Article no. 4 in the Gig Contract:

“Stage must include an 8’x8’ level, stable riser on which to set up drums.”

So many bands include something like this in their contracts, but I laugh when I think about how many gigs I’ve played on non-level surfaces. I remember a gig in particular where I had to set up on mulch. Not good...

When I was in college a few years ago, I played a wedding gig with a local brass band. I remember this being one of the highest paid gigs I’d had so far, which was a big deal for me as a college student. Needless to say, I knew it would be a fun gig. This was a five-piece brass band plus drumset, and we were playing all sorts of New Orleans-style and swing standards. However, this wedding wasn’t just any wedding...not because of who was getting married, but because of where it was taking place.

This couple had met at this big university where they both graduated, so it made sense to literally have...