The Steel Guitar Forum

Whether I am playing solo or with other musicians, I always try to arrive an extra 15 minutes early. (not including normal setup time)

I find it more relaxing to unpack my steel, cords, effects etc. and lay out the cables neatly without rushing to get ready to play in such a hurry.

I often use the extra time to get a drink, use the restroom, wash my hands and get tuned up real good.

It is very hard to predict how bad the traffic on the freeway will be on any given day, but I would much rather be early than late!

Dom

Amen Dom
Joe Elk

im usually there 30mins to an hour early. warm up some. acclimate.....

Yep, I hate feeling rushed at a gig.

I'm even earlier if it's a new venue.

When I started out at age 15, my dad always stressed to me that adults would not tolerate a late kid for a musical gig.

I always made sure to get shined, shaved and showered with all of my gear stowed in my car so that I could arrive at the gig location at least one hour ahead of time.

I'd usually turn into the DIVISION STREET CORRAL at 7:00PM, listen to Billy Robinson and Grady Martin on Red Foley's portion of the Grand Ole Opry. It was ALWAYS a thrill for me. I had not a hint that those great days would ever end for me.

Oh, how miss those wonderful times.

PS also get there early...scope out the lays of the land.....

I usually arrive about 45 minutes before the gig, but I know that's cutting it close. A flat tire, a dead battery, construction delays, heavy traffic... anything could happen.

Rushing to a gig is like rushing to a tee time. Adds stress

I've also had GPS problems. Last week I played a gig in Rhode Island and my GPS sent me the "long, slow way". After I realized what had happened I had to drive like crazy, watching the clock tick, and I arrived just a few minutes before the gig. Very stressful!

The last band I played with full time insisted that we get there 2 hours before every gig. That really made for a long night. It was the beginning of the end.

A guitar player I worked with was always there with just 10 minutes to spare. You could set your clock by that. I often wondered if he actually got there one hour prior and just sat in his car until 10 minutes before the show and then walked in just to annoy me. Plus he drove the oldest, most unreliable car you ever saw. It was just nerve racking wondering if he was really late or would just show up at his usual casual time. And it took him all of about 30 seconds to set up. But what a good player and a classy singer. Not to mention one of the best songwriters in Australia.

Long ago when I was a gigging player , the Joke was , "You Know it's the 2nd set , -- That's when the Girl Singer Shows Up"

In my universe , being late is only being 30 minutes early.

When I toured world wide on Airplanes in the 1990's, we always took the later connection on international flights.

"You can always wait at the Gate , but it is a Drag to Miss a Flight"

Now of Daze I only take Happy Hour Shows maximum of 2 hours - I need to be in bed by 9pm.

Arrive early and mingle. Gives you a good vibe on the room. If there is next to no one. This should change your set list. If lots of people are there play the songs you know best.

When you are running late, you just know something isn't going to work when you turn it on!

Erv Niehaus wrote:When you are running late, you just know something isn't going to work when you turn it on!

Boy, isn't THAT the truth!

I always try to be on site about an hour and a half before a gig if we are doing PA. It takes about an hour to set up PA & Stage gear and that gives me about 20 to 30 minutes to cool down, tune, and check gear.
I hate starting late...and I hate being rushed if I have set up problems.

I like to be early so I can set up in a relaxed manner with nothing in the way. It also gives me spare time in case something isn't working right.
I joke that I work 9-5, but its 9pm-5am. Still a few musicians have notorious reputations for always being late.

In the real world of business the equation is Time = Money.
Donald Trump's mantra might go something like this:
If you are early, you are on time.
If you are on time, you are late.
If you are late, you're fired.

I always tried to be there an hour early, I had just a real simple setup for amplification and my guitar.