Mike Dias, long-time in-ear industry expert and now Executive Director of the In-Ear Monitor International Trade Organization, joins Paul and Dave this week. They chat about the history of in-ears, the future, solving problems, and more. They even touch on a few “hot button” topics, too, but you’ll have to listen to hear about that!

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One of the best questions you can answer before you start to do anything musical is: who’s driving the bus?

Paul and Dave take this question through a few permutations. First, Dave laments some of the struggles he’s having getting his studio setup to the point where he can track some new Fling songs, and the question of who’s driving the bus of the recording project comes up.

Then it’s on to the topic of the Houserockers. Paul discusses the evolution of his band… and who’s driving the bus!

Lastly, it’s on to the acoustic format. A listener asks: “Who drives the bus here?” Well, you’ll have to listen to find out, won’t you?

When you’re finished – or, really, any time – drive your bus over to [email protected] and share your thoughts, too!

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Making the leap to in-ear monitors is one of the most difficult experiences any gigging musician can go through. From getting the right fit to getting the right mix to simply becoming comfortable with that new level of detachment, in-ears take dedication. The payoff is big, of course, in terms of being able to hear better and saving oneself from future hearing damage.

Dave watched Trey Anastasio battle this transition on stage over the past weekend. In response to that, Dave discusses a few of the tips and tricks he has applied when helping other musicians with this over the years.

But that’s not all, of course! Paul Kent is updating the songlist for his band, The Houserockers, and talks through not only the tunes, but the new process he and the band are using to learn them for their upcoming show season.

Plus, a quick update on AB5 just to wrap things up, and your two favorite weekend warriors are ready to go!

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Listen, sometimes running a band isn’t fun. Sometimes it requires thinking about accounting and managing people and employment law and all that. Today’s Gig Gab digs into some of that not-fun stuff, specifically about managing shared band expenses and another bit about California’s AB5. Really, this stuff isn’t fun, but it’s necessary to think about, and Paul and Dave share their thoughts and invite yours.

But your two favorite weekend warriors do also ask the important question: How do you scream? After talking about accounting you’ll probably want to anyway.

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Dave’s fresh out of the studio at The Noise Floor where he spent the weekend recording a new album with Bitter Pill. He’s got a lot of takeaways to share from that experience, and some new things to look forward to, as well.

Then he and Paul dig into – and praise – the concept of a band. What does that mean? How do you define it? How do you protect it? Those are the questions they begin to answer… or at least get clarity about asking! Listen as they dissect all of this and more, then send in your feedback, either in the comments here or at [email protected].

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Who’s your boss? Are you the boss? These questions are important to ask when discussing matters related to employment. The latest in this saga is unfolding in California right now with AB5, causing a re-definition of some musicians from independent contractors to employees. We’ve seen this before, but is this time different? Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton begin the discussion… you can add to it by commenting below or sending an email to [email protected]

That’s not all, though: first your two favorite weekend warriors discuss the blues, what it means, and how to begin learning to play it. Entertaining a crowd makes another appearance – as it should! After all, we need to Always Be Performing! Finally, Neil Young has put his technological foot in his rambling mouth again, and the guys have something to say about that!

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Playing music together often creates a very tight bond between musicians involving trust and compassion. But even though that bond is strong, it’s usually not something that’s naturally all-encompassing. How do you take that and build from it? And how do you use it to help your band? These are the interesting questions that you pose and your two favorite weekend warriors ponder.

Speaking of listener questions, this episode addresses two others: one about a story in the previous episode, and another about onesies and IEMs! Indeed, there’s a lot to unpack here, and Paul and Dave dig through it all with you.

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Two questions to start: How do you handle not-currently-in-use vocal mics? And when you setup on stage, do you make sure everyone can see each other without turning around?

That’s how this Gig Gab episode starts, folks, and then it evolves, winding up with a dissection of having your audience help you choose the right songs for them, and how to decide upon the best interpretation of those songs.

Listen as Paul and Dave, your two favorite weekend warriors, dig through all of this and more, including some feedback from you, dear listeners. After all, Gig Gab is a conversation at it’s core, and you are very much a part of it! Press play… and enjoy.

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It’s time to start off the new year by thinking about your song list. Paul and Dave have a lot to say about song selection, mostly because they’ve both made a ton of mistakes in this regard, both about songs and the process of selecting them. Learn what they’ve learned so that you can avoid these pitfalls.

But first, your two favorite weekend warriors take a breath to talk about Neil Peart, drummer for Rush who recently passed away. They each have their own connections and stories to share, both in remembrance, and as inspiration for moving forward. Neil was certainly a man who was dedicated to his crafts, and that’s one lesson Paul and Dave are happy to take as inspiration. After all, Gig Gab is but one of their crafts, and the goal is for everyone to learn and take something away from it all. Press play and enjoy!

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How often do you go back and re-evaluate the way you play a song you’ve had in your repertoire for years? Those tunes that gain “autopilot” status are easy to ignore, but there can be value in dissecting them. Dave recently went through some of this, and has some thoughts to share. Then it’s on to money, fair money. What defines fair money for you? And what happens if you’re not getting it? Paul and Dave go through this from their varied perspectives to help sort out what can be done when the money just falls short.

Finally, a list of New Years Resolutions from your two favorite Weekend Warriors wraps up the episode… and the year. Happy New Year, all! See you in January!

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