Author Topic: Richbass, different kind of gig (Read 110 times)

richbass939 · « **on:** May 07, 2006, 10:20:35 AM »

I've never before played a gig quite like this.
Each year the Sombrero Ranch rounds up 1000 horses from their winter range which covers about 60,000 acres. The range is in the wilderness of NW Colorado (the old Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid stomping grounds). They gather the horses up and ship them off to dude ranches, trail ride operators, etc. that lease them for the summer. The people who ride the range herding them in are a mix of staff cowboys and paying guests. About 25 guests a year pay $1750 each for 5 or 6 days of sitting in a saddle for 10 - 12 hours a day (ouch).
On Friday night they throw a party for everyone. A music buddy has had the gig for the last few years. This year I backed him up on bass. It is out in the middle of nowhere (they do have electricity, though) in an old barn. We played some newer music as well as the old cowboy songs the guests expect (eg. Rawhide, Tumbling Tumbleweeds, Ghost Riders In The Sky).
Rich

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2006, 01:56:39 PM »

Happy trails!!

richbass939 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2006, 04:41:42 PM »

Thanks, Dave. Aren't happy trails what they get at Stonetrout gigs? Bill, tgo would know for sure.
Rich

tbrannon · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2006, 06:32:24 PM »

Rich,
That's an interesting strap configuration (at least it's new to me). Care to elaborate on it?

I've spent a good deal of time in and around Ft. Collins and Cheyenne...pretty area, but come wintertime, I'd rather be somewhere else!

richbass939 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2006, 08:00:23 PM »

Toby, you are right about the weather. It can be pretty brutal at times, especially the Wyoming winds along with the cold temps.
I had to strap my bass across the wrong shoulder after an accident I had. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. About a year after I started playing bass I fell off a cliff and broke my left collarbone, right where the strap crosses it. It was too painful to strap it the conventional way. I wasn't going to give up playing bass so I had to do something. I ran the strap up over my right shoulder, across my back, and under my left armpit.
Normally I would put both strap ends on one button screwed into the upper horn near the neck. You can kind of see the extra button on the 4 string on the right. When I got my Epic 5 last year I couldn't bear the thought of drilling an unnecessary hole in another Alembic. I have the strap ends attached to another strap that attaches to the buttons that all basses have on the horn and by the bridge. You can kind of see it in the new picture.
Even though I can play a bass strapped the usual way, I have grown so used to it I can't imagine strapping my own basses any other way.
Rich

(Message edited by richbass939 on May 07, 2006)