s a lot of work and a lot of fun! I’m 66 years old now and have slowed down a bit. Nice video brother!
I spent 10 years yraveling our country. I saw so much as a truck driver. But i chose to live in florida because i love the trpoic weather. I dont envoy anyone living in the cold. And snow. I grew up in connecticut hating the cold
Hey cool Mike! Hi from another Wisconsin drummer. I saw my buddy Eric in thud. We gig, bit only now and then. I'm in Madison, but did play up in OSH last June at O'Marro's. I will sometimes pack an extra lunch incase it is hard to get food or unknown if food is included when going from work to a gig or gig to gig.
The most I've ever had was two gigs in one day and both shows were 4 hours long with an hour's travel in between shows. I was beat by 1 am so I know you must have been more than ready to be home and rest up. Great video and thanks for taking us along!
I can’t remember if I’ve done double header 4 hour gigs, but I dread when I have to do a single 4 hour so I can only imagine. I think this day was a 1 hr, 3 hr then 2.5 hour
Hi Mike. Just heard your episode on Working Drummer on a flight from Cyprus to Norway and had to look up your channel. Great to see your amazing work ethic and great content. Subbed and look forward to checking put more videos.
epic man!! loved the vid/ I relate to this heavily. especially during wedding/gala season. Only difference is I do it all on the subway here in New York! Thats where the 14" bass drum, piccolo snare, and DW6000 come into play (:
Brings back nightmares lol I don't think I've ever done 3 in a day, But 2 in a day was plenty for me. You seem to handle it very well and focus on the positives. I salute you. 🤣 Great video!!!
Your a drummer why do you bring a PA, lights? I’m a guitarist I’m in a few different bands and I just worry about my guitars,and amp, I’ve got a bag full of accessories, the bands I play with usually have everything setup by the time I get there usually about 20 minutes before start time, I’m not interested in hanging around, I want to get there do the gig and split!
@@joemasse4568 I’m a band leader, that happens to play drums. So there’s a lot more that goes into my job than just showing up with my instrument 20 min before, doing the gig and splitting. Nothing wrong with that, and I have people in groups I play who also live in that role, but it’s just not the situation I’ve chosen to put myself in.
My worst, but the one that payed the bills, was the hottest, longest, most exhausting, also one of the most enjoyed all at the same time. 4th of July festival I used to do, First few years it was 27 bands 2 stages, 10:00am-10:00 pm for 2 days, ending around 10:00pm with music synced fireworks. Roughest 4 days of my life, as it was always hotter than Hades, set up sound systems day before, first morning finish setup of sound and lights, line check set up for first acts, multiple genre’s so every set was different, artists change about 1 hour with a 15 min switch. So many pain in asses, but also so many professional and talented talented musician’s/artists, made it worth it. Last few years it was cut to 1 stage and fewer and fewer acts, I retired from it last year.
This was very inspiring and educational as far as how many things there are to consider and take account of when gigging. You seem to be a true professional.
I don't know how I got to be viewing this video, but I really enjoyed it and sent me down a rabbit hole of property prices around where you live which was surprisingly cheap to me here in the UK. Thanks!
Here in Nashville, playing 2-3 gigs per day is very common. Most venues and studios have a backline situation though, so snare/cymbals/pedal are all you need and you can quickly go from one gig to the next. The real challenge is the mental acuity. The honky tonk gigs are a legit four hour straight train with no breaks. You may be able to go to the bathroom if someone does an acoustic tune. Regardless, the best prep I’ve found for these days is to always be ready. That means I always have a set of cymbals and snare and a pedal in my car (and insured). I also frame my lifestyle around this. My sleep, diet, and exercise are all with a constant grind in mind. I can pull off a marathon day if needed because I prioritize sleep, eat clean, don’t drink, and do workouts specifically meant to counteract the I’ll effects of sitting and playing for long stretches. It’s not easy turning down free drinks and free meals, but it pays off in the long run!
I’d love to see you do a video like this specifically pertaining to Nashville Broadway scene. I have friends who grind the same way, and it reminds me that I’m grateful those 4 hour (no breaks) gigs are not standard practice up here.
@@malonedrum I thought I replied so pardon if this is a duplicate! I did a triple yesterday and just tried to document the process on my IG in stories, and even that was like an extra job. Nashville is a very interesting place in regards to the music culture off and on broadway. I'm working on a few videos to highlight this. I'll post one soon this week and shoot it over!
As busy as you are I'm surprised you don't have a trailer. I'm an active drummer and life got a lot easier when I bought a trailer several years ago. I built my 3rd and final utility case for the hardware, cables, mics and spare parts. Use the cart to move the drums.
I’ve just this minute discovered your channel. It popped up on my YT homepage. Thankyou for making this VLOG. It was inspiring, informative, interesting and motivating. From my experience, playing the music is the easy part. Dealing with people is the challenge !
