Hey guys! I finally got a chance to post a thread about my adventures drumming in the Yukon, since I've reached the half-way mark (two weeks to go!).

I wanted to first thank all the great drummers here at HOD for all the advice and support prior to leaving for this gig, it's been very useful!

Whitehorse is a small city of 20,000 people (your average major city's hockey arena max capacity) located in the Yukon, next to Alaska. We (The Captials) are playing at a club coincidentaly called The Capital, which is a pretty seedy place, but never a dull moment! I see it as a great experience and as paying my dues as an up-and-coming drummer (once again!). Afterall, it is free accomodation and decent pay. However, they didn't tell me that the room comes with a free pet MOUSE! I call him "Speedy Petey". I am learning to live with him since he seems to have grown immune to the "mouse treats" I feed him (poison). Anyhow...

We play here 4 nights a week. Two of those nights we host as jam nights where we have met many great local and travelling musicians! Even on the jam nights we are to play a couple of our sets and remain on stage 80% of the time. I thought I would be overwhelmed playing 5 sets, 4 nights a week (9pm - 2am!) - but it has been OK on me! Not even a dropped or broken stick so far and I have even been playing HEAVY many times. Like, Arnoff HEAVY... mind you I've been switching sticks as one begins to feel wonky.

I think that when playing long sets as a "bar band" or any band for that matter, it comes down to these things:
1- Technique
2- Water (sometimes beer) [img]tongue.gif[/img]
3- Towel
4- Fan
5- Monitors
6- Fans (people/audience = inpiration)

Without some of these things it would be much more difficult I'm sure. I have also found that I don't necesarily need to "warm up". If I treat the first set as a warm-up in itself and not play quite as intense, then I am warmed up by the second set. I have had no problems at all with any type of pains in my back or hands, or anywhere else -remarkably - which is what I was worried about given the "hours of operation". I hate to admit it, but having a beer or two really loosens you up - which is something I have always been very much against (drinking/playing-working)... but hey, it's free, it does the trick and no one seems to mind at all [img]smile.gif[/img]

Well, that's it for now. Next time I manage to return online I will have some stories to share! Keep on rockin' in the free world,
Chris