Hi y'all.

1:07 a.m. Just home from playing a pub gig. I was still playing the encore at 00:05!

It always amazes how long it takes to set up and how quick we tear down.

I reckon an hour and a half to set up and less than 40minutes to pack up after.

Is this typical?

Ours is a fairly simple setup - 5 vocal mics, powered mixer, 2 front monitors + separate monitor for drummer. Combos for backline (2 guitars & bass). Un-miked drums except for kick drum mic.

Of course I make my bit more complicated with 2 guitars, ME50 and Roland guitar synth....

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Personaly I take the 'Brass Section Method' of packing away. Give the guitar a wipe. Unplug my board and amp. Wrap leads, throw em in the back of the amp. Put the lid on the board. Put the guitar in the case. Out the door, in the car. Let everyone else worry about their gear.
About fifteen minutes.

You're very quick for the amount of gear you're carrying though.

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No no and no

That would be fine if we had roadies for the PA!!

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You gotta act like a brass player mate. Trumpet in the case, walk out the door.

Nah in seriousness my old band had it down to a fine art. Stripped in 15, checked back into boxes/cartons in another 5. Everyone responsible for their gear. Load out nearest the door items first (so we got good at placement too). 4 people carry out, then one stays at the van whilst three go back for more. When they return the watcher goes in for gear.
About half hour all in all.

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No no and no

buy yourserlf a break down dolly. gettin in and gettin out is much quicker.
plus you carry more per load. always have 1 man guarding the gear inside and 1 outside.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

This is where you start to realize just what gear is essential to play the gig. Learning the Max from the minimum. I played drums in my last band, I'd move them sidestage and have the 4 piece set broke down and cased up in less than 10 min. Including all stands, cymbals and what not. Never lost any gear. we had to make room for the next band. PA belonged to the house usually, but if we were using our own, It took a little longer bit everyone pitched in on mike stands, snake, monitors etc. Like Niki said , it was every man for himself when packing up your own gear. I learned to get it done quickly, so I could get up to the bar, get something to drink and checkout the next act. Great times.....

I made up just a simple dolly for putting heavier gear on and it help speed up our set ups and break downs emensely.We could have the whole 4 piece band set up with P.A. and monitors,keyboards-the whole issue and soundcheck in about an hour and tear down and out the door in 40-45min.

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It depends on whether or not we have to bring our own PA. Usually we don't and we can be set up or torn down in about 10-15 minutes (if we're in a hurry). Having to set up the PA and speakers at least doubles the time. But overall we're used to playing quick sets with little or no time to sound check, so we've learned to be quick.

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Depends upon the venue and what how much gear we pack. Also on how elaborate of a rig I bring. Forty-five minutes to an hour for all of us -- myself, I can usually be ready to rumble in twenty or thirty minutes. Five or ten minutes less for teardown and pack-out.

Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

A friend of mine asked me to use my van to help take all the gear for his 11 piece soul band to and from gigs. I was quite happy to and the first time I went and picked up all the gear from the lock up it was all nicely organised and well packed and I thought,'Now there is an organised band!'

When I went back with the van about 1.30am I couldn't believe it!!! The guy who hired me - he's the drummer - had been left by the rest of the band with all the gear just lying on stage!! I said to him that he needed to tell the band that, although I was happy to drive the van, I had not been hired to be roadie and they should know next time to pack up their own gear. To my utter astonishment he said this is what they always did!!!!!! He was left to do everything....I mean even putting the instruments in their cases!!!!!

SO, I'm with niki.....just take care of your own stuff cos some guys will take the p*&s and leave it all to those who are willing.

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

yeah they would have had on heluva suprise when they woke up the next morning and all their gear was still back at the ranch too. screw that, i dont clean up after anybody like that. everybody is the star except the friend it sounds like.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Everyone share the work in my band. There's personal stuff - you take care of that yourself, no question (DON'T TOUCH MY GUITAR!!) - but then there's "band stuff". Basically Mics, PA & Foldback. Shared stuff. And we don't have a van... or a lock-up. We share out the gear around several cars and it's understood that one person looks after PA, another takes monitors etc.. But we've been playing together on and off for decades, so we're maybe not typical!




PS: I'm with WCJ.. if you left your gear on the stage and left, that's where you'll find it! I'm not your mom.

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they are lucky it wasnt me, i might have misunderstood and thought they hired not only my van but my relic services as well.
your friend the drummer has a good heart. be damned if i would do it i tell ya that.
you take care of yours, i'll take care of mine and we will do the rest.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Everyone packs their own gear,then helps load or unload as needed, except the singers. They run like rats out of a burning building .

Lots of variables but on the average about an hour.

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