In the 70's i was doing morning studio sessions ,a lunchtime gig, a 7 till 10 pm gig, followed by a 10.30 pm to 2.30 am gig, six days a weeks. I eventually became totally exhausted , which resulted in me falling asleep standing up, whilst doing backing vocals in some Doobies song. I kept this up for about 6 or 7 months before i hit the wall.
@@malonedrum You know that mid 20's energy/madness of being in demand, in your area for the first time in your life. Not to mention , i had no allergy to money. Could never do it again.
@@malonedrum In the 80's, i had this residency that was 2 shows a day and one on saturday. That lasted 18 months, with no bumping gear in or out . What a contrast. I was also doing a late jazz gig during the week as well. That wasn't quite as strenuous haha. Today, i'd struggle with 2 nights a week .
3 gigs in 3 different bands shortly after I joined the band from the second gig and went on to play five nights a week for many years! Yes I quit my day job.
I did a 3 gig in a day last month. The only difference here in the Philippines is we have a rented equipment supplier. I went to the gigs with snare and cymbal bag and some extra stuff. Traffic is crazy here so the solution is travel with a Motor Cycle. Nailed it !.
Excellent organization and planning, my man! My advice to you is that no matter how tired you are, unload and secure your rig in the house. It only takes one ripoff to learn a hard life lesson. All the best and happy gigging!
@@malonedrum never forget that thieves can watch RUclips as well and you are essentially advertising that you leave stuff in your vehicle overnight. Stay safe!
@@malonedrum you should also blur out your license plate my friend. Sucks you have to consider these things especially as you get more views. Good luck to you!
This is the first video of yours that I've seen and I gotta tip my hat thanks to your style of camera placing and continuity in the editing 👌I started drumming 5 days ago at the age of 37, so gigging is out of the window for me, but truly liked this video and I will be binging thru the rest 😁 Have an awesome day/ night!
Awesome Job!! Been there Done That! Have started using my Cocktail (Stand Up) Kit! Works Great for all Music but I must admit standing on 1 Leg all night can be interesting! You are doing it right! Thanks for posting! Rooster in Minnesota
I know what you are talking about you sometimes look back and go how did I do all that. The one thing I would probably do on top of what you already have would be purchase a Roland electric kit I have two and also my acoustic kit. The electric is absolutely amazing in smaller venues and you can actually have some fun and hit the kit. Anyway keep up the good work 👍🏻
3 gigs in one day. Wow that would be too stressful. I'm a DJ and many years ago on multiple occasions did 2 gigs in a day. Looking back. I took a risk by doing that. Cause everything had to go to plan. You made it work.
I am not a drummer but play keys, I love the way you organised your day's events and has given me some ideas thanks i am now subscribing to your channel.
Great video Mike and so interesting. Reminded me of my playing days (guitar). Great too that functions are using live bands and not discos ! Only observation was that you might be better to use a van for getting all your gear around. Safer too so nobody can see what’s inside. But just a remark and all really good. 🙋♂️👏👏🇬🇧
As much as I'd love a dedicated gigging vehicle, it's just not practical or economical in my situation, but I certainly respect your opinion and agree a van with less windows in the back would be great. I've been considering getting my windows tinted in the back lately for the same reason.
My craziest gigs were at The Lake of the Ozarks, always outdoor, we’d play 3 - 1 hour sets Saturday night and then 3- 1 hour sets Sunday afternoon, it was tuff watching boats coming into the marinas with bikini clad women that had been boozing all day, they always made their way back by me and my drum kit, good times !
I have the same cart, and I've been using bags, but I love how you just put the drums on it. Would you do a video on how you pack your cart? Do you put any felt on the metal rails so it won't scratch your bass drum hoops?
fantastic vlog type gig dad video. I plan on making one for have several triple days here in myrtle beach. going to be using some of you techniques such as time lapse and what not to paint my picture. subscribed
Most I ever did was four separate gigs on a New Year's Eve - all with the same band. The shows were short, but the whole day was: setup, play, pack up, repeat, repeat, repeat. It was tiring, but felt like we had been on a whole tour at the end of the night.
Yeah, the shows are the easy part, but the hauling and setting up is where I get worn out. I bet you made a killing though.
now that may be a record! three is my most in one day. and that was back in my freelance days in San Diego. No PA break down for me, just pack up drums and go. Got a speeding ticket between last two shows. made the entire day pointless. ugg.
don't get me started on NYE gigs! I've played some real funny one's, mostly all were a bust , no crowd no party... well paid rehearsals.
One time we showed up to the Peak's in Telluride, CO (where all the celebrities stay up there in Mountain Village) and management didn't even know they had hired a NYE band. They scrambled to figure out where to put us... ended up downstairs in a alcove between the bar and restaurant right outside the elevator. problem was both bar and restaurant closed by the time we started at 9pm. so it was playing to ourselves. People would randomly be in the in elevator and the doors would open and WALLA, a band playing ten feet outside the elevator in a space not big enough for more than a few people. One couple was on their honey moon and decided to bring their drinks down from the the upper level bar and they sat in the chairs on either side of the elevator doors, and got a free concert. that gig Paid $700 each and rooms! This dang hotel changed managers every 6 months and therefore had no consistency. no wonder they had no idea they had hired a band.
