Gig Gab - The Working Musician's Podcast

Working with different sound teams can always be a struggle, even when they’re the best in the business. How do you communicate with them? How do you know they’re listening? How do you convey your point without being annoying? These are just some of the questions that come up as Paul and Dave talk through their more recent gigs. Then it’s on to setups and getting your band — and...

Have you ever stopped to think about how “the crowd” perceives your band’s image vs. how you perceive yourselves? It’s an interesting exercise, and sometimes it’s thrust upon you. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through their experiences with this. Dave had to dig into the backup-bin while his IEMs were in the shop, and had an interesting revelation about just what can w...

Let’s go back five years together, shall we? Gig Gab was just a year old, and we all were just finding our footing here together. We had the pleasure of having Jan Hammer join us for a conversation in Gig Gab 68 , and with both Paul and Dave out for a two week stretch, we figured this was a perfect time to revisit that interview, certainly our most downloaded episode ever. From his start in...

One of the reasons we all take the stage is in search of those moments where the band is just firing on all cylinders and the energy is flowing perfectly. At least that’s what Paul tells Dave this week, and Dave agrees! Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk about the components of a “perfect” gig, then listen as they explore topics of theater as it relates to rock-and...

Being a performer often means you get to be an invisible spectator… of the crowd who is watching you! Listen as Paul and Dave share some stories (new and old!) about what they’ve watched people do from the Working Musicians’ side of the fourth wall. Then it’s time to negotiate. How do you ask for money? How do you know why someone said, “no”? Listen as your two...

There’s always at least a bit of a gamble in taking the stage. More often it comes up pretty standard, sometimes you get the Stage of Dread, but occasionally … every now and then … things are just perfect. Despite being a country apart, your two favorite weekend warriors each experienced that perfect stage with great sound this weekend, and they share their stories. That’s...

Your favorite weekend warriors had a revelation: It’s easy to have a lot of microphones! Listen as Paul and Dave answer your questions about gear, including in-ears, mixers, and PA speakers (the microphones were their idea!). Also on the docket: the sacred space that is band rehearsal. Listen, learn, and enjoy. Oh, and send in your feedback, too! feedback@giggabpodcast.com is where you wanna...

Music connects us all, but how do you define the connection between you and your audience? You and your bandmates? Listen as Paul and Dave discuss, dissect, and even debate a few aspects of all this. Press play, enjoy, and please remember: always be performing! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 310 – Wednesday, June 30, 2021 00:02:34 Bitter Pill — There’s something happening here 00:14:13 Paul – Three Gig We...

What’s the definition of the perfect gig? Would you know it if you played it? If so, how will that impact the next gig? Listen as Dave and Paul talk through their recent performances and relate them to what the future will look like. Just remember, folks, even when you’re making it up as you go, you can still always be performing! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 309 – Tuesday, June 22, 2021 00:...

Remember all the great gigs you’ve played? Guess what… your next gig could be one of those! Your favorite weekend warriors talk about creating those new memories by fueling your tank with the old ones. Dave watched “What Drives Us”, Paul saw Springsteen in the Killers’ new video, they’ve both been experimenting with Facebook to promote things, and they share the...

Gigs are coming back, for sure, but as what? Has your scene changed as a result of the pandemic reset? Are the same bands still out there doing there thing? Are new bands emerging? Listen as Paul and Dave talk through all this and more. Plus, Dave played a basement gig and Paul’s considering songwriting. Press play, enjoy, and always be performing! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 307 – Tuesday, June...

When can you buy off-brand gear and still get the quality you need without breaking the bank? Paul and Dave talk about a few experiments they’ve recently performed and their results with not-the-name-brand stuff. Paul added a little Frank to his set recently, and it opens up a conversation about how to approach collaboration, in general. As Paul says, “a band is an exercise in compromi...

