Cold Weather Advice --- Lessons Learned this year

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 3 Dec 2011 9:38 pm

Christmas in the Park: This year was quite a bit colder, much windier and much harder than last year but I learned a couple of valuable lessons I thought I'd pass along. It was around 15 when we started, wind was gusting up to 20 mph.

The salamander style kerosene space heater is NOT your friend. The smallest change in the air flow from the space heater, on my side of the stage, would send my tuning off the chart. It was a no win situation. If I'd re-tune while the air flow from the heater was over the guitar it would only stay tuned until the wind changed or someone stepped between the heater and me then the guitar would go wildly sharp. The heat comes back.... tuning falls through the floor. After the second or third song I pointed it away me. The night went pretty well after that. It was amazing to see how dramatic the slightest temperature changes affected the strings.

Then second lesson learned was George L cables are great in very cold weather. I was the only player who could wind up my cables at the end of the show. All my power cables were like sticks but the guitar cables were fine.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 3 Dec 2011 9:52 pm

Whatcha gonna do when you have to play outdoors when it gets cold

Man, I can't imagine playing out in those conditions. You're tougher than I am.

I have played at around 40 degrees, so I know a little about wild temp changes with space heaters. Tuning pretty much impossible and I couldn't feel my hands. That's probably like summer time conditions for you.

Good to know about the GL's. They've always served me well too. Try and stay warm.

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 3 Dec 2011 11:05 pm

Honestly, the rhythm section and piano player saved my bacon tonight. Jim (guitar) and I both had our hands full staying in tune. I changed to nearly all single string passages since any harmony, triad or extended chords were too risky from a tuning standpoint. Next year... the National Finals Rodeo in vegas is sounding pretty good.javascript:emoticon(':D')

Jason Hull · Post by **Jason Hull** » 4 Dec 2011 4:39 am

Gibson Hartwell · Post by **Gibson Hartwell** » 4 Dec 2011 8:52 am

Doug, That sounds like a good Rocky Mountain winter gig! I played in Red Lodge last March in real similar conditions. I don't know exactly how cold it was but my beer had a layer of ice on top so it must have been teens or single digits.

There was a thread a while back about outdoor winter gigs that had some good advice. I read that beforehand and things went OK. I had an extra bar and hand warmers in my pockets. Between songs, one hand would go ino into a pocket and the other would sit on the strings to keep some heat on them. I'd switch hands so none would get too cold. I was really surprised at how well this worked. We got the gig again this year..ooooof.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 4 Dec 2011 11:42 pm

Gibson Hartwell wrote:Doug, That sounds like a good Rocky Mountain winter gig!...

I imagine Montana can make Colorado look like Florida in the winter at times.

I have never played steel in freezing cold, but Ive seen intrepid individuals who do on occasion in Steamboat, CO. They host a Texas MusicFest first week of Jan. every year. I like to ski, and the bands and fans are all mostly based in Texas. Bands occasionally play in front of the gondola in sub-freezing temps and even snowing at times. The half gloves with no fingertips and cups of hot chocolate.

I suppose high altitude may help a bit. They mostly sounded in tune anyway.

It didnt feel as cold as it really was, but they were some of the coolest and definitely the coldest shows Ive seen!

Clete

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 5 Dec 2011 4:58 pm

Gibson, I used every tip from last year's thread (except for the glass or two of brandy) and was doing okay except for the tuning problem. I took three bars with me. Started with my 5 day old BJS (Thanks Butch!!). Had the other two wrapped in reusable hand warmers in my vest pockets and I'd rotate them between songs. Left hand was great the whole show. Right hand was another story. By Feliz Navidad I could have been just as effective by throwing tennis balls at the strings.

Clete, I only live 3.5 hours from Steamboat and have been wondering how many of the venues there are outdoor and how they handle getting some heat (if any) on stage.

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 5 Dec 2011 5:23 pm

Having done some of the cold shows I can identify with the tennis Balls .

I often thought if I were to do it again , I’d get the guys to record the set and just mime it in the cold