The life! I consider it a blessing to still be able to lug drums in and out, up and down and still enjoy playing after 60 years! Much respect to all working drummers!
It is a blessing! And I love what I do, which makes it easier to deal with the parts that are not so fun.
@@malonedrum I know exactly what you mean!
I did 2 gigs in a day last Spring, one being a small group jazz gig in a church for a student recital then a Jewish synagogue gig for a cantor’a retirement. Not a lot of time in between, but a good day of money and playing. Days like these make us feel good that people want to pay us to do it. I love your range and experience as a musician. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for sharing! And watching
A friend of mine play for church. When he ask for money the priest said he play for god 😂
Hah! As a drummer who's life for the last 35 years has been a carbon copy of exactly this, working drummer / sometimes bandleader / private lesson instructor, It pains me to think of how you were able to video your day and doing a damn fine job of it. Hats off to you my dude for pulling it all off!
You know my struggle!
@@malonedrum 🤣 oh man. do I. I felt every bit of this video down to my bones. lol. Every time somebody asks "what do you do?", i'm sending a link to this video. Or if a student wants to know what its like being a working muisician....here ya go. I love what I do. This video is a great example of taking what you love to do (and have studied to do) and going out and making a living doing it. I love this video. Thank you for putting it together and posting.
Hats off to ya. I use to do this for years. I am a drummer-percussionist too. “It’s a lot”.
I am retired from the scene, I’ve grown to enjoy simpler more manageable things in life. I play every day at home. I turn down gigs that find me. I’ve never been more at peace.
I applaud your love for gigging. Many wishes , thanks for sharing
Thanks.
Your Quality of Contant and how well produced this is and how much effort you put into these videos on top of what you were already doing with traveling to gigs, learning songs, perfecting your craft, is extremely underrated. 🤠
That's extremely kind of you to say. I enjoy both playing music and documenting it through video, so putting in good effort is natural
L
*content
I played for 48 hrs straight, with 6 15 minute breaks. It was for Charity. We raised 240,000 bucks. Small sacrifice to make. Cool video Bro...keep it up!🤘
You win! I'm tired just reading about what you did.
Hello from Nashville , Cool video , the song you are playing with your salsa band was written by my father . La Naturaleza Eladio Jiménez ❤️👍🏽
That’s dope! I love that tune.
What a Day!!
Great
Yes!
So refreshing. So human. I salute you good sir!
Appreciate it
As a retired professional aviator - I've always admired other people's skills and professions. Great expose, I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Two thumbs up and congratulations on having and making a fun time... :)
Come to EAA AirVenture!
This is great. All of the different video shots indoor and out are awesome. Playing early gigs isnt always that fun, but you look like you enjoyed it. Your organization skills are impressive. Thanks for sharing.
As much as a day like this is a challenge, and doesn't leave a ton of time for fun, I do have a blasts on these days.
Kudos to you dude! I know how hectic even TWO gigs in a day can be...let alone three. You need to be organized, practical, flexible, professional, and well rested to pull off days like these. This video is a reality check (in a good way) for anyone wanting to be a working musician for a living. Not many drummers are on this level, and the ones who ARE, get the gigs! Cheers and thanks for sharing this!
Thanks for watching!
I think I had 5 or 6 and @ 12 for the weekend once. That was when I was doing pipe band though, so only my marching drum. This dude is also traveling light, so it's highly doable. Profitable is another story that depends on other factors. Anyone want to express on that?
I have done two gigs in one day with around 3 hours tavel time all up. 2 sets for the 1st gig and a full night for the 2nd gig, all dance rock tunes with some in your face blues, we were fortunate to only have to set up the P.A. and lighting for the last gig of the day. i too am a drummer with P.A.and lighting to deal with plus pay the guys. It was good day for us.
I bet!
I also wondered how pros gigged....thanks for allowing us into your world. Awesome.
Thanks for watching!
I'm a drummer myself and my first time watching your videos. 👍👍😊 Great content !!!
Welcome to the channel!
He have a lot of energy for 3 gigs in 1 day..morning till night..you are the man..!!
Appreciate it!
THIS is what it's all about. dreams do come true kids. Long day? Goes by so fast and always a delight
This is exactly how I feel about it.
IN MY YOUNGER DAYS: I did a Triple-Header~~ 2 in Park City and the last in town, Salt Lake City.
A Rock/Cover Band. 4 piece. 2 front guys on horns and "strap-on" Keys/ then Bass and Drums.
We were quite in demand back in the late 80's and got the best gigs (which ticked off the other bands).
Won't do that again. I'm 72, still gigging in Mesa, AZ. Many times I will unpack the next day.
I sub in a fair number of bands. Not full-time with anyone b/c prefer to not be too busy. LOVE IT.
YOU, My Drumming Bro'. are an ~~ ALL-STAR.
Appreciate it
You're a hard working guy that's for sure, I think that trolley is a great Idea, it's a pain, literally, picking up drums and hardware with the back and forth of it all. Top man! 👍
Appreciate the support!
