guitard goes AWOL

[dlstyley]

So we've been playing together for about a dozen shows now. We get a gig last Thursday out on the patio of a local bar. It's windy and super humid this time of year. Not idea conditions, but what can you do? Guitard says "it's going to rain". I check the radar on my phone - no rain I tell him.

During the 2nd song, the humidity is turning into occasional droplets of light mist (we're pretty close to the coast and it happens this time of year). Barely noticable. Nobody in the crowd is bothered a bit.

I look over during the middle of the song and our guitard has already put his guitar away and is just standing there. After the song, he starts pitching a fit about how there is no way he is playing his $3500 guitar in the rain (the mist has stopped by now). After he finishes his tantrum, he tells us he'll be right back after he runs home to get his other guitar.

After he leaves, the lead singer shrugs and calls out the next song. After about 6 more songs (that sounded really tight I might add), I see guitard pull into the parking lot and notice that we are playing without him. He parks, sprints over to the front door, fights his way through the crowd, and make it on stage. He finally gets all his pedal crap plugged in and straightened out and turns around just as we finish the song. Crowd is cheering and our guitar hero is ready to rock. Lead singer walks up to the mic and says "Thank you! Now we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back".

We all walk off stage leaving guitard boy standing there with a deer in headlights look. So what does he do? What any good guitard does - he starts noodling around on his freakin waterproof guitar, as if he's making up for all those lead riffs he missed.

GRRRRRRR.......

[FuzzBoxVoodoo]

He should have been prepared for the gig and brought the right guitar for the conditions.
It sounds like you not real tight with him either so Im sure he probobaly wont be missed.

[Munjibunga]

Good story.

[dlstyley]

He actually does add something to the music, but it's pretty clear that we can function without him too. I just can't stand the "I'm the center of the universe" outlook on things. This includes:

- noodling incessantly between songs as well as before and after sets
- playing too loud
- never knowing the songs by name (all originals)
- rarely helping with teardown of shared equipment

Now I can add "abandoning the band in the middle of a song" to the list

sorry for that rant.... I really don't mean to disrespect guitar players (I are one), but this was a whole new level of jackassery. I think I'll add a taser to my gig bag just in case it gets unbearable one night.

[kesslari]

Originally Posted by dlstyley

sorry for that rant.... I really don't mean to disrespect guitar players (I are one), but this was a whole new level of jackassery. I think I'll add a taser to my gig bag just in case it gets unbearable one night.

Tasing your guitarist in the rain might add a really awesome level of entertainment to your set.

[dlstyley]

Good point... I was thinking of using it for "negative reinforcement", but who needs fancy light shows and pyrotechnics when you can send 50,000 volts through the guitar player.

[jazzciggarette]

fleeing stage mid song is almost never a good idea.

[Mike Shevlin]

Originally Posted by jazzciggarette

fleeing stage mid song is almost never a good idea.

yea~ There have been a few times in my life when I have discovered, mid song, that a band member was....ah....not there. Usually the guitarist.

[atheos]

Originally Posted by dlstyley

After the song, he starts pitching a fit about how there is no way he is playing his $3500 guitar in the rain (the mist has stopped by now).

My solution to that? Never ever even consider taking a $3500 instrument to an outside gig

Actually, I'd never even purchase so expensive instrument because I hate the "what if something happens" feeling. Cheap enough gear = no worries (as long as it's not too cheap so that I'd need to worry about the reliability). If it gets busted or stolen then so be it. I'll get another one or fix it later.

[Basshappi]

Wow, and he's still a bandmember? If someone pulled a stunt like that in any of the bands I've been in they would have been fired on the spot!

[MooseLumps]

I'd have fired him for noodling. Nothing screams "I don't care 'bout my band mates or audience" like farting around on your instrument.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Cool story, thanks for sharing.

Originally Posted by Mike Shevlin

yea~ There have been a few times in my life when I have discovered, mid song, that a band member was....ah....not there. Usually the guitarist.

Really?

I thought I was about alone with that.

On a very unformal corporate gig (our EX singers workplace) we suddenly realized mid-song that we were missing one person. The rythm guitarist decided that it was time to pee, and so he went outside. It was pitch black night so it took a while to get him back as he got lost . The next day he didn't remember such a thing happened at all, and even tried to deny it .

Regards
Sam

[ysand]

Apart from the whole guitard attitude thing, this is a good example of why someone should have a cheap back-up instrument

[txbasschik]

I'm an RGV/Gulf Coast girl, living in the Hill Country now. If that boy can't play in a little mist, honey, he is in the wrong part of the world. What on earth does he do about the salt air? Freak out every day?



Cherie

[txbasschik]

Originally Posted by MooseLumps

I'd have fired him for noodling. Nothing screams "I don't care 'bout my band mates or audience" like farting around on your instrument.

Except maybe wussing out over a little bit of mist and running off.

Cherie

[dlstyley]

Originally Posted by txbasschik

Except maybe wussing out over a little bit of mist and running off.

Cherie

You said it... Where we live, it's so humid that at certain times of the year, the wind blows through your shirt and leaves it soaked.

Besides, when its 99.9% relative humidity out, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether it is or is not raining - your gear is soaking anyway.

Maybe I should cut him some slack... he is a Yankee after all. I hear they can't help it.

[EricF]

These are all violations...

- Bailing in the middle of a song/set/gig
- Noodling between songs/sets
- Playing too loud
- Not knowing the material (song names count, too)
- Not helping load in/out, if help is needed
- Not being prepared for the gig (correct gear for the situation is part of being prepared)

Your guitard needs an attitude adjustment pretty quickly, or needs to be shown the door.

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by dlstyley

You said it... Where we live, it's so humid that at certain times of the year, the wind blows through your shirt and leaves it soaked.

Besides, when its 99.9% relative humidity out, it doesn't make a bit of difference whether it is or is not raining - your gear is soaking anyway.

Maybe I should cut him some slack... he is a Yankee after all. I hear they can't help it.

Oh, come on. I'm from the left coast, I wouldn't have pulled crap like that. Going to an outdoor gig and it looks like it might rain? Just bring an instrument that didn't cost $3500. Simple.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by Sartori

Oh, come on. I'm from the left coast, I wouldn't have pulled crap like that. Going to an outdoor gig and it looks like it might rain? Just bring an instrument that didn't cost $3500. Simple.

+1

Why would you gig with a $3500 guitar anyway?

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

+1

Why would you gig with a $3500 guitar anyway?

If I was rich? I don't know. I've never paid that much for an instrument.