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Cafe Drummonds


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Guest Gladstone
We got paid in beer by the Lemon Tree for the Errors gig. I don't think it's a good thing however when you consider the price of drink that venues can get it for, and what they charge for it;for me this is kind of a cop out on the venues part. I'd much rather get some cash to put towards recording or gear etc

Totally agree. Some beer as a rider on top of a fee is good. But payment in beer is bad.

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Got an awesome amount of drink when we played RGU, but I worked there at the time=recycled tokens.

I haven't played Drummonds since 2007, but we always got well treated there, and had some great jam-packed nights there. That was when Eric owned it, but Hen was there in '04 when we 1st played there, and, for certain, he runs 'tings in the right spirit, so I couldn't ever knock the place with those sorts of dudes in charge. Do they still have that crappy Laney hybrid amp though, its nae great.

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House drum kits suffer the same fate as the kits in practice spaces, regardless of how good the kit may be in terms of manufacturer and quality - ignorant fucknuggets who don't seem to understand how threaded components work tighten everything excessively and strip the threads, so making it impossible to adjust the hardware to your personal needs. Several occasions I have had to borrow tape from the sound guy to wrap around a stand to get it at the required height. Worst one for me is the throne, I've had to play on the plastic chairs in Tunnels before which wasn't easy.

I realise that it's my own problem for making the decision to use the house kit rather than transport my own to gigs, that's just a hassle I can't be doing with, but The Moorings kit has never ever had any issues in my experience, I really can't see it being outwith a realistic expectation for any venue to spend relatively small amounts on keeping the equipment in useable order but I guess they get away with it so take little interest if the cash is flowing. I think Flash and his staff have a particularly personal involvement and interest in making The Moorings a good experience in as many ways as they can realistically achieve, including being interested in the condition of the equipment they have supplied.

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House drum kits suffer the same fate as the kits in practice spaces, regardless of how good the kit may be in terms of manufacturer and quality - ignorant fucknuggets who don't seem to understand how threaded components work tighten everything excessively and strip the threads, so making it impossible to adjust the hardware to your personal needs. Several occasions I have had to borrow tape from the sound guy to wrap around a stand to get it at the required height. Worst one for me is the throne, I've had to play on the plastic chairs in Tunnels before which wasn't easy.

I realise that it's my own problem for making the decision to use the house kit rather than transport my own to gigs, that's just a hassle I can't be doing with, but The Moorings kit has never ever had any issues in my experience, I really can't see it being outwith a realistic expectation for any venue to spend relatively small amounts on keeping the equipment in useable order but I guess they get away with it so take little interest if the cash is flowing. I think Flash and his staff have a particularly personal involvement and interest in making The Moorings a good experience in as many ways as they can realistically achieve, including being interested in the condition of the equipment they have supplied.

I can't imagine many sound engineers or the other bands on the bill would be happy if you did turn up with your own kit!

I share your pain regarding trying to adjust drums and hardware. If I didn't walk to most gigs I'd take my own stool, snare stand and cymbal stands but I usually just make do with what is there.

I remember the first time I played the Moorings and Flash was setting up my cymbal stand going "is that the right height? Higher? Lower?" and adjusting it by millimetres. I thought I'd made it that night. As it turned out I hadn't but it was still a nice surprise. It is better run than other venues with the staff taking more care over bands, equipment and sound although as someone pointed out they are only doing it 1-2 nights a week compared to every night.

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Hunners of promoters/venues will get at least some form of basic rider. If you want the whole shebang, fruit, hot food, beer, spirits, waters, juices well you'll just to wait till you're a bigger draw.

For most of my 'bigger shows' (basically shows that arn't free and have guarantees involved) the headline act gets fed and there will be a crate of beers. Or sometimes i just buy a couple of crates and tell all the bands to help themselves throughout the night. Just depends on the show.

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I can't imagine many sound engineers or the other bands on the bill would be happy if you did turn up with your own kit!

At one of Dedalus' last gigs we supported some band from Fife at The Tunnels who had their own kit, they took an absolute age to soundcheck and the drummer had said I could use his kit, however when we were soundchecking (for all of the 5 minutes we managed to get) he came up and said if I was going to hit his newly fitted skins so hard I couldn't use it after all! Jenni said absolutely no to setting up the house kit so we had to compromise by using the house rack and floor toms and I just used his kick and hardware. Luckily the house toms fitted his hardware OK....

