Boy, Brian, are you going to get a bunch of "ditto's" on that one. Drum sets and PA's are bad enough, but I play in a symphonic concert band. Try packing up three timpani, a set of tubular chimes, a xylophone, a 4-pc drum set, a 32" concert base, a concert snare, a gong, and various stands and auxiliary percussion instruments. Now there's a P.I.T.A gig.

On the flip side, for the jazz quartet I play in, I pack a cocktail FT, snare, HH, and 18" ride. It all moves in one trip from the car, and not much you can't play with those 4 pieces.

So who else here is getting too old to lug around all those toms and cymbals we once thought were indispensable?

Mike

I'm now 65. The last working band I played in was just 2 years ago. My set-up was stripped down to a late 50's Ludwig Club Date kit (13", 15", 20"/14")1-Ride, 1-crash, hats, seat and four stands. Everything fit on a small 4-wheel cart and it was one trip in, one trip out, 15/20 mins to set-up mics and all and 15/20 mins to break down.

Old man style! Like a Ninja, in and out. Nothing heavy in the set-up anywhere. Because of the Club Date hardware, even the drums were lighter.

Travel light! That's the key.

John

I don't know how you guys do it. It has to be f o r the love of music . Personally I am happy just playing in my little basement band f or now. The thought of transporting all that gear and setting I up (not to mention playing until 1 am) is not that appealing.

Jeff - Wait until you play your first gig where the people are dancing to the music having a great time and then getting some cash plunked in your hand just for having a gas playing with your own band. You'll 'get it' why guys go through all the trouble then. It's the 'high' you feel at the end of the night that I love. Unless I'm totally exhausted, I usually have trouble getting to sleep after gigs. I'm energized, psyched and ready to go again. It takes a little while to 'come down' after a gig.

John

I love playing - I played in bands for my main source of income from 69 to 76...lots of fun. But, having quit playing from 76 to 2007, I remember the tear-downs and haulling .....so much so that I've not tried to get a band together or play with a group since I got back into drumming......in 07.

I love playing in my drum room....that I can afford now that I'm old....and I'm at peace with just doing that. I also like the low-level restorations ....the taking apart a drum....the cleaning it's a fun hobby.

I can relate to the haulling etc. Yes, the answer might be to go small...no heavy equipment..and see how that can work.....if it fits with the band too.

I hear ya salty, I often joke that I should have played harmonica instead. Just show up w/ the harps & a belt for them ;)

For me, the gig pay is for setting up and tearing down. The music part is free. ;-)

Know how you feel. As a non singing drummer who got tired of playing with crap PA systems, I now haul the PA gear as well. Maybe not the same hourly requirements, but this picture shows the normal haul out......

I hear ya! I just went through a 2 month cycle of cluster headaches and ended up screwing up my back. Now I'm in full blown gigging season and I haven't slept for more than 4 hrs in a row since the middle of april. Dealing with back pain in the morning has become routine, though it doesn't compare to the cluster headache bouts.Luckily though my body seems to want to let me do my gigs and hurt on my off time. I admit that I don't make things any easier for myself. I nabbed a Yamaha DTX500 for $250 "on the way" to yesterday's gig, drove 100 or so miles on the opposite direction then turned around and hightailed it to the club. Then I had to unload all that Cr%p at 4:15 am. Yeah I know I'm preaching to the choir LOL but it is all about loving the gigs! I may be a wreck today, 4 hours from my next soundcheck, but I have the satisfaction of having (expletive) kicked on the gig last night (if I do say so myself).