I used to haul around a plethora of acoustic bits while gigging about town, but after playing an older TD-20 kit at a local church, I looked into the latest Roland e-drums. Now I have sold nearly all of my acoustic drums and only need a single e-kit to meet all my drumming needs. It can be wired into the PA mixing board.
Since you handle the PA and sound board, you can preset your e-kit so its simple to plug and play
If you have several gigs as in this video, you would need 2 or 3 drum racks for your 4 pc kit, which you could setup at each venue, Then all you would need to move from one venue to the next are your drum and cymbal pads and your drum module. The TD-17 would be more than sufficient for your needs.
The MDS compact rack would equally service your demands as well, as you tend to keep everything within a small space.
You could make use of a CY8, FD8 or FD9 setup for you Hi hat and eliminate the need to cart an additional stand around. having each rack have an identical cymbal setup, would allow you to move only the drum pads, your throne, stick bag and bass pedal and pad from gig to gig, Prewired racks would make it easy to plug in the pads and taped off pad stands would make it simple to repeat your setup.
.......
1- TD 17 and a few pads could have easily supplied the sound for your Latin group, further, feeding it through a small PA, would have allowed you to control the sound (outside or inside), regardless of how boomy the interior space might be.
.......
When your done, you simply bag your pads, fold the rack, grab your small PA bits and off you go. You could even fit the PA you would need, into a small rolling rack
I've played plenty electric kits at churches and such, and in some settings they work really great, and streamline to process of live sound and acoustic sound. Not something I'd personally enjoy playing on regularly, but in some settings I have fun on them.
For jazz, and salsa music I really don't think an electric kit would be appropriate or fit the genre, but I'm sure for some genres it makes your life a lot easier.
The Prius is criminally underrated as far as it’s massive cargo capacity. I’ve fit an entire 5piece kit as well as full bass rig for a road trip to Boston. CHEERS!
Exactly!
We truly are lucky to be able to call this work. Yes, it’s hard work sometimes, but it’s just a massive release and so therapeutic. Nice to earn the money too.
Exactly
First off and before even watching the whole vlog, let me say that you're my kind of drummer. I love the organization of your drums in the house and your garage...looking forward to watching the rest of this.
You should check out my studio tour video!
I was working drummer for over 32 years and often played 40 or 50 gigs a month. Having two or three drum kits, so that you could run and set up early for the last gig is always helpful. Also having extra stands and an extra throne and bass drum pedal is very helpful as well, especially if the gear is all similar so that it feels and plays the same, unless you’re playing completely different styles of music, in which case you probably want some thing that’s appropriate for each genre. For 31 of those years it was awesome and then it started feeling like work! Now I’m extremely selective about what gigs that will take and only play about eight months.
50 gigs in a month is a wild schedule, unless your down in Nashville playing up and down broadway where you can easily play 2-3x a day 7 days a week.
I grew up playing and studied with some great LA session drummers but I couldn’t pull the trigger on moving forward after college. My favorite teacher played toured Bette Midler and I asked him, “why are you giving me lessons?”. He said, the road/gigging is hard man. That did it for me. Some are built for it.
I bummed to hear that you couldn't see it as a realistic career path for you, but as I've heard before "If you can see yourself doing anything else for a living, do that"
Oh, hey. I watched this like 3 months ago on Reddit. Glad it came back up on YT. Loved it then, love it now. Thanks for sharing!
Welcome to my favorite social channel :)
My only 2 Gigs in one day was with a Pop/Rock cover band on a bleeding hot summer day at the Beach, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Immediately after the Full show breaking down & loading all the gear, onwards for another 1h45m drive to another 3 Set Gig, unloading setting up soundcheck Gig breakdown load in 2hr drive back unload gear at our compound finally heading home for a well earned sleep 😅 Respect 2 U ! From the Netherlands..
ooofff, that's a rough one. Something like this is much worse in the summer when you're out in the heat.
@@malonedrum Yep.. And putting on a full on Rock show with all the Bells & Frills to please the crowd, takes a lotta energy Hahaha My Drummer in my band was Jimmy Griego, 7 year Drummer with Bobby Kimball (Toto) Total Respect 2 U brother..
This is the first video that I have ever watched that gives a very realistic view of a gigging musician's day....not just edit of all the cool parts of the day. Great work! I'm sure it was a pain to video, but it was worth it. If I go back to teaching, I would definitely have my students watch this video to get an idea of what this life looks like.
That’s very kind of you to say!
Last weekend we had a festival gig Saturday night. It was an hour away and we played four hours, didn’t get home till around 3 am. Church at 8 the next morning. Had to do some homework then we had a wedding to play that Sunday night. Woke up at 5 am to eat breakfast with my girlfriend and head back to college for my 9:30 am. College is 3 hours away🙃
Nice, hope it was worth the time you put into it!
WOW, Mike, that was some day. Your efficiency and organization have to be the major factors in your ability to handle such a hectic day.
