Playing outside in the cold

[Bert]

Had an outdoor gig yesterday. It was cold, by California standards at least. I couldn't play for shit! Is there a trick to dealing with this? Tried keeping hands in pockets before the second set, and it worked for first few songs, but then my hands got cold again and the suckage resumed. I see metal bands playing outside in freaking freezing weather and they seem to do fine. How is that possible?!

[Axegrinder87]

Alcohol

[Bert]

Alcohol

Huh, interesting thought. There was no alcohol allowed at this particular event. Coincidence? Maybe not!

[Axegrinder87]

No alcohol!!??!?!? Denied!!!!!!

[BayRocker]

Only play cold weather events that allow alcohol.

[Axegrinder87]

Better yet, only play ANY events that allow alcohol. Especially church events, or is that only here in the south?

[Bert]

This was a charitable fundraiser event at a public highschool. But yeah, no gigs without alcohol is my new rule!

[Twitch]

Dont stand there like a stick in the mud. Keep your whole body moving, and your extremities will stay warm enough. Might try some fingerless gloves too. Of course, gloves may be overkill, but here, cold means 40s or lower. Weve got this saying around here regarding outdoor unfavorable weather gigs, FUCK THAT, book the other guys.

[Axewielder]

Alcohol

^^^ this. You are still going to play like shit, but you'll think you are kicking ass!

[Axegrinder87]

Even in 40 degree weather, if you're not sweating, you're not doing it right.

[SARJ]

Good call Axewielder! Took the words out of my mouth. I say mind over matter. When you are leaning over the edge of the ramp and chicks are grabbing your legs and your other than alcohol buzz is about to peak and you know it.......nothing can stop you not even the cold! Seriously though. I played in the snow, Nov. 1988, in New Mexico. The first song was Rocket Queen, GnR and it was nothing. The second song was Not Your Fool, Cinderella. The slower we went the colder we got. The cramping sensation set in. My drummer stood up and went to the mic and yelled, "Who wants to get warmer"? At this point mostly die hards were there drinking of course. We started playing SOD and Anthrax stuff as well as the Metallica style version of Last Caress and we all forgot the cold for a while. The tempo of the song helps, but when you look good doing it they don't mind and it don't matter if you suck. Ask Primus...they'll tell you they suck in any climate.

[mjtripper]

How about putting a small forced air heater or 500 watt halogen work light on the drum riser and when your hand gets cold stand with your hand in front of it for a bit? Plus fingerless gloves and keep moving around on stage. I hear alcohol helps

[Chad]

[joshulator]

Wrist bands help slightly. Also, use one of those mic stand things that holds your picks. It will make it easier to grab a new one when they fall out of your numb hands.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I just let the flames coming off my fretboard warm my fingers all nice and toasty.

[KevinDguitar]

Go to your local sporting goods store or WalMart, etc.. go to the sports section.. for hunters and campers they have these little credit card sized handwarmers.. you crack them and hold them in your hands.. the chemicals on the inside react and give off heat.. they're fairly inexpensive and you can keep it in your pocket and in between songs ,etc.. warm your hands back rather quickly. A portable heater works wonders as well.. I have one that you can put water in and there's a steam setting.

[ginsambo]

I can landscape at 4 F all day wearing just a T shirt. Put me on an open top mini digger or helping do fiddly external electrics at 34 F in the freezing fog and I last about 10 minutes before my hand goes permanently numb and takes three hours of painful thawing out. You got to keep moving and eat lots the night/morning before and stay dry.

Ray Mears reckons you are more likely to get hypothermia at 37-41 F as the humidity is up so the chill effect is alot more, especially of you are wet, and believe me it rains a lot here with a northerly gale up your ass.

Man there are homeless buskers around in the UK that would put you lot to shame. Unfortunately that is what air conditioning does to you. It sensitizes you to the cold and the heat. Typically its a different kind of cold in the North East USA to the UK as the humidity is always down in temperate USA in winter. Believe me it feels colder in the UK when you are soaked to the skin. If there is snow on the ground or below 30 F you are laughing, as its generally dry. Although in the UK the dewpoint is usually 1 degree C below the temperature and the humidity is always up and usually its a case of freezing fog lingering around 0 C /32F.

Honestly, I can't believe how soft you lads in the USA have become.Possibly you are a soft lad, but rationally speaking there is some logic to explain what you experience, cold in California probably does feel colder as I would imagine its more like the UK when its unseasonably cold as the humidity is way up and the dewpoint is just a degree or so below the temperature, which means in the shade the air is condensing on you and this does your body more harm than freezing weather which is completely desert dry, that is how its done....unless you happen to just be especially soft, which coming from California you probably are.

Get a space heater in front of you.

No joke though, I don't know how you people in the north east survive, what with the sort of temperatures you get, let alone play outside. Fuck that! Way too hot in the summer man!

But seriously...respect!

[RacerX]

^^^ this. You are still going to play like shit, but you'll think you are kicking ass!

Like Peter & Lois Griffin at that one gig they played baked!