Well I tend to make breaks a part of the show for everyone. I always break it down for them. That a sixteen measure instrumental break is a 'beer break', that means you've got time to wet your whistle and get ready for the next verse or whatever. Footnote: I always keep a table on the stage, I don't let them come up to sing with a beer in hand, or a cigarette. Not that I object to either, but just not around my equipment, or when there's a group of folks, and they're going to be huddled in close to the mics.
24 measures, means you've got just about enough time to go back to your own table and grab your beer and get your arse back up to the stage before the next verse.
Now if it's songs like 'Riders on the Storm' you've got enough time during one break
(60 measures) to actually go to the bar and order a drink, but I don't recommend it,
as the bar may be backed up.
The beginning of 'Free Bird', you've got a minute plus to go take a leak as long as there's not a line and you pee real quick. At the end of the vocal part of 'Free Bird' I always walk up cos folks will still be standing there when the guitar solo starts, I always tell them, 'your job here's done, you can clock out and go sit back down'.
It's funny because when I'm doing a song, I'll even announce 'beer break' when the measure is long enough, everyone in the audience will raise their glass in a toast, which is actually kinda cool.
Now if I can just get them to quit dancing in front of the dayumed monitor while people are trying to sing....
Oh well if that's the least of my complaints, then life is good.
James
Maninblack