Three gigs with three different genres a music has to be a bit taxing. Which genre do you enjoy most?
Thank you for sharing this busy day with all of us.
Personally, I think I enjoy the variety. It’s realistic in my area for you to join a working cover band, and just play with that one group, and maintain a busy schedule while making a decent living. I’ve had a couple opportunities to audition or take a role in a full time band like that, and I think I’d suffer from getting bored or disheartened after 6-8 months of doing that. I really thrive off the variety. With that said, I absolutely love playing with the final band in this video, The Pocket Kings, and also the second band, Stuck On Blue.
I used to be a working drummer in Austin, Texas through the 90's and can totally relate playing multiple gigs in a day especially during the South by Southwest festivals. I went from playing a 7 piece kit with a bunch of cymbals down to a 4 piece or even just snare, kick and hihat with one cymbal depending on the band. The minimal kit actually made me a better player for the songs. The singers and guitar players really appreciated that. One tip would be to write regularly used song lists on your drum heads.
Cool story!
It's fun with friends but recording or touring with whoever you need at the time just because their good can be a real drag after a few years. Production company's and booking agents get what the gas stations don't and you are still wearing the same shoes 20,000+ miles later in my experience. I am familiar with you're neck of the woods being back home in Madison. You are alright man, best of luck. Keep up the good work!@@malonedrum
I've done two gigs in one day in two separate states on a few occasions. No going home to swap out gear. 11am start to 4pm (Winefest at Seven Springs PA) and then drove 104 miles to be set up and start from 10pm to 1:45am in Wheeling WV.
I’m a little too remote to get to a new state in 100 miles, maybe the UP of michigan
I've noticed experienced working musicians have 1-trip setups. (Mike had 2 trips, but his instrument took only 1-trip.) Going back to your car to get a duplex keyboard stand or monitor or whatever gets old real quick.
Also, can confirm saxophone players help drummers with setup and teardown. When I'm on sax and the night is over, I can't just leave feeling smug about my smart instrument choices. xD
It’s usually one trip for me, but if I’m hauling Pa and lights, it’s two, which I also think is extremely efficient.
I honestly don’t typically accept or need help packing up, because I know the order and exactly how to break things down and to what degree to make my life easiest.
Same for loading it in the car, and unloading, etc.
Appreciate sax players wanting to help though.
@@malonedrum Yeah, what I meant is that you did take 1-trip for your instrument. 1-trip for lights/Pa is really good, too.
With drummers, I've discovered that the most helpful thing is helping to haul cases if there are stairs or something because, like you mentioned (and I kinda did, also), most experienced musicians have a 1-trip setup already.
Also, I shouldn't touch the cymbals. I don't understand it, but I respect it. o_O
@@jazzanarchy You're gonna make a lot of drummer friends on future gigs with that knowledge.
You can make a playing gigs in Wisconsin? Who knew??😊
After touring around full time, I was always impressed at the music scene in Northeast WI
I remember a few 3-Gig days - the following day I was Toast. The only thing that got me going (after awakening after 12:00 PM) was 2 bowls of Cocoa Puffs, 3 chocolate Pop Tarts & a pot of Coffee.
Diet of champions
Great video, man! I don't think I'll be able to gig this often in one single day, because here in Brazil live music only happens in certain events, and with really small groups like duos or trios. Or they pay way too low, sometimes not enough to pay even for gas... Anyway, great video! Love your content! Cheers!
I’m sorry to hear your scene doesn’t compensate in a fair way, I know the feeling (although not currently). Hope to hear of improvements in your situation soon!
I like when you said compact and concise. Very helpful for people playing live performances. I'd add reliable to that.
Exactly, and I agree, reliability is a given as well!
@@malonedrum Definitely. It's very tempting to buy the cheapest option (especially these days when times are hard) but sometimes that can come back to haunt you.
Awesome! Thanx for keeping the music alive ... 🥁 ^v^
Thanks for watching.
Great video. I recently did 2 Shows , 3 1 hour sets with 30 min breaks. Each. These were 2 hours away and the first day gig was in the Fl sun and heat outdoors. 80’s hair metal banging and swinging away ! Good payday but that was a rough one.
I usually gig with my double bass 7 piece kit with a Gibraltar rack. Everything goes in 2 cases with castors I built to fit perfectly in my truck. One for hardware and one for toms and snare. The kicks both go on top of the hardware case after it’s unloaded and set on the ground.
I’m guessing you don’t haul all of that in a Prius
@@malonedrum lol no
As a singer I’m a little more careful so the most I’ll do is 2 gigs a day. And I’m even not too fond of that. They are usually 3hrs or a little less each. Tbh, 5 a week is perfect for me 😎
One thing I learned very early on running a band and writing set lists, and planning gigs was how important it can be to keep your singer in decent shape.
Singing 4 hour gigs in the heat takes its toll really fast on vocalists.
I've definitely had days like this. Setting up cameras all day long definitely added to the work! Fun to watch through, thanks for sharing.
