Rules for Bands

[Flash@TMB]

The purpose of this information is to ensure that gigs are rewarding for bands, their fans, The Moorings Bar, and our customers.

We host gigs because we love live music. However the extra costs involved in doing so more than chew up any increase in sales, something that is probably true for most venues. Please appreciate that we are effectively working for free, and would appreciate a reasonably smooth ride

Instruments & Equipment

All the larger pieces of equipment should be delivered to the bar no later than 7.30pm. Bands should unload all their instruments and equipment into our cellar on arrival, until such time it is required on stage. Bands do not get access the stage until the sound engineer is ready for them. All equipment should be removed from stage between bands and returned to the cellar, otherwise the stage becomes crowded, and equipment may be damaged or go missing.

The house has instuments available in case of any malfunctions including broken strings. Please take time to tune a house guitar in advance, so that it is ready should you break a string mid-performance. We will change broken strings during your performance and (try to) retune your guitar accordingly.

Performance Times

Bands are typically allocated a 1 hour slot that is inclusive of all setup and pack away time. There is no requirement for a soundcheck but we do perform a quick line & level check just prior to each performance. The exception is where the band has an item of equipment that's likely to prove problematic - under those circumstances please contact us in advance to discuss. Performances usually start between 8pm and 9pm depending on the number of bands. Live music must cease by 0045am, and power to the stage is cut at 0100.

Backline

Bands are urged to contact me in advance in order to discuss the rest of their backline requirements, OTHERWISE THE FOLLOWING DEFAULTS WILL APPLY:

Bands are expected to use the house engineer, basic drum kit, Marshall 4x12" angle cabs which are hard wired through Marshall Powerbrakes, and the Ampeg bass amp head and 8x10" cab. If there is a reason for using your own bass head, then please contact me to discuss this in advance of the gig. Please contact me, no later than 1 week in advance, should any of this present a problem.

Swapping elements of the backline between performances reduces the actual time available for performing.

Drums

The house kit is maintained in good working order, regularily treated to new skins, and benefits from a weekly tune up. Every gig we further refine how the house it's sound is processed through our PA so we tend to get a better sound from the house kit. It is a 5 piece, but can be reduced to whatever size is requried. We have a selection of 10", 12", 14", and 16" toms. Most hardware is a mixture of Pearl and Tama.

The house drumkit includes stool, double kick pedal, snare, cymbals, hats... pretty much everything. You are welcome to use all those components. Most drummers take along their own hats, cymbals and additional cymbals (+stands). We reserve the right to veto the use of any hats/cymbals that are cracked, worn out, or of exceptionally poor quality. We anticipate that most drummers will want to take along their own snare drum.

Bass

The bass is direct injected into the mixing desk and where possible blended with a feed from the AKG D112 bass cab mic. This house amp is an Ampeg SVT2Pro which is 400W with with a 4x10"cab. It sports both valve preamp and output stages. Bass can also be heard and felt through the floor of the stage as this is sited over the FOH bass bins. The bass sound will also be directed through the sub woofer of the drum monitor since the drummer is sighted slightly behind the bass amp. This also helps transmit bass to the far side of the stage.

Guitars

The house has three Marshall Powerbrakes which are utilised to drive the valves at the appropriate level whilst keeping the volume under control.

Each speaker cab is mic'd up in order to drive the sound to the rear of the room via the PA system. The PA offers perfect sound reproduction.

We will not entertain the use of a malfunctioning amp or speaker. Our goal is to provide optimum sound quality regardless of badge engineering/brand/product placement considerations. We get the blame when it doesn't sound right, so we must insist that everything works!

The guitars are routed through all monitors.

The house has two Marshall 4x12" angle cabs, a Marshall DSL 100W valve head (2 channels), an Engel Powerball 100W valve head (4 channels), a Hiwatt 100W valve head (2 channels plus blended channel), a Mesa Boogie V-Twin valve preamp pedal, and an emergency Marshall 1x12" 100W Combo.

Keyboards

We will usually direct inject any keyboard and route them to all monitors.

Other Instruments

Accoustic instruments should be preconfigured for amplification. This usually necessitates a suitable mic, coil pickup, feedback destroyer, or cap. This is especially ture of banjos (AKA the microphone with strings) and mandolins. We have a Fishmann accoustic preamp and pickup that can be used to on various accoustic instruments.

Bagpipes, harmonicas and horns rarely present any problems, whistles are usually OK. We can also route these through amps and speakers should that be required.

It may be necessary to soundcheck certain instruments in advance, so please contact us beforehand to arrange this.

Vocals

The house mics are EQ'd into the vocal monitors. For the best results all the house mics are of the same type. There is a choice of SM57 or SM58s. The use of alternative mics are discouraged as this is likely to lower the threshold at which feedback occurs. The mic leads reach for 10m, and it is permissable for the vocals to be performed out in front of the stage because the mics will not feedback. A Shure radio mic will also work fine.

