It was a great night. The bar held a costume contest that helped the draw. We played well and even had a decent audience after 12 for a change. All were had by a good time!
But......
It could have gone completely south earlier in the evening.
Some piece of human garbage (to be known hereafter as Knob to avoid more offensive descriptors) stole the drummers portable digital recorder from a bag on a table he was sitting next to. All the while watching us set up with a pleasant smile on his face. Drummer realized it was gone in time and ended up finding the Knob in a bathroom stall. Drummer had him trapped in there and wasn’t going to let him out till he turned over the goods. Knob is lucky to be alive with Drummer leaving the bathroom without one of Knobs arms. Drummer is a very large Irish tempered fellow.
But there’s more: Knob strolls out of the bathroom all cocky and giving the bar staff attitude for making him leave. He's Giving us attitude on the way out too. Guitarist and I follow behind him and the bar girls for some moral support, then guitarist spouts off some choice words and Knob fires back. Next thing you know the Knob is calling guitarist out and it’s about to go to blows. The bar girls are no barrier, so I end up putting guitarist in a bear hold and push him back inside while the girls shoo the Knob down the way. I stay outside and make sure he’s still moving in the right direction.
Knob casually strolls down the strip mall and I see him go inside some other place, a VFW post. Just then Drummer comes out after he’s realized that Knob still has his charger and some cables. We run down to the VFW and find him calmly sitting at the bar (uninvited) like nothing’s happened. Drummer proceeds to make it clear to him that death is near unless he turns over the rest of the stuff. Meanwhile the VFW his having their own loud party and a couple of scraggly old vets turn their attention to the developing scene at the bar. They demand to know what the hell we all are doing in their private club. Drummer explains the situation and they see the “sincerity” and turn to Knob and suggest he give up the stuff and get the hell out of their place.
Knob plays innocent, I inform him that he’s on his way to jail and start dialing 911. Slowly he starts pulling items out of his pockets like he doesn’t know they are in there. One thing, “More” Another thing “More”, finally Drummer is satisfied all his stuff is back. VFW crew escorts the Knob out the door and follow him through the parking lot, hoping to find out what he’s driving. Meanwhile I’m still on with the cops giving a description. Knob just keeps strolling the parking lot, then down the street. I direct the officers to where they may find him and they catch up to him shortly about a ¼ mile away.
Another cop comes to talk to us and get the story, I end up leaving Drummer with the cop because it’s like 8:45 and I still need to get into my costume to play at 9. Unfortunately the Knob doesn’t seem to have any outstanding warrants (to my surprise) Drummer comes away without pressing charges because of the time and hassle it would surely turn out to be, but satisfied that he has Knob's name and a police report. All Drummer can say is “This isn’t over”.
Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and it didn’t derail the night. Although Drummer was beating his kit into submission more than usual that night. I swear his snare hits were as loud as rifle shots for the 1st two sets.
Fun Fun Fun