You know it! It certainly makes it 10x harder
LOVE!! The amount of context and explination but not making it to over barring. Will watch this multiple times just cause.
Watch away, get my views up!
Had 3 in a day once. 2 kits preset and 1 packed for the 1st job. Had 2 kits in the car after the 2nd job. Fortunately the 3rd job was a theater gig and didn't have to bring those drums home. One triple header was enough for me.
Yeah, having a house drum kit at just one gig can make a world of difference!
Few months ago i played 3 sets with 3 different original bands in 3 different bars (thankfully on the same strip of bars in town) then packed up and went over to a 4th bar to play a covers show of 4 more sets. all in all 7 sets over the space of about 9 hours and that includes setting up, tearing down and carrying all my bits through a mall full of people at a light jog to get set up and basically count the first song in the moment my cymbals hit the stands
I’m sure you made some good money that day!
Most I ever did was around 6, but they were short ones with a college show choir doing a nursing home tour for Christmas. Thankfully I only had a Yamaha DD-14 Digital Drum Machine and a snare stand so setup/teardown was quick.
I couldn’t imagine doing 6, and moving/hauling a full drum set every time. That sure seems to make it easier. And I’m guessing sort shows , under and hour each
So my buddy and I play country music and we travel out about 3-4 hours per gig, some weekends we will travel from one side of Ga to the East coast of Florida. Set ups take 40 minutes to 1 hour. We do get very tired when we travel 3-4 hours out and play 2 shows only to travel back for a next day show. Yes money is good and I sleep like a baby when I do get home.
Now that I'm not in my 20's I'm seeing these sort of days take at least two days to fully recover from.
I’ve done the multi gig days as front man guitarist/ sound/ lights. It’s a lot of work and a lot of fun! I’m 66 years old now and have slowed down a bit. Nice video brother!
Thanks!
The grind is real 💪🏽
Always!
I spent 10 years yraveling our country. I saw so much as a truck driver. But i chose to live in florida because i love the trpoic weather. I dont envoy anyone living in the cold. And snow. I grew up in connecticut hating the cold
As a somebody who grew up in Atlanta, and then moved to Wisconsin, I prefer four seasons as opposed to the extreme heat in the summer's in the south.
Hey cool Mike! Hi from another Wisconsin drummer. I saw my buddy Eric in thud. We gig, bit only now and then. I'm in Madison, but did play up in OSH last June at O'Marro's. I will sometimes pack an extra lunch incase it is hard to get food or unknown if food is included when going from work to a gig or gig to gig.
Thanks chiming in!
love the organization and shelving!
I'm a nut about organization.
The most I've ever had was two gigs in one day and both shows were 4 hours long with an hour's travel in between shows. I was beat by 1 am so I know you must have been more than ready to be home and rest up. Great video and thanks for taking us along!
I can’t remember if I’ve done double header 4 hour gigs, but I dread when I have to do a single 4 hour so I can only imagine.
I think this day was a 1 hr, 3 hr then 2.5 hour
Hi Mike. Just heard your episode on Working Drummer on a flight from Cyprus to Norway and had to look up your channel. Great to see your amazing work ethic and great content. Subbed and look forward to checking put more videos.
I’m glad to hear it. That was a blast to record and chat with Zack. I have a cool video I shot with him coming out in about a month.
Great system Mike! Logistically smooth and right on point!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to do more VLOG style videos in the future.
Solid video!! I am a drummer who plays drumset and African drums. I've had 3 gigs in one day several times. I am nowhere near as organized as YOU!!!
Organization is key to success!
Great to see Oshkosh! Awesome! Thank you!
Great city!
epic man!! loved the vid/ I relate to this heavily. especially during wedding/gala season. Only difference is I do it all on the subway here in New York! Thats where the 14" bass drum, piccolo snare, and DW6000 come into play (:
I'm lucky my situation doesn't require me to get that creative with 14" bass drums, but a fellow lover of the 6000 Ultra Light hardware here.
Brings back nightmares lol I don't think I've ever done 3 in a day, But 2 in a day was plenty for me. You seem to handle it very well and focus on the positives. I salute you. 🤣 Great video!!!
Thanks for checking it out Brandon, I've loved your content for a plenty of years now.
Your a drummer why do you bring a PA, lights? I’m a guitarist I’m in a few different bands and I just worry about my guitars,and amp, I’ve got a bag full of accessories, the bands I play with usually have everything setup by the time I get there usually about 20 minutes before start time, I’m not interested in hanging around, I want to get there do the gig and split!
@@joemasse4568 I’m a band leader, that happens to play drums. So there’s a lot more that goes into my job than just showing up with my instrument 20 min before, doing the gig and splitting. Nothing wrong with that, and I have people in groups I play who also live in that role, but it’s just not the situation I’ve chosen to put myself in.
WOW! Thank you so much for sharing this.
Thanks for watching!
Drummers life is not easy! Great to share us the hard drummer routine!
Respect the drummers!
That’s awesome, very proficient on your day. Thank you for sharing
Thanks for watching!
