re: gig on a real hot day

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 4 Jul 2003 6:38 pm

I have a 4-hour outdoors gig tomorrow mid afternoon. They're predicting mid 90's with a heat index of 100. There may be no cover, or at best, an umbrella. I'll have bottles of water around and a few small portable fans. What do you do to prevent heat exhaustion? I'm 52 and don't have the tolerance for this sort of stuff I had when I was young. Thanks in advance.[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 04 July 2003 at 07:39 PM.]

Jesse Pearson · Post by **Jesse Pearson** » 4 Jul 2003 6:45 pm

Jeff, drink a lot of water before each set, but make sure to pee before you go back up for the next set, know what I mean? Get a fan ya milky licker, that's New York city right?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 4 Jul 2003 8:18 pm

Yeah, I've seen lots of drummers use clip-on fans, clipped to one of their cymbal stands or wherever, to keep cool. You could do the same but get an electric one rather than battery-operated; you don't want the batteries running out on ya!

Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 4 Jul 2003 8:25 pm

hope you`re not playing some of those new plastic guitars...

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Jerry Roller · Post by **Jerry Roller** » 4 Jul 2003 8:45 pm

Jeff, I used to have some rope like gismos that were filled with some kind of chemical that would stay cold for hours. Just wrap one around your neck and it helps a lot to keep you reasonably cool. Maybe someone can tell you more about these things. I bought them at a craft fair a few years ago.
Jerry

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 4 Jul 2003 10:00 pm

Hey Jeff, drink lots of "GatorAid"( or other sports beverage) It is better for you than water because it replaces minerals and electrolytes in your system that you sweat out. I make my main money with a chainsaw as a tree surgeon in south Oklahma/ north Texas--lots of 100 degree weather--not counting "heat index". That's how we make it. I just played two outdoor gigs back to back on July 4th!! High 90's---gave new meaning to "hot licks"!!! Wide brim staw cowboy hat came in real handy, too!! Have fun!!

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 4 Jul 2003 10:18 pm

And don't forget the SUNSCREEN!

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 4 Jul 2003 11:40 pm

get your head wet, before each set
ps: w: all that water around, make sure that the electrics have a proper earth (or ground)
and that the security trip devices function.
Have a good one Jeff

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Steel what?

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 5 Jul 2003 2:13 am

even better yet..get someone to fill in for you !

We too have some sort of outdoor gig tomorrow, I believe under cover, I hope..I am auuming..

I'm on Bass so I gotta have this big monsterous wood thing hanging over my shoulder while I'm hot I suppose..

happy 5th

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 5 Jul 2003 2:51 am

don't burn your hands on the changer, endplates etc. And stop playing when because of the warming up the G# reaches a higher pitch then the A

good luck, and take care!
JJ

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Click on the pic!

Mike Delaney · Post by **Mike Delaney** » 5 Jul 2003 6:57 am

I have a couple of those bandana's that Jerry mentioned. They have some resin in them that creates cold when wetted. Work great! Wal-Mart or the like will have them in their sporting goods area, especially around camping and fishing supplies.

James M. is right on about the Gatorade. I played outside yesterday, 97 degrees and 90% humidity. Talk about hot. (My Grandma used to call that a sinner's preview.)

I drank a quart of it before the gig, and another afterward. Then had a few beers, and didn't have to go pee for about 4 hours. I'd say that qualifies as being dehydrated!

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 5 Jul 2003 7:54 am

Don't forget to cover your guitar with something on breaks if the stage isn't shaded. One summer I had a ShoBud 'shed' a fingerboard on a flat bed trailer stage in the middle of a parking lot. Glue got soft I guess..

Miguel e Smith · Post by **Miguel e Smith** » 5 Jul 2003 8:35 am

I did a gig yesterday (4th) outdoors and all I could think about was how turkeys must feel while in an oven...it was 112 here. But, there's something special about wearing shorts with a cowboy hat and making the rodeo fans happy.

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 5 Jul 2003 8:39 am

...just so long as you don't wear shorts with cowboy boots..

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 5 Jul 2003 9:32 am

We played a block party here in Cloverdale yesterday. The temperature was about 95 when we started setting up at about 4 PM. We were in the sun, too! I remembered at the last minute to put on some sunscreen.

