HS Talent Shows..

BenF · #1 09-25-2001, 11:00 AM

Any horror/success stories? This is what happened at our last talent show appearance..

24 hours before the '87 High School talent show we painted a big red "87" on the back of an old acoustic guitar and made some strategically placed cuts in it with a hacksaw so it'd smash easier.

The band had done the talent show for several years in a row, as well as dances, parades on flatbeds, etc.. so we were a known commodity.
At the show we went on after the Dancing Raisins (a huge smash at the time, a cultural absurdity now.) We got through the set without a hitch and ended with a frothing-at-the-mouth version of the Who's "My Generation" - I came close to nailing all the fills. Sung by Cutter, our token jock, it was complete with spitting, spluttering and the requisite stuttering. The kiddies were going nuts. During the end-of-song raveup Cutter grabbed the acoustic guitar, raised it high above his head in a totemic frenzy, and proceeded to lurch about the stage doing his best Pete Townsend. Pieces of guitar were flying everywhere - it was a grand success.

Yeah, we got chewed out for it, but it was worth it.

whiteout · #2 09-25-2001, 11:08 AM

haha....rock....

melvin · #3 09-25-2001, 06:29 PM

Yar, even though Im just now in HS last year was awesome.

We went up there only knowing one song, our version of "My Heart Will Go On" we had no singer but we brought like 10 friends onstage to sing and just jump around. So we go into it everyones like "oh sh*t not this song" when the guitarist goes into that little solo thing, then we start the punk and everyone on stage is just jumping around. Instead of everyone thrashed, except 2, they were yelling "rock and roll, this is rock n roll fellows" in brittish accents. It was the so rad.

ColdYinTiger · #4 09-25-2001, 06:46 PM

I remember my hs's tallent show when I played bass for it. We nearly shattered the glass up in the sound room.

God I love bass. I couldnt go shirtless though....I hate playing live with a shirt on, tank is the most I will go if nessesary. To damn hot. But anyways we played two songs. Origionally they would let us only played one untill I pointed out several people were in multible live acts for the TS and stated that if they dont let us play two songs I will bring this up with people above them.

I'm the evil one. Anywho it went off good and alot of people were singing the words to the songs afterwards, and people went wild after.

Bassline1414 · #5 09-26-2001, 04:51 PM

During our 8th grade talent show, we were playing a cover of "My Hero" by the Foo Fighters (If I had it my way we would've done Zeppelin or something

). Anyways, the two guitar players, the drummer, and I were all pretty tight, but our vocalist sucked. At our talent show we had to play two sets because the commons couldn't fit the whole school, so the first time we had to endure his awful voice. The second time we cranked our amps and completely drowned him out. The people in the jazz band who stayed for both sets said our second effort was better.

Eric Cameron · #6 09-26-2001, 05:39 PM

My band did the Talent show this year, and it was really cool. It was 3 days, and every day we had a unique set list, so we got lots of repete customers.

Didn't smash anything up, but got a MAJOR load of chicks screaming our name, and wanting our phone numbers.

Couldn't do that, though, cuase my G/F is the singer.

Actually, my report on that set is somewhere in this forum. Hold on, let me check.

::rumages around TB closet::

Ahh!! Here it is!! Talent Show

Rock on
Eric

downstairs · #7 09-26-2001, 07:13 PM

i wish our school had talent contests, we'd own them doing cover songs.

Brendan · #8 09-26-2001, 08:59 PM

The music I play tends