My worst, but the one that payed the bills, was the hottest, longest, most exhausting, also one of the most enjoyed all at the same time.
4th of July festival I used to do,
First few years it was 27 bands 2 stages, 10:00am-10:00 pm for 2 days, ending around 10:00pm with music synced fireworks.
Roughest 4 days of my life, as it was always hotter than Hades, set up sound systems day before, first morning finish setup of sound and lights, line check set up for first acts, multiple genre’s so every set was different, artists change about 1 hour with a 15 min switch.
So many pain in asses, but also so many professional and talented talented musician’s/artists, made it worth it.
Last few years it was cut to 1 stage and fewer and fewer acts, I retired from it last year.
Do what you love, with people you like.
Great day out, thanks for letting us join you!
Thanks for watching
You're an inspiration brother 💪🏼💪🏼
Appreciate it!
Definitely brings back memories from my college days. Multiple small drum kits. Setting up ahead of time for other gigs. 3 and 4 hits in a day.
The life!
This was very inspiring and educational as far as how many things there are to consider and take account of when gigging. You seem to be a true professional.
Appreciate it!
I don't know how I got to be viewing this video, but I really enjoyed it and sent me down a rabbit hole of property prices around where you live which was surprisingly cheap to me here in the UK. Thanks!
It's a nice place to live!
Here in Nashville, playing 2-3 gigs per day is very common. Most venues and studios have a backline situation though, so snare/cymbals/pedal are all you need and you can quickly go from one gig to the next. The real challenge is the mental acuity. The honky tonk gigs are a legit four hour straight train with no breaks. You may be able to go to the bathroom if someone does an acoustic tune.
Regardless, the best prep I’ve found for these days is to always be ready. That means I always have a set of cymbals and snare and a pedal in my car (and insured). I also frame my lifestyle around this. My sleep, diet, and exercise are all with a constant grind in mind. I can pull off a marathon day if needed because I prioritize sleep, eat clean, don’t drink, and do workouts specifically meant to counteract the I’ll effects of sitting and playing for long stretches. It’s not easy turning down free drinks and free meals, but it pays off in the long run!
I’d love to see you do a video like this specifically pertaining to Nashville Broadway scene.
I have friends who grind the same way, and it reminds me that I’m grateful those 4 hour (no breaks) gigs are not standard practice up here.
@@malonedrum I thought I replied so pardon if this is a duplicate! I did a triple yesterday and just tried to document the process on my IG in stories, and even that was like an extra job. Nashville is a very interesting place in regards to the music culture off and on broadway. I'm working on a few videos to highlight this. I'll post one soon this week and shoot it over!
@@malonedrumso I just documented a regular day on my iPhone and even that was nuts!
ruclips.net/video/pI0ADjPOB2w/видео.html
Hey it's the guy with all the quality posts on Reddit! Never knew you had a RUclips channel, glad I found it
I try not to be too obvious with directing the reddit crowd over to RUclips, but this is my real place!
Thoroughly enjoyed this! I will never again complain when having to haul my drums to a single gig again..lol.
You should still complain, I do
This video was helpful in terms of informations needed for the future. Thanks 🙏 for making this video.
Glad to hear it!
I played four gigs yesterday with four different bands in four different locations. That’s four gigs if you count my Sunday morning church gig.
Of course a church gig counts!
As busy as you are I'm surprised you don't have a trailer. I'm an active drummer and life got a lot easier when I bought a trailer several years ago. I built my 3rd and final utility case for the hardware, cables, mics and spare parts. Use the cart to move the drums.
I don’t think the Prius can haul a trailer, but in either case, I haven’t had issues using my vehicle to fit everything.
@@malonedrum Mines a 5 X 8 enough room with some left over.
I’ve just this minute discovered your channel. It popped up on my YT homepage. Thankyou for making this VLOG. It was inspiring, informative, interesting and motivating. From my experience, playing the music is the easy part. Dealing with people is the challenge !
Exactly! Thanks for jumping in the channel
In the 70's i was doing morning studio sessions ,a lunchtime gig, a 7 till 10 pm gig, followed by a 10.30 pm to 2.30 am gig, six days a weeks. I eventually became totally exhausted , which resulted in me falling asleep standing up, whilst doing backing vocals in some Doobies song. I kept this up for about 6 or 7 months before i hit the wall.
I can't even imagine.
@@malonedrum You know that mid 20's energy/madness of being in demand, in your area for the first time in your life. Not to mention , i had no allergy to money. Could never do it again.
@@malonedrum In the 80's, i had this residency that was 2 shows a day and one on saturday. That lasted 18 months, with no bumping gear in or out . What a contrast. I was also doing a late jazz gig during the week as well. That wasn't quite as strenuous haha. Today, i'd struggle with 2 nights a week .
@@RodneyMcMinge sounds like a dream in terms of hauling and setting up
3 gigs in 3 different bands shortly after I joined the band from the second gig and went on to play five nights a week for many years! Yes I quit my day job.
Nice!
