🎸 From Bedroom to Stage: The GIG REPORT Thread (Setlists & Stories)

[Johnnyb]

Happy New Year, BassBuzz family!

As we head into 2026, I’ve noticed something really cool happening around the forum: More and more of you are posting about playing live, joining bands, or jamming with others. I’ve seen great stories pop up in random threads, but I thought it would be amazing to gather all of this in one place.

(Note: If there already is a dedicated topic or category for this that I missed, I apologize! Moderators, please feel free to merge this so we have a structured way of learning from each other’s experiences.)

We need a dedicated spot to discuss the reality of gigging vs. practicing in the bedroom.

It’s one thing to nail a song sitting down at home. It’s another thing to play a 45-minute set standing up, dealing with nerves, gear, stamina, and drummer timing!

So, let’s share our “War Stories” here!

I’m really interested in the practical stuff:

• The Setlists: What songs actually fill the floor? (And which ones clear the room?)
• Stamina: How do you survive the fast songs live? (I’m currently fighting my way through the 16th notes in Bonamassa’s “Just Got Paid” – a real endurance test!)
• Video: If you have a clip of your performance, please link it! We’d love to see you in action.

I will kick this off with a report from my side in the first comment below.

Feel free to use this template:

---

GIG REPORT

• Band/Genre: (e.g. Dad Rock / Blues / Metal / Worship)
• The Venue: (Pub / Wedding / Garage Jam)
• Gear Used: (Bass, Amp, Pedals)

THE SETLIST (Highlights) (Share the full list or just the key songs)

1. …
2. …

WINS (e.g. “My tone cut through perfectly” or “The crowd loved…”)

CHALLENGES / LESSONS (e.g. “My hand cramped up,” “Couldn’t hear the monitor,” etc.)

VIDEO LINK (Optional) (YouTube link etc.)

---

Can’t wait to read about your gigs – big or small!

Rock on!

[Johnnyb]

GIG REPORT

• Band/Genre: SAMSPELT (Cover band) Rock, Blues, Country
• The Venue: Brattestø (Restaurant/Pub in Norway)
• Gear Used: Ampeg V3 – IEM

THE SETLIST
First set

1. Kvinde min (Gasolin’ cover)
2. Hodet over vannet
3. This is My Life
4. Dust Bowl (Bonamassa)
5. Sharp Dressed Man
6. Sail Away
7. Tore Tang (Norwegian song, always make people sing😊)
8. Sweet Home Alabama
9. Come Together
10. Mountain Climbing
11. Talk to you – Original
12. Jumping Jack Flash
    Second Set
13. Free Falling
14. Battleship Chains (Will probably not do it again, but easy song to fill the set)
15. For Evigt
16. Sex On Fire
17. Tougher Than The Rest
18. Splitter Pine
19. Neste sommer
20. Den du veit
21. Long Train Running
22. Fading Away – Original
23. Oh Love
24. Lodi
25. Idyll
26. Levva Livet (Encore/Extra)

WINS First paid job and it was a great gig! Everybody was pleased and we got booked again for next year. The sound guy did a really good job and we are going to use him in the future as well.

CHALLENGES / LESSONS I did not have too many problems with the playing, but I need to help more with backup vocals. I still need to be more confident in my playing, but overall it was a really good job I think.

VIDEO LINK SAMSPELT live på Brattestø 21.06.2025

[TheMaartian]

@Johnnyb

Band/Genre: SAMSPELT (Cover band) Rock, Blues, Country

Is this true?

[Johnnyb]

I can neither confirm nor deny that this is a photo of my living room right now. Unfortunately, that pile of money is already mentally spent on new gear. It’s an expensive hobby!

[Johnnyb]

It seems a bit quiet here, so I’m starting to wonder if I’m the only one who sees a need for a thread like this, or if I simply haven’t searched the forum well enough?

My hope was to gather setlists, live tips, and experiences in one place, but maybe I’m off track.

@SunDog @Barney @TheMadBassist and everybody else.

Do you guys think there is a real need for a dedicated space here for stage tips, gear setups, and gig reports? Or is this perhaps not the right place for it? Personally, I think this topic is so important that it should be its own category!

[sunDOG]

I’ll post, promise!!

[Barney]

@sunDOG

I’ll post, promise!!

To be fair he’s been busy, correcting my appalling grammar.

[Johnnyb]

Hehe

I’m not sure if the specific format I suggested is the best, but I still think the core idea of a thread (or category) about live gigs and experiences is a good one.

[sunDOG]

Would you be happy to extend this out to include some of the wider ‘challenges’ associated with being in a band?

[Johnnyb]

Absolutely! That sounds great.

My original post was really just a suggestion to get the ball rolling. I’m totally open to shaping this thread together, so we can figure out what is most useful for everyone.

I honestly don’t think there are many other places with such a friendly atmosphere as BassBuzz, so if we can post something that can help both us and others that’s just great. But then again, that’s obviously just because bass players are the best kind of people!

[TheMadBassist]

Definitely bro, great idea to post here!!

[rbmnyc]

OK, I’ll play, if only to open the thread to very very newbie performers! I joined the “Beginner Adult Band” at my local School of Rock - we had our first performance last weekend.
Set List:

Blitzkrieg Bop

Take the Money and Run

Sunshine of your Love *

Seven Nation Army *

Island in the Sun

Just Like Heaven

Melt with you

Psycho Killer *

Creep *

Closing Time *

*were the ones that I actually played on, there are two bassists in our band.

