Not letting people play

[daboom]

I guess we are doing a benefit gig the 15th for some little kid that got killed in a car accident.  THere will be 3 bands there and I'm guessing they will be playing on my kit.

Cool Felix!  Can I set in and thrash your kit?  

[felix]

"There is no rest for the wicked"

[daboom]

"There is no rest for the wicked"

Tee Hee!  :D

[Daddy0]

I think I have always gone on a case-by-case basis. We were playing in some backwater bar in Illinois and some guy asked to sit in -- he was great! I didn't know how I felt about that -- impressed with his talent, or embarassed by my lack!

Another time (in Kalamazoo?) the dude was awful. We used the Stop Halfway and Say, "Let's hear it for so-and-so!!" Method.

It seems that the opposite happens sometimes. I'm sure this happens to some of you folks:
You're out with your friends and all feelin' no pain. Before you know it, your cronies have talked the band into letting you sit in. That one's a little sticky!!
Usually though, if you're drunk enough to do it but not too drunk to play, you'll end up getting plenty of free drinks. Life could be worse . . .

[drumhero]

I guess we are doing a benefit gig the 15th for some little kid that got killed in a car accident.  THere will be 3 bands there and I'm guessing they will be playing on my kit.

Of course, there are exceptions to the rules.

[Tony]

I'm with the whole "secret handshake" etiquette thing. I like to size up a dude before I invite him to play my kit.  On a slightly different note, I am currently in Gainesville, Fl on a work matter.  I wandered into a bar Monday night while checking out the Gator scene and lo and behold, it was Jam Night.  I have never felt comfortable sitting in these things, but after listening to the other drummers, I was confident I would do ok.  Of course, the 3 songs that the guitarist and bassist chose were 3 I have never played.  2 I had never even heard before!! But, they were pretty straight forward funk/blues type jams.  When I got done, the other drummers and the house band guitarist and bassist came over to my table and paid me what I consider to be the ultimate compliment:

"Man, you really got those cats into the pocket and just kept it locked in.  Nice job." One guy even went so far as to say he was glad a drummer sat in who actually played for the songs instead of soloing over everyone.  It made me feel good to walk into a strange town and fall right into a cool bonus playing situation. Later on, I did "get into the pocket on a song" I actually knew, so I blasted a 12 bar solo that got good crowd response :)

[Louis Russell]

"Man, you really got those cats into the pocket and just kept it locked in.  Nice job."

I love it ;D  Nice to know someone who knows the secret handshake and can play well too..

[felix]

See, beeing a drummer cafe VIP automatically makes one a better drummer.

It's magic!

[timmin]

Uh-Oh! Bartman may have heard my drumming. I have been here, got the t-shirt, but just noticed I ain't no VIP!  >:(

Is this just an oversight or do I have to let y'all sit in and play my drums?  :o

[daboom]

Hmmmmmm that is interesting. ???  I too have paid for the shirt yet aint no vip.  Maybe it's because we have to get our picher taken withit! ;D

[timmin]

I've even posted the picture.

http://splitsecond.wecre8.com/timshirt.jpg

I bought my shirt back in the summer before the VIP stuff was announced. I'm sure it is just an oversight?

Actually my shirt has shrank some and is just itching to have the sleeves cut out of it for a more "rock-n-roll" look. So I will need a new fresh one with sleeves for those "formal" gigs... ;)

-------------------------

Paul/Pops/PD/PD'A/Santa/Dude, you can sit in and play my drums anytime. I will warn you that I always try to float a greazy smelling stage buscuit around the kit right before folks sit in. It seems they always jump down and run after the first song.  Whenever someone DOES make it through the whole song HAHA ;D

[Scribe]

I jam with a bunch of guys from work - on guitar mainly, but some drums. This one guy always wants me to bring over my cymbals so that the drummer can use them instead of his Pearl and Zildjian ZBT's. This guy also wants me to bring both of my Strats because he only has an acoustic, and never has any money. When he comes over to jam, I let him sit behind the kit, but he kind of acts like I'm too neurotic about the way he hits my cymbals. But what would happen if he cracked one of my crashes? He can't even afford beer, much less replacing one of my A Customs of my A.
It's hard because they're all nice guys, and invite me over for free food and liquor if I want it, but I can't be the equipment manager - especially when people are drinking and can get clumsy. Bah!!!   >:(

[Thunderbolt1000T]

I love it ;D  Nice to know someone who knows the secret handshake and can play well too..