I did a 3 gig in a day last month. The only difference here in the Philippines is we have a rented equipment supplier. I went to the gigs with snare and cymbal bag and some extra stuff. Traffic is crazy here so the solution is travel with a Motor Cycle. Nailed it !.
That would be cool if it were more present here, but unfortunately not the way it’s done in less urban areas in the US.
Excellent organization and planning, my man!
My advice to you is that no matter how tired you are, unload and secure your rig in the house. It only takes one ripoff to learn a hard life lesson.
All the best and happy gigging!
I’m sure if I’d ever dealt with that I’d act differently, but it’ll probably take something like that happening before I actually do.
@@malonedrum never forget that thieves can watch RUclips as well and you are essentially advertising that you leave stuff in your vehicle overnight. Stay safe!
@@leinonibishop9480 fair point
@@malonedrum you should also blur out your license plate my friend. Sucks you have to consider these things especially as you get more views. Good luck to you!
This is the first video of yours that I've seen and I gotta tip my hat thanks to your style of camera placing and continuity in the editing 👌I started drumming 5 days ago at the age of 37, so gigging is out of the window for me, but truly liked this video and I will be binging thru the rest 😁 Have an awesome day/ night!
Good luck on your drumming journey.
@@malonedrum thank you so much 😊
Fantastic video! I hope you are still movin’ and groovin’.
All the time! Summer 2023 is here now.
@@malonedrum Have fun, whoooo!!
Awesome Job!! Been there Done That! Have started using my Cocktail (Stand Up) Kit! Works Great for all Music but I must admit standing on 1 Leg all night can be interesting! You are doing it right! Thanks for posting! Rooster in Minnesota
I’ve never played a cocktail kit, but it certainly had a vibe to it.
Thank you for sharing 🙏.
Of course!
I heard the Pocket Kings a few years ago. They were incredible and inspiring.
Thanks for the kind words on the group!
I know what you are talking about you sometimes look back and go how did I do all that. The one thing I would probably do on top of what you already have would be purchase a Roland electric kit I have two and also my acoustic kit. The electric is absolutely amazing in smaller venues and you can actually have some fun and hit the kit. Anyway keep up the good work 👍🏻
I’m not a fan of electric drums on most of the style gigs I play, but I understand for some it’s a suitable and great option
This is really relaxing presentation ...
Thanks ...
Your welcome…
3 gigs in one day. Wow that would be too stressful. I'm a DJ and many years ago on multiple occasions did 2 gigs in a day. Looking back. I took a risk by doing that. Cause everything had to go to plan. You made it work.
That is a huge risk, but the ability to double your earning potential, or in this case triple, is a huge opportunity
I love that your dogs make an appearance 🥺❤️
*our dogs
I am not a drummer but play keys, I love the way you organised your day's events and has given me some ideas thanks i am now subscribing to your channel.
Appreciate it!
Great video Mike and so interesting. Reminded me of my playing days (guitar).
Great too that functions are using live bands and not discos ! Only observation was that you might be better to use a van for getting all your gear around. Safer too so nobody can see what’s inside. But just a remark and all really good. 🙋♂️👏👏🇬🇧
As much as I'd love a dedicated gigging vehicle, it's just not practical or economical in my situation, but I certainly respect your opinion and agree a van with less windows in the back would be great. I've been considering getting my windows tinted in the back lately for the same reason.
2 free gigs and a band practice in one day wrecks me for 2 weeks lol. Great Video.
Then I see all the smiling faces and people dancing and get up and do it again and again. Music is the best medicine for me.
It’s a labor of love
My craziest gigs were at The Lake of the Ozarks, always outdoor, we’d play 3 - 1 hour sets Saturday night and then 3- 1 hour sets Sunday afternoon, it was tuff watching boats coming into the marinas with bikini clad women that had been boozing all day, they always made their way back by me and my drum kit, good times !
Could you at least leave everything set up between sets, that would certainly making it a lot easier logistically.
Nope, venues were always about a mile from each other, a lot of work but a lot of fun
Great video. Love the behind the scenes look. Btw, your studio and gear room are niiiiice 😊
Thanks so much!
I have the same cart, and I've been using bags, but I love how you just put the drums on it. Would you do a video on how you pack your cart? Do you put any felt on the metal rails so it won't scratch your bass drum hoops?
I do not, but haven’t really had issues with that
I have 3-4 of these days during the summers here in DC. They are exhausting but lots of fun. Especially when the scheduling runs smoothly.
Agreed, the challenge element of it can be fun, and certainly the money the next day feels pretty great.
fantastic vlog type gig dad video. I plan on making one for have several triple days here in myrtle beach. going to be using some of you techniques such as time lapse and what not to paint my picture. subscribed
I’m owning the title of “gig dad” even though I’m not a dad.
@@malonedrum lol definitely meant to type gig day. 😂
This was really well done. Nice work. Thanks for posting.
Thanks!
love the way you store your congas
They fit perfectly!
Very interesting, thanks for filming this!
Of course!
2:00 Oshkosh...YEAH!!!
‘B Gosh