Embarrassing night.

Mr. Pitiful · #1 03-30-2003, 06:59 AM

We played a two night gig at our regular monthly bar. Saturday was good, reall good, of course thats because all the good musicians came out on Friday.
YUP, FRIDAY...or "hell night" as I like to call it, when everything went wrong. Three other musicians came out to see us that night that I dont know real well but enough to know that they are pretty good. Usually we are VERY tight, we should be, we have been playing the same crap for years, but deciced to throw together a bunch of new songs for once. Well, our drummer couldnt make practice, but we thought we could pull them off anyway....WRONG. The first three songs I had written down the wrong key, as I tried in desperation to get the rest of the guys to follow me jumping up to the "RIGHT" key. They did, but never at the same time. We were all guessing at chords, trying in vain to to transpose and sing on the spot. There was a point whre I actually just slid my hand up and down the neck hoping to hit one of the notes one of the other guys were playing so at least two of us would match. You have no idea just how bad it sounded. Well then, the guitar player who was singing one of the songs, has a chip on his shoulder so when I do one of my favorite, done it forever songs, decides to pay me back by playing half a verse ahead of the rest of us...UHHH. It took us till the second set to get things right and finally decide to can the new list and go back to the old one, of course, all the "good" musicians left after the FIRST set. It always seems to go that the only night that just absolutely sucks, the one person you dont want to be there walks in.

Mr. Pitiful

Stinsok · #2 03-30-2003, 04:51 PM

I know exactly how you feel. Early in my musical life we played at this dive on the weekends that was frequented by all of the local musicians. I just knew they were in the audience picking us apart, and it really messed with my head. One guy put it into perspective for me- he said "screw 'em, you're the one with the gig!" As for bad nights, they are going to happen. Sometimes we would have sets that were pure brilliance and sometimes you just want to shoot yourself!

Mr. Pitiful · #3 03-30-2003, 05:17 PM

We have had some songs now and then that just bomb, but for the most part they have all been pretty tight. I have been in this band for 11 years, and we all know these songs front and back. But one thing starts the ball rolling and it just rolled, and rolled, and rolled. New songs, wrong keys, and with the drummer not making practice, we didnt know where or when to end the songs. Saturday went great, smooth, grooved well, and had a much better mix from the board. I almost got into a fight, but I still had a great night because the music was going so well.

Mr. Pitiful

vegaas · #4 03-31-2003, 05:20 PM

I can relate. I just posted my story from Friday night in the Milwaukee gig spam thread. It was the worst night I have had on stage.

vegaas · #5 03-31-2003, 07:53 PM

Ok, I just dont get it. Just talked to a friend of mine. He is a friend of one the musicians who was at our show friday. The musician, who I know and respect, told my friend that I really rocked friday. He said it was the best he has seen me play! I thought I was terrible. I guess it just goes to show that our perspective of ourselves isn't always what others are seeing.

P.S. Does this mean I really sucked the other time he saw me? I remember the show, and I thought I was really on that night.