I actually like hot weather. Four of the band's six members are from Cloverdale, and the general attitude was "It could have been a lot worse!" Cloverdale is a real hot spot - often 20 degrees hotter than nearby Santa Rosa. A 95 degree Fourth of July is a gift from Heaven.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (C6add9),
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Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 5 Jul 2003 9:39 am

Where a white shirt (not black).
Light n' loose clothing.
Shorts and Teva Sandles if the band will permit it. http://www.greenapple.com/~ace1/index017.html

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 5 Jul 2003 9:50 am

I play a lot of outdoor gigs during the rodeo season, and this cover I got from Stay Cool Covers is one of the best investments I have made. They make them for all kinds of instruments.
www.staycoolcovers.com

Marc Friedland · Post by **Marc Friedland** » 5 Jul 2003 10:24 am

I am your same age, 52, and generally feel too hot any time it's over 80 degrees. Last week, and yesterday on the 4th I played outdoor gigs in the Sacramento area, where it was approx. 100 degrees.
1. I suggest not just portable fans, but a good size fan you can get at Home Depot. Mine is so strong, even from a distance it will blow the picks off the guitar.
2. You can never get too much water, to drink and to literally pour over your face & body if needed.
3. Move very slowly when setting up and tearing down your gear.
4. Strong sunblock, but be careful about too much on your forehead, as it has a tendancy to melt and drip in your eyes, which can burn.
5. Your bar can get VERY hot if it's just sitting on the guitar, so be careful of that. That happens with me often because, I play other instruments as well, and sometimes it's a couple of songs until I'm on the psg again.
6. During breaks, if possible, I go to my car and sit in the strong air conditioning.
7. Obviously tuning will be an issue to deal with, particularly as the weather changes, so you just have to make your best effort. Chances are, no one in the audience will know, and your band members will understand the situation.
Good luck & have fun!
-- Marc

Jeff Lampert · Post by **Jeff Lampert** » 5 Jul 2003 1:53 pm

Thanks for all your help. It was a private party in a backyard. We ended up being in the shade so that was a big plus. But to do that, the band was set up in what can best be described as a big flower pot under some trees on top at the edge of a 2 foot high cliff, with a wooden ledge. The earth was soft, so the steel guitar and seat were sinking unevenly in the ground. I had earthworms and daddy longs legs crawling around. I propped the left side of the steel on the far left wooden ledge, so that the drummer would have room. There was no earth on the left side to support my foot where the A,B pedals are, so I put a few magazines under, which were slippery, so as I'd reach for a pedal, my foot would flop around a bit, but at least there was a surface. I put the amp behind a bush where only the top 1/2 was visible, but I was miked so that was ok. I used some magazines as wedges under the seat, but I was playing at some wierd angles for the whole gig, with a PA speaker a foot from my ear, so I stuck in an ear plug. I brought a big fan, which was effective. Also drank plenty of ice water. This milky licker is just too old for this.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 5 Jul 2003 2:16 pm

So playing under all that adversity, Jeff, did that bring your playing down to MORTAL level? Seriuosly, man, you're one of the good 'uns! The best thing for heat? BIKINIS!
(but not on the band)

John Russell · Post by **John Russell** » 5 Jul 2003 3:47 pm

A few years ago I played an outdoor gig that was as close to hell on earth as I could ever imagine. The date was sometime in the middle of August. It was in San Marcos, TX at the grand opening of a factory outlet mall, i.e. a shopping center right out in the parking lot. NO SHADE. Temp was well over 100 degrees.

How hot was it? Well, the lead guitarist had just bought a new multi-FX unit--the kind that sits on the floor with several pedals and a plastic control panel with touch sensitive buttons(sorry, I don't remeber the brand). The plastic panel curled up and was useless about 2 minutes after we started!

Fortunately, I remembered to wear a straw hat and had a bandana wrapped around my neck, soaked in water. I would have passed out otherwise.

I know it's hard to be picky these days, but I suggest finding out in advance whether there's any sort of shade when playing these hot summer outdoor gigs. I've done others where we were told there'd be shade, only to arrive and find none. This craziness can put your health in serious jeopardy so be prepared. Mandatory would be a hat, sunscreen, long sleeves, a fan, plenty of water. --JR

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 5 Jul 2003 3:59 pm

I've been dealing with these hot weather gigs for years now. The best remedy is to keep a small chalk board handy and just run you fAnger nails down it between tunes.

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 7 Jul 2003 5:41 am

What Jeff describes reminds me of a gig we did in a state park where I had to set the steel up on grass that had mole hills underneath. Yeesh.

Roger Edgington · Post by **Roger Edgington** » 7 Jul 2003 7:43 am

Outside gigs can be tough.When I was a kid in Ohio I saw my dad play non psg in a parking lot with snow coming down. I would rather have the heat. Outdoor rain showers get exciting too. We play outside alot in Texas due to the long warm season. Sometimes thery're great,sometimes not.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 7 Jul 2003 1:07 pm

Gatoraid is good on days like the above, I wish I could get it here, or tons of water, and BIG hats.
Also eat light: salads and watermellon etc. forget those big burgers. And easy on the beer too.

It has averaged around 93F for the last month, and I am a crispeied critter. Just bought a 3rd AC unit for the studio.... the other 2 and the fan just didn't do it.

Two of the last 3 gigs I did were in 100-101F weather, one right after the other, and we definitely were drenched in sweat all day, but the night gig it finaly got down to around 88F. And that seemed like a nice break...

And the water flowed like wine, and the local wine was just given to us as gifts. Too hot to touch it till well after midnight.