It happens relatively frequently. Usually it's a matter of time or ease, especially when bands tour. I know it's most common just to backline drum kits, and leave the amps up to guitarists.

I'd say it's only rude to refuse a backline if you're playing a show where EVERYONE else wants to backline, unless you're first or last. Just be polite about it, and you'll be fine.

~B~

If there are multiple bands on the bill, we usually do a backline, at least drums and bass amp. When you have three or four bands playing and you have to switch out everything, it makes the turn around too long and people lose interested as well as the other bands don't get to play as long as they would like. If someone wants to use all their own gear on one of those milti-band deals we put on, we usually say you play first or last and if you play first you better have your gear off quickly or there will be some pissed off bands who get short changed on the amount of time they get to play.

Just using your own guitar amp and usuing other peoples bass amp and drums is a quick turn around and we do that all the time, it's just the drums and bass amps that are the hassle.

By the way, most people, including me, are stoked when they get to use someone else's gear and don't have to lug their crap through a busy club and then drag it back home at night. I love walking out of a place with a backpack and a guitar.

What ever floats your boat, brotha...
Ted

Getting a bass amp and drums on stage takes no more time than getting guitar amps on stage. It isn't like a bass amp is any different from a guitar amp. Also, drums should always be set up beforehand.

People are free to use my gear but I want what I'm comfortable with and what the other guys are comfortable.

Hey Taylor, I was checking out some pics on your new website and saw one of you behind some green Ayottes. Are those yours? Couldn't blame you for wanting to play those on stage.

It is just not true that it doesn't take any longer to switch out drums and everything else than it does to do a backline. Adrien and I put on the Surf Stomp every year with between 8 and 10 bands and it just wouldn't work without a backline. We actaully dis-invite anyone who insists on using their own drum set and bass amp.

You are right about bass amps being the same time to switch out than guitar amps, but what I meant was bassists, usually, aren't as anal about using their own amps as guitarists are so I provide my bass rig for those gigs and everyone seems happy. Maybe they are not all matching oxblood sparkle whatever but the sound is the same.

Taylor is right about bringing your own kick pedal and stuff to personalize the kit and it works really well and saves a lot of time and hassle. That's why our pals from the Lava Rats have played 3 Surf Stomps and are welcome any time back down in here is SoCal.

Good point Taylor

One last thing. There are times when it's perfectly fine not to backline even when you know the other bands.

drummer-Lava Rats

My biggest pet peeve when it comes to backlining a multiband bill are the drummers (usually not very experienced) that insist on tearing down and casing their drums on stage. I recently played a show where the opening band's drummer went so far as to start wiping down his cymbals and stands before casing them on stage. My drummer lost it and started removing the guy's kit, while assembled, from the stage for him until he caught on. Needless to say that band will not be playing with us again.

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as a member form the audience, it really doesn't bother me if set up between bands takes 30 minutes. who cares, more time drinking and talking, what I do hate however is people who lug gear through the venue. so that makes it a matter of how much space there is on and beside/behind the stage.

as a player, know what annoys me? when you're like 3 minutes on with cleaning out your stuff and allready the guys form the next band come onto the stage, overcrowding it, stepping on your stuff, pushing it aside, giving you angry looks. rock star attitude

when we play togetehr I usually am vry quick to say, "well, we'll put our backline up, anywaone who wants to use anything that's okay. 90% of the time it works out like said above, the bass and drum stay, guitar amps get switched. and everyone is happy.

with all our local gigs so far, we also managed to arrange with the venue we could pick up our stuff next day. no one has to drive , and you can get off stage and have your hands free after playing.

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JakeDobner
I like about 15-25 minutes in between bands. Audiences don't want 50 minute plus sets or 5 minutes between sets.

I agree completely. I do think it is worth pointing out that with a backline, you get a cozy fifteen minutes - guitarists can get everything dialed in, and the drummer can position their cymbals just like so, and get everything set up the way they want. When EVERYTHING gets swapped around, that can easily take up to half an hour to change over, even more. Especially on a small or a raised stage, where it's not a matter of putting things to the side, it's courtesy to give a band ten minutes to clear everything off (which usually includes a drum set) and then, if you give fifteen minutes for set up, you're already at 25 minutes. As was mentioned earlier, a LOT of bands out there don't know protocol for fast changeovers, and you end up bumping heads of stage space during that changeover period.

Backlining in SOME situations just makes more sense. Granted, if there are only two or three bands, and there is room in the club for excess gear, then there is no reason at all to backline (save convenience), but when there are multiple bands and/or space is limited, backlining makes everyone's life easier.

~B~