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At one of Dedalus' last gigs we supported some band from Fife at The Tunnels who had their own kit, they took an absolute age to soundcheck and the drummer had said I could use his kit, however when we were soundchecking (for all of the 5 minutes we managed to get) he came up and said if I was going to hit his newly fitted skins so hard I couldn't use it after all! Jenni said absolutely no to setting up the house kit so we had to compromise by using the house rack and floor toms and I just used his kick and hardware. Luckily the house toms fitted his hardware OK....

Is there anything worse?

Happened to us with Beatnic Prestige from Dunfermline........ who turned up late for soundcheck. Took an age to soundcheck. Agreed to let us (and the opening act) use their kit seeing how they'd taken so long and noone had any time now to soundcheck themselves or set up all the house gear again.

5 mins after the doors opened they started throwing a hissy fit, something to do with not getting money upfront as I recall, and saying none of the other bands on the bill could use their kit.

Happy days.

Bit off-topic really there........

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Guest Gladstone

Another slightly off topic drum kit post. We took part in the Wizard 2008 Battle of the Bands at Tunnels. In our heat, the wonderful Estrella had their own drum kit - to a battle of the bands! They played in the middle of about 6/7/8 bands or something, and spent fucking ages taking the house kit down, putting their own one back up, line checking it etc. then all that shit had to happen after they came off stage.

If I had anything to do with the heats, I would have just told them to get to fuck.

Incidentally, they won the heat and got through to the final. BUT, we got to play at the festival and they didnae. Likewise with Headlight (I think?) and Velvet Audio who were also on our heat. That will learn you for taking your drum kit to a battle of the bands.

(Disclaimer: I hate battle of the bands too, and we've only ever entered two of the stupid things, and never would again.)

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Another slightly off topic drum kit post. We took part in the Wizard 2008 Battle of the Bands at Tunnels. In our heat, the wonderful Estrella had their own drum kit - to a battle of the bands! They played in the middle of about 6/7/8 bands or something, and spent fucking ages taking the house kit down, putting their own one back up, line checking it etc. then all that shit had to happen after they came off stage.

If I had anything to do with the heats, I would have just told them to get to fuck.

Incidentally, they won the heat and got through to the final. BUT, we got to play at the festival and they didnae. Likewise with Headlight (I think?) and Velvet Audio who were also on our heat. That will learn you for taking your drum kit to a battle of the bands.

(Disclaimer: I hate battle of the bands too, and we've only ever entered two of the stupid things, and never would again.)

What? You mean you won't be entering another at O'Neills?!?

Quote of the night from the sound engineer that night:-

"I've made this sound like Wembley for you guys"

o_Oo_O

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An old band of mine actually won a BotB in Drummonds c. 2002 and were presented with 500 in cash (we had to share the 1K prize money with (Lady) Mercedes to avoid a riot). I think we were meant to get some free studio time too but that wasn't forthcoming. Oh, what could have been.

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Another slightly off topic drum kit post.

And another. Supporting a band called Darkwater in some place or other. A completely unlikely pairing of bands, pseudo-heavy rock/metal type thing vs a pyschedelic/shoegaze type thing.

Anyway, setting up the gear, as you do and trying to avoid the multi-layered behemoth that is Darkwater's drumkit, their drummer goes to ours: "Don't touch my kit; its my touring kit".

Fucking plank.

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And another. Supporting a band called Darkwater in some place or other. A completely unlikely pairing of bands, pseudo-heavy rock/metal type thing vs a pyschedelic/shoegaze type thing.

Anyway, setting up the gear, as you do and trying to avoid the multi-layered behemoth that is Darkwater's drumkit, their drummer goes to ours: "Don't touch my kit; its my touring kit".

Fucking plank.

hahahaha

drummers are arseholes though

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I heard it was re-opening. It was disgusting inside. Flash should buy it and make it into a Moorings 2 or something.

Did you have so much rep that you got upgraded to staff haha.

I think it's going to become part of the redevelopment at the back of The Douglas Hotel/Oh Hendrys.

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There's not been too much harsh criticism of Drummonds on here which I'm pleased to see, but I have noticed over the past couple of years that Drummonds and Tunnels has came in for a fair bit of criticism from folks in bands in Aberdeen.

And to be fair, I have dished out some criticism in the past too. But, on reflection, I think Drummonds and Tunnels should be fucking applauded and cherished by local bands.

It can't be an easy job for them keeping up with the sheer volume of bands they go through, and they are willing to give almost anyone a gig.

How many gigs have you played in Aberdeen? How many have not been at Drummonds or Tunnels? I reckon out of all the gigs we've played in Aberdeen we've played about 10 at the most that haven't been at either of those two. I'll count it out - 1 @ Kef, 2 @ Lemon Tree, 2 @ Snafu, 5 (that I can remember) @ Moshulu. Yup, 10. I don't know how many gigs we've played in Aberdeen but it's certainly a LOT more than that.

Hen is always keen to give local bands a gig, and there are plenty of touring bands come through the doors at both venues as well.

Yes, the places will have their flaws, but they're a million times better than Kef used to be for example (in terms of never being able to get hold of Paul, the disorganisation etc - the actual venue itself was brilliant), and well, they are the only 2 venues of that size that put bands on every night of the week.

Snafu is a magic venue, but local bands really need to either hire the venue, or get on a Black Tooth or DHC night. I've not been to Moorings yet, but I hear it's ace - but you only get live bands on a Saturday night, and they're booked up to fuck!!

Just thought I'd pitch in and stick up for the buggers.

Yes. I agree.

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Fuckin' brill. I would happily be paid in beer. Imagine if a venue gave you free drinks from the bar all night for playing, how much of a rockstar would you feel?

"oh i won't be paying... I'm in the band":band:

I wouldn't be happy with that at all. I like money, because then it's my choice whether I want to pish it up against a wall.

To answer the question about a rider, some venues give you a rider without you requesting one, but most don't. If beer is an important concern for you Moorings give bands a discount on their bar prices and an open mic night will often win you a free beer or two.

Any touring band that has an agent will almost always factor in some level of rider into the agreement for them playing.

This is exactly it. Those bands get a rider because it's in their contract. When I ran some gigs for Jamesy I would be amazed at some of the bands requests, asking for particular types of crisps or sweets with the words "NOT GENERIC BRAND NAME EQUIVALENT" written afterwards. That would always fuck me off, especially when it was some weird fucking thing you could only get in a health food shop somewhere or something they only sell in the states.

One band had a request "A selection of 20 or more freshly made sandwiches with 5 (but not more) containing non-meat fillings".

I remember making boiled ham sandwiches in The Tunnels thinking, "What the fuck is this all about?"

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Guest Gladstone

This is exactly it. Those bands get a rider because it's in their contract. When I ran some gigs for Jamesy I would be amazed at some of the bands requests, asking for particular types of crisps or sweets with the words "NOT GENERIC BRAND NAME EQUIVALENT" written afterwards. That would always fuck me off, especially when it was some weird fucking thing you could only get in a health food shop somewhere or something they only sell in the states.

One band had a request "A selection of 20 or more freshly made sandwiches with 5 (but not more) containing non-meat fillings".

I remember making boiled ham sandwiches in The Tunnels thinking, "What the fuck is this all about?"

I think some agents are just taking the piss to see how far a promoter will go. When I booked Roddy Woomble last year - i.e. just one man - the agent pumped a rider at me that was fucking ridiculous. A few select funcy beers, some funcy coffee, funcy teabags and shit like that, plus shitloads of snack type foods, a fresh towel, and heaps of bottles of water. I just made the executive decision to put a few beers in tea and coffee (ordinary) making facilities, and deal with any shit that might come my way.

He was barely even in his dressing room, and I'm guessing he couldn't give a fuck what kind of coffee was in there, and had no idea that the agent had requested it.

Nowt was ever said.

I don't disagree with a rider, but just asking for stuff for the hell of it, and heaps of it as well that's totally unnecessary is just taking the piss - especially when I was already paying him far too much in a fee!

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Guest idol_wild
I would be happy with a few beers, but i'm still young and not really fussed about money, getting anything at all for playing a gig sounds awesome to me.

I think this is a pretty good post. It's probably the right attitude to adopt when you start out for the first time. Play for the fun, and play to improve.

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