You have a lot invested in your music. Beyond the monetary expense of buying the gear, think about the time you have invested in learning your instrument and rehearsing all the material — not to mention the social skills developed by playing in a group and getting the gig in the first place. It’s a big deal!
That said, let’s not let mundane details get in the way of your success. Before you take the stage, here’s a list of 10 things to bring to every gig, so you can give your best performance.
A Note About Gear and Backups
If you were going to sign up to mow my lawn, I would expect you to have a working lawnmower and a backup if it did not start. Your bandmates, audience and patrons deserve the same attention to detail.
Your instrument and backup gear need to be clean, in good adjustment, and in tune. You should also have cases or covers for anything delicate — which is everything.
AMS Pro Tip: Put your booking QR code on everything. You’ll get some more gigs out of it!
And since it’s an absolute requirement to have working gear and a backup, this doesn’t even count as one of the “Things to Bring to a Gig.” It’s a given. But anyway, now on to the list.
1. Get Yourself a Gear Cart
An equipment cart is essential to an organized, secure load-in and load-out. Let’s analyze the two events because they are both important in different ways.
The load-in is usually where you first encounter the venue and the management. Your organization is immediately on display and having everything neat and compact is a definite sign of professionalism. Schlepping your stuff in grocery sacks is probably not going to get you a call back.
The load out is even more critical because, not to be cynical, the bad guys are waiting for you to be between trips to your vehicle and the venue. It helps to make it in one trip. Plus, it’s no fun making several trips anyway.
2. Don’t Forget the Small Spares
There are a million things on your mind when you’re setting up at a gig. Let’s not have one of those things be having to go to the 7-11 to buy a nine-volt battery. Think about everything you might need. Having extra strings, batteries, cables, polish cloth (video friendly). Even a spare shirt and dry shoes will help you focus your mind on giving your best performance.
3. The Human Experience
A gig is kind of like being on a complicated camping trip. You’re going to be operating in a foreign and sometimes hostile environment. Your personal care kit is just as important as your gear list.
Make sure you have some essentials: tissues and wipes, gloves, a comb, toothbrush, nail trimmer, tweezers, aspirin, first aid kit (or at least some band-aids), plenty of hydration, and maybe some energy bars or a snack can be precious items in the trenches.
Build a small “go bag” with all these small accessories and keep them in your gig pile. You might not (hopefully) need them at every gig; but when you do need them, you’ll be REALLY glad you have it.
4. Stand at Attention
How the stage looks when you’re performing is important, but how it looks on break is also critical.
Having your instrument on a proper stand is key, not only for the safety of your axe, but also the vibe when you’re on break. Your microphone stands should all match and be in good working order and clean.
Make a thorough damage check of any tripod speaker or lighting stand before you load it up —unless you enjoy talking with attorneys. If something does break, take it far away immediately. Someone else may not realize it’s broken and bring it back onstage. And if it does end up breaking and falling on something (or someone), guess who’s going to get a call…
5. A Toolkit
Emergency repairs in the dark are never much fun but can be a bigger pain if you’re using improvised or borrowed tools.
Always have a tool kit with you. Aside from screwdrivers and wrenches, you also might want a soldering iron and solder, a multi-tester, guitar setup tools, work mat, and string winders.
6. Tape, Tape, and More Tape
Any roadie worth asking knows you need Gaffer’s tape at any gig. Get some wide tape in case you need to tape cabling to the floor.
AMS Pro Tip: Do not cheap out and buy duct tape. It’s not the same stuff.
Console tape is essential to mark out your channels, especially if the mixing console belongs to someone else. Keep a sharpie marker with the tape roll.
7. Tag-It’s Yours
Everything you bring into a gig should have your tag on it. Cables and stands are especially easy to get co-mingled with other band members’ or the house’s gear. Load outs can be chaotic, and it’s easy to lose track of who owns what.
I painted the male end of all my microphone cables bright red, so I can spot them in any pile.
8. Let There Be Lights
Aside from stage lights, you’ll definitely need flashlights and work lights. And don’t forget about lights for any music stands and keyboard music rests if you need to read music or setlists during the gig — especially if you know you’re playing at a dark venue.
9. Power Supplies
You never know where you’re going to get electrical power at a gig, or where the power outlets might be. Bring good quality extension cords and power splitters.
A note on extensions cables: Don’t get the green or orange ones from the garden center. Black cords look better on stage.
10. A List to End All Lists
It seems kind of nuts to end this list with another list, but this one is a biggie — and it’s kind of depressing.
Having your gear in your vehicle or at a gig puts it at high risk of being stolen. You should have a list of all the gear you have out with you. Take a picture of the serial numbers on anything that has one. It helps a lot if you ever have to replace gear, make a police report, or file an insurance claim. Again, it’s unfortunate, but it’s definitely something to keep in mind as you travel all around for gigs.
The Final Takeaway
At AMS, we understand that your gigging schedule can be hectic, so we ship most gear free and VERY fast from our four fulfillment centers in America. If you ever need to replace something in a hurry before your next gig, you know who to call!
Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hopefully it helps! And if you want to speak with one of our Gear Acquisition Specialists to find the perfect gear for all your musical needs, please call our toll-free hotline at 800-458-4076.
One last thing: Don’t forget to put your phone ringer on silent during the gig!
