What’s In your Gig Bag?
Everyone keeps a gig bag with everything they need for–well–their gigs. It could range from extra strings to a little bit of lucky they bring with them to ever performance. Making Music wanted to see what professional musicians kept in their gig back. Check out the answers below to our complex question, “What’s in you gig bag?”
NOT SURE WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR GIG BAG?
HERE ARE THE ESSENTIAL ITEMS
Four Band-Aids, 19-sticks (why is it always an odd number??!!), three drum keys, a piece of blank white paper folded up into an airplane (I was always good at doing
that as a kid and I’m not sure why I’m still doing this at 48 years old).”
~ Shawn Drover
drummer for Megadeth
Setlist, picks, screwdriver, capo, earplugs, needle nose pliers, Snark tuner, Sharpie, truss rod wrench,
multi-tool, stringwinder, and strings.”
~ Phil Solem
guitarist for The Rembrandts
“ Stainless steel guitar picks for hyper-speed guitar shredding on ‘The Flight of the Bumble-Bee,’ four violin bows (I go through at least two bows worth of horsehair per show playing Paganini), and Beethoven’s picture—the Great Kat is the reincarnation of Beethoven and he goes everywhere with me!”
~ The Great Kat
guitarist and violinist
“ Several Regal wood tip Groover drumsticks,
Vic Firth tympani mallets and brushes, Calato Blasticks, one Huey Lewis and the News Tour laminate, several drum keys, two blue Sharpies, a roll of rubber medical tape, and a bottle of Duffy’s Habanero chili oil.”
~ Bill Gibson
drummer for Huey Lewis and The News
Extra strings, a tuner, and baby powder to make the neck of my bass super slick!”
~ John Regan
bassist for Frehley’s Comet
“ A nail file and clippers (I make extra dough on the side giving people post-show manicures) and a picture of where I live (I do about 230 shows a year and I can’t remember what my bedroom looks like).”
~ Steve Poltz
singer/songwriter/Guitarist
“ In my stick bag I have mints
or gum, protein bars, “energy” vitamin C, a pin to pop my blisters, Moongel, a drum key, and of course, sticks!”
~ Liberty DeVitto
drummer, formerly with Billy Joel
“ Cheat sheets, an extra t-shirt, and never, ever forget hair product!”
~ Rob Arthur
keyboardist for Peter Frampton
“ An emery board …
keeps my nails in shape for playing finger style, cam style strap locks, a Snark tuner, extra strings, a glass slide, a No. 2 yellow pencil (graphite for lubricating the nut on my guitar), picks (including thumb picks). I never bring my own cable … someone else always ends up owning it.”
~ Jeff Carlisi
founding member, lead guitarist and songwriter for .38 Special
“ My Hello Kitty watch!”
~ Lisa Loeb
singer/songwriter
“ Wire cutters, picks, two small screwdrivers, a truss rod wrench, setlist, and a pedal power supply. I don’t use gig bags. All my tools and spares are carried with my pedals. My guitar case has cutters, strings, toner, and strap.”
~ Joey Molland
guitarist/vocalist formerly with Badfinger