Ok, which one of you drummers let the secret handshake out of the bag!! ;D ;D

[Thunderbolt1000T]

Unless I know, or trust the person, I don't have anyone play my kit. My band plays mostly originals at shows, so it doesn't come up much. Just my personal taste. On the reverse side, I don't like playing someone else's kit for a gig. We try to put on the best show possible, and I need my own, "comfy" set to do that. For me, it's part of trying to be the best drummer I can be, for myself, as well as the band.

[daboom]

See, beeing a drummer cafe VIP automatically makes one a better drummer.

It's magic!

Holy cow! I just noticed!  I too, have attained VIP status.
It's amazing.  It's like that new pair of tennis shoes when your a kid.  I'm a lot faster in the new shoes!  See!

[Critter29]

Good grief, this is becoming the thread that never dies...hahahaha. ;D Most of the bands I've played with have let others sit in once and a great while. As for drummers, I practically know everyone of them in my area and I've managed to strike up many friendships with all of them. I always made it a point to make everyone feel welcome. It's part of being a musician. You can meet so many people that way and it's a great way to break the ice. I can't tell you how many bands I've gotten acquainted with because I made it a point to extend a good gesture to them by offering them to come up and play a song and it was a way of saying thanks to all of them for coming out to see my band etc. I've never had anyone disrespect me or my equipment. Occasionally, you get the odd-ball drunk here and there but, it's been rare in my experience. I've found more often than not that people just want a piece of your time. Give your 5 minutes and they'll usually leave you alone after that. I usually hung out in the back room with the rest of the band and other musicians. One because it's a safe haven away from all the chaos and two, it saved my ears from the house P.A. during breaks. ;)

[Gregg Rivers]

We have a standing rule in our band that we don't do "sit ins". There are only a few exceptions to that. It has to be someone we know and know can play and it has to be agreed to by the band, not just the guy who's loaning the gear! It's the bands show! Not the drummer's or the guitar player's or the bassist's. It's all of ours. I do agree with Bart that I don't like being asked! You should be invited to sit in with the band. Inviting yourself is just rude and usually done by novices that don't know any better and can't play either!On the rare occasion that I see one of my fellow drummers I know well enough to ask, I also ask the rest of the band if they mind! I think it's just the cool thing to do. After all, they're the ones that have to play with the "guest"! I'll be at the bar....getting some more water! lol!

[bateradrums]

Just totally curious! Please someone with a  good soul...
What does the VIP status gives you? better sits somewhere?
Is there any VIP only forum where you guys talk about something that is really so much more satysfying to the soul then the regular forum?
really, what's the deal of being  VIP, besides letting everybody that is not feeling somehow incomplete ?

[Paul DAngelo]

The VIP status will allow you to sell (via the classified section) used drums, pedals, etc.  I think that's all I can say, although I don't know how many places YOU are identified as a VIP (this happens to be my only one)

The best, easiest, and most productive way to become a VIP is to buy a Drummer Cafe TeeShirt which identifies you as a knowledgeable drummer (or at least one pursuing knowledge) and also helps The Bart Man to meet his costs of this wonderful forum.

Click on "store" and get yourself a teeshirt.  Then the secrets of VIPdom will be open to you  :D

[Louis Russell]

There are lots of other benefits too!  Check out  http://community.drummercafe.com/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=1846]http://community.drummercafe.com/index.php?board=7;action=display;threadid=1846