If you're playing stoner/doom, you're going to be playing in a lot of shitholes, because very few people are into that type of music, realistically.
Learn to have your amp levels fairly balanced before they even hit the PA. You should be able to take the sound guy totally out of the equation guitar and bass wise if need be. If it's a small place, and he thinks your stage volume is too loud, then tell him not to mic the guitar/bass, and you'll still be fine, because you've learned to balance your levels sans PA. Very important when you're up and coming, IMO. A lot of places that even "bigger" name bands play don't have an adequate PA.
Learn to adjust the amount of treble/presence on your amps to suit the room, so that your sound is always well defined. With the emphasis on low end in this genre, the importance of the mids and especially treble is oft overlooked. People feel the lows, but what cuts through the mix is the mids, and what defines the individual instruments is your treble and presence levels.
Make sure your singer learns to sing without proper monitors, or can adjust his style to just screaming his ass off if the PA really sucks.
If it's a small place without a good PA, don't bury your drummer in the way back. Have him up front and center with the rest of the band. That kick and snare are the heartbeat of the band.
Most importantly for this genre, when you're on stage, look like you fucking want to be there and that you're into what you're playing. If you look blazed out of your mind, standing still, staring at your fretboard and totally in outer space, a lot of times, it doesn't matter how well you're playing, you're not going to hold an audience. If that's your approach, you need to find some other way of capturing an audience's attention. The visual element of a live performance is another thing that's many times sadly overlooked in this genre.
Good luck man, that's my 2 cents, hope it helps...
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I was here, but I dis-appare. You can get it if you really want, but you must try, try and try, you succeed at last.
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