Playing with a last minute stand in band member

Jack-Flash-Jr

Our faithfull and absolutely swingingly awesome drummer, Dougie, had the worst kind of family tragedy on Friday (lost his dad suddenly and unexpectedly that afternoon)...
We couldn't find a stand in drummer at 2 hours notice before our Viper South gig but the venue had someone in Somerset West who was willing to come through to play. So he set up and we started playing 2 minutes later, no time even for a beer with him.
Maybe the (really) full house was really drunk and didn't notice the playing but they and the venue demanded a third set by which time the simulated sex on the dance floor had crept up Renesongs leg.
I was amazed at how quickly the drummer picked each song up (with signalled stops)... he did spend the night with his eyes glued to my right hand (there was no monitoring) but all in all it went very well. Better than I expected (we've sat in with other musos before but this was a paid gig, not a 2 am loose jam).
Anyway the venue wants us back in Dec and Dougie was back on board for a festival gig on Saturday, proving music is the best therapy for any life situation.

Squonk

Good Stuff, You can ignore my question in the other thread

nick

It is blues ? But well done regardless ?

singemonkey

I was really impressed that he made all the changes. Well pretty much all of them. And with just a few hints from the band. Swell guy too.

What he thought of renesongs being sexually molested up front I'm not quite sure, but he did tell us he had the time of his life ?

DonovanB

Well done, it always helps when the stand in has a 'conductor' to help.

Doesn't it make for a tough gig though?

singemonkey

Donovan Banks wrote: Well done, it always helps when the stand in has a 'conductor' to help.

Doesn't it make for a tough gig though?

I think we kinda over-compensated you know Don? I think renesongs and I were so conscious of the difficult situation that we pulled out the stops - and the venue seemed to get a huge kick out of it.

Keira-WitherKay

well you guys can be thankfull the stand in was a drummer.......... as most good ones can play unrehearsed and make it work........ since they needn't worry about keys ........

and as you guys did do.......hand signals and "looks and nods " can orchestrate a performance very well

however if it had been one of the guitarists or bassist in your band it woud have been more "hairy" (and thats no pun on singe's sideburns ? )

but well done guys ....thats top class .........as we all know the show must go on .............

DonovanB

singemonkey wrote: I think we kinda over-compensated you know Don? I think renesongs and I were so conscious of the difficult situation that we pulled out the stops - and the venue seemed to get a huge kick out of it.

So you raised your game somewhat... Its a bit of a rush afterwards but not something you'd like to do a lot of?

I always had to contend with a stand-in band member, it got annoying. Especially when the stand in singer gave me no warning and shouted, "SOLO" during a song I had never heard before and was winging it. crazy days...