Honestly, the show was a little rough, but the audience was very forgiving and it was a total rush. My first time ever making music with other people in front of even more other people. Now I need to go figure out how to play Sabotage for our next show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKOFalK6P_8

[Johnnyb]

Wow, thanks for sharing! Congrats with your first performance.
Have fun: Sabotage - Beastie Boys… No Pick Required! (tabs and tutorial)

[Barney]

Set list for our next gig.

Black Horse and a Cherry Tree
You Wreck Me
Cocaine Cowgirl
Lovers in a Dangerous Time
2468 Motorway
Sweet Dreams
Can’t Let Go - Key of A (Up a whole step +2)
Mama’s Broken Heart (Key of G)
Hard to Handle
Locked in the trunk of a car
Rolling in the Deep - Key of B flat (Down a whole step -2)
All These Things
Crazy
Please Don’t Stop the Music
Connection
Joker and the Thief

Fortunate Son (Key of G)
Mary Jane’s Last Dance
Blame Brett - Key of D (Down a whole step -2)
All Hell for a Basement
Banditos - Key of F (Up a half step +1)
Lonely Boy - Key of Dm (Down a whole step -2)
Uptown Funk
Rockin’ in the Free World
Enter Sandman
Bad Romance
Jolene
Are you Gonna Go my Way
Dancing with Myself
She Sells Sanctuary
Bliztrieg Bop

Float On

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTVVh_yjbnN/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577364820922

[Johnnyb]

Wow, what a set list! Really looking forward to seeing and hearing this. Hope you share a video soon. Break a leg!

[sunDOG]

Last night we were back in the rehearsal studio, preparing for a gig on Saturday evening. This will be The Invertants first paid outing. We are supporting another covers band who don’t have enough material for a full evening. We are on first - we are the support act, after all - and should be playing for 1 hour.

The set list is below - my printer ran out of ink, hence the pen-completed letters As ordered, the set list doesn’t quite work, we need to re-order a little. For example, Valarie sandwiched between Basket Case and Bohemian felt a bit odd, plus I think Bohemian is a brilliant set closer. Our guitarist also wants Molly’s and Rock ‘n’ Roll Star next to each other as he is playing with a capo. Rather than have a spring-loaded one, he uses one that needs to be screw-tightened, and that takes time…

We are meeting the other band tonight to look at their rig - they have their own PA, so need to see how things are going to work.

I will report back after the gig!

[Johnnyb]

Massive congrats to The Invertants on the first pro job! The setlist looks great and it’s definitely smart to adjust the order. Can’t wait to see some footage from the show!

[macshark]

Break a leg, Invertants! I am probably a few months behind you with a new band that has been practicing about weekly. No gig’s scheduled yet, but gonna hit our first open mic this Sunday. - Setlist - Laid- James, Hoochie Coochie Man - Clapton version, and Seven Nation Army. Glad to see this thread.

[totyasrac]

Well I believe it wouldn’t hurt (much) to share my end-of-2025 gig (first one in about 30 years) details

So here it comes

GIG REPORT

• Band/Genre: Grilled Age / Blues-rock (theoretically )

• The Venue: University Club

• Gear Used: Squier 40th Anniversary Jazz; pedalboard: TC Polytune 3 / UA 1176 comp / Totya Bass Drive (custom drive) / Behringer BDI21; BDI21 XLR to FOH and BDI21 out into the TE Elf that went into a 4Ohm 410 ccab (for the stage)

THE SETLIST (Highlights) (Share the full list or just the key songs)

1.⁠ ⁠Long Train Running (Doobie Brothers)

2.⁠ ⁠Sweet lil lies (Joanne Shaw Taylor)

3.⁠ ⁠ Hit ‘em back (Shemekia Copeland & Kenny Wayne Shepherd)

4.⁠ ⁠Dyin’ to know (Joanne Shaw Taylor)

5.⁠ ⁠ Holy guns (own original)

6.⁠ ⁠Black Velvet (Alannah Myles)

7.⁠ ⁠Fist & fingers (own original)

8.⁠ ⁠I remember you (Ken Mo - band introduction is here)

9.⁠ ⁠Good goodbye (Joanne Shaw Taylor)

10.⁠⁠Left outside alone (Anastacia)

WINS Yes my one kicked ass (on stage and off stage as well), only screwed up maybe twice but recovered smoothly,

CHALLENGES / LESSONS Always turn off volume pots on bass when just goofing around (it was my 50th bday as well and went to from to thank the audience but didn’t silence my bass - hit a mic stand with it and THAT sounded shitty ). Also no matter how much you practice any song you may have some surprise that should be taken quickly / easily without audience noticing

We had guys for video, all is recorded track to track from the desk but band leader is not permitting to release anything (even though I believe it was very good but definitely not full blown pro). So sorry, even though I have material can’t share yet, but here’s a picture of us while playin’:

And a bonus one of me

In the works: there’s another band (more into hard rock) where I’m already past my first 3 recorded tracks and we plan to have the first gig (with me on board) in May, a teaser is our video just debuting today (again: that’s my bass lines played by me, pretty proud of it as only been playing for 3 years now): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh_QuNvnB7M

Hope to share gig records in 2 months!

[howard]

That’s a great picture!