We will endeavor to patch vocal FX throught the monitors.

Everyone

Please resist the temptation to play your instument when the sound engineers head is next to the speaker or drum involved as this will only make him deaf and impact badly on the sound of your performance. <--- not a joke!

On a serious note it IS worth contacting me in advance to discuss your specific requirements. This post is only a set of standard guidelines - we are prepared to be flexible... consider this the going in position

Let us know how you want to sound and we'll do our best to match it.

If you consider these guidelines to be unreasonable, then that would indicate that The Moorings Bar is not a suitable venue for your band to play.

Comments

Any comments or advice are welcome, this post is regularily revised as people suggest alternative approaches.

[The Ghost Of Fudge]

Searching and adding "FUDGE ABERDEEN" on Facebook will link you to our promoter and entertainment guru, Fudge. He'll send you event invites (two per week) for the gigs taking place at the Moorings Bar. He'll also randomly post videos of bands coming up soon and all that sort of thing on his wall. Most of this will be done around 3am, when he's peaking.

************************************************** *********************

BANDS: Here's the deal!

Fudge Aberdeen book all the gigs at the Moorings Bar. Gigs take place on Fridays and Saturdays (usually TWO bands each night). Fudge don't currently host gigs on any other night, and neither do the Moorings Bar. There is NO scope to discuss this, unless you're famous.

If you want to be considered for a booking, please message 'Fudge Aberdeen' on Facebook - REMEMBERING TO INCLUDE A LINK TO SOME SOME RECENT MUSICAL RECORDINGS OF YOUR BAND, or I won't be impressed.

If you play you'll get free bunk-bed accomodation upstairs AFTER THE GIG (if you're from out-of-town - and please note no entourage will be tolerated), and some lovely juicy money at the end of the night. You'll probably also get some banter from some very drunk people - most of them are entirely harmless. Just smile and nod.

Important points (NOT up for discussion) are: (A) we DON'T do soundchecks, you'll get a linecheck before you go on, (B) you MUST use our well-maintained basic Pearl Maple house kit (take your snare, kick pedal and cymbals), and © you MUST use our house bass-amp (400w Ampeg valve amp, so don't worry). Guitarists, we have some Marshall cabs and heads for you to use if you want, although you can bring your own head, or amp, if you want to.

We'd love you to have all your equipment in the bar by 8pm. A set length of between 30 and 45 minutes would be fabulous. But play an encore if you get one by all means. First band (probably local support) onstage 9pm, second band (probably a touring band) at 10pm. Live music must finish by eleven, but we've got DJs and a varied selection of quality booze til 3am. Hurrah.

[The Ghost Of Fudge]

slightly re-jigged terms and conditions for the Moorings Bar:

BANDS: Here's the deal!

(By accepting a show at the Moorings Bar through Fudge Aberdeen you accept these terms and conditions - please note that the bar is STRICTLY 18+, and this includes all musicians).

Fudge Aberdeen book all the gigs at the Moorings Bar. Gigs take place on Fridays and Saturdays (usually TWO bands each night). Fudge don't currently host gigs on any other night, and neither do the Moorings Bar. There is NO scope to discuss this (unless you're famous).

If you want to be considered for a booking, please 'add' and message 'Fudge Aberdeen' on Facebook - REMEMBERING TO INCLUDE A LINK TO SOME SOME RECENT MUSICAL RECORDINGS OF YOUR BAND, or I won't be impressed.

You'll get free bunk-bed accomodation upstairs AFTER THE GIG (if you're from out-of-town, and please note no entourage will be tolerated), and some lovely juicy cash at the end of the night.

Important points (NOT up for discussion) are:

(A) we DON'T do soundchecks, you'll get a linecheck before you go on,

(B) you MUST use our well-maintained basic Pearl Maple house kit (take your snare, kick pedal and cymbals - if you have a left-handed drummer, please let us know in advance), and © you MUST use our house bass-amp (400w Ampeg valve amp, 8x10, so don't worry). Guitarists, we have some Marshall cabs and heads for you to use if you want, although you can bring your own amp, if you want to.

We'd love you to have all your equipment in the bar by 8pm. A set length of between 30 and 45 minutes would be fabulous. But play an encore if you get one by all means. First band (probably local support) onstage 9pm, second band (probably a touring band) at 10pm. Live music must finish by eleven, but we've got DJs and a varied selection of quality booze til 3am. Hurrah. Gear must be off the stage within 30 minutes, or you'll have to wait 'til 3am to get at it because of the dancefloor.

LOCAL BANDS: we'd also ask you NOT to play in Aberdeen for a week either side of your Moorings date (on the basis that the booking-jam means you won't be back for months anyway, so you might as well make a night of it). Failure to comply will result in your fee being reduced.

The bar is offered literally dozens of touring bands every day. For what amounts to two slots a week. But if you think you're good enough, give us a shout! You might get lucky.

Thanks for reading.

P.S. Stop leaving all your equipment behind!