Brian Geller, singer with Van Halen tribute The Atomic Punks (oh, and with a day job at Ultimate Ears) joins the show today to talk in-ears, tribute bands, and oh so much more. Listen as Brian shares his tips with Paul and Dave about getting a good in-ear mix, selecting the right in-ears, how to keep your voice strong throughout a gig and more. Your three  favorite weekend warriors really have a l...

What is a Wedding Band? While there are many answers to this question, there is one which takes precedence over all others. Do you know which that is? Listen as Paul and Dave chat through this interesting topic, including hearing them share a lot of your thoughts about the transition from club band to wedding band. In addition, of course, your two favorite weekend warriors love gear, and they&#821...

As we’re getting back to playing gigs again, we might’ve been practicing our instruments through pandemic, but most of us haven’t been practicing setting up and tearing down for gigs. It stands to reason that those first couple of gigs out might have some logistical rough edges! With that in mind, do you have a gig-packing checklist? If so, what’s on it? If not… what...

Gigs are slowly starting to happen again, so Paul brings the question: what songs are the best songs for your band to be playing? Listen as he and Dave talk through this and decide what it means to be unique. One thing’s for sure: they don’t have a unique definition of this concept! That’s not all, though. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk about leveraging your eg...

Gigs are on the schedule, rehearsals are happening, and there’s music to be played by your two favorite weekend warriors. Still, coming out of all this pandemicking will not necessarily be any easier than getting into it, at least not for Dave. Listen as he and Paul talk through what this will be like…and how to get there. Then it turn out the guys have some axe-grinding to do about yo...

New beginnings are in the air! Dave and Paul have gigs booked, Dave saw live music indoors, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Your two favorite weekend warriors even took this special day to enjoy a little detour chatting about R.E.M. Press play and enjoy, friends. And remember: always be performing! 00:00:00 Gig Gab 300 – Monday, April 19, 2021 00:03:44 Gigging in the new scene...

David Jameson joins the show today to share his stories about playing in some of the top tribute bands in the country. Touring the world with Trey Gunn, Jerry Marotta, and more, David’s stories are both interesting and enlightening. You never know where a chance encounter is going to lead until you go there, and David’s life is full of many such tales! David is also one of the partners...

Certainly your show on stage is a reflection of your band’s brand, and so are your actions on social media. What about your fans on social media, though? They can also define who you are. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors go through all this and more. Then Dave takes Paul (and all the rest of you!) through a few music-focused movies he saw “at” SXSW earlier this month....

Alliteration is fun, but playing music is even funner. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through some recent rehearsals, gigs, streaming projects, and more. Politics even comes up in a conversation about SXSW…but probably not the way you think. You’ll just have to listen and see! Press play and join your two favorite weekend warriors for this week’s music-obsessed journey! 00:00:00 Gi...

It’s time to talk In-Ears, and it’s time to bring in the Big Guns. Dan East, The Mix Doctor, joins Paul and Dave today to discuss specific solutions to all your in-ear monitoring problems. Listen as Dan shares his tips and wisdom for Audio Tetris, starting with the bigger shirt, haystacking EQ, hearing fatigue and more…all in the interest of achieving “the face”. Pres...

What’s it going to take for you and your bandmates to all agree it’s safe to take the stage together again? What’s that first gig look like? What about the first rehearsal? What about the plan for it all? This is what Paul and Dave chew on together today, and you’re invited along for the ride. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors talk about when that next weekend wi...

Do you play covers? Do you play originals? Is one right or wrong? These questions seem to come up over and over again, so Paul and Dave share their views from their very different backgrounds. Listen as your two favorite weekend warriors hash through this and more…and let’s see where they end up! No Gig Gab is complete without Gear Gab, though, and the guys talk about their initial exp...

What does it mean to “be in a band”? What does it mean to “have a band”? These things have different meanings for each of us, and there’s no incorrect answer here. Dave’s spent some time on Jamkazam, playing and grooving with people all over the world. He’s got some tips to share, and some realities to share, too. Listen as Paul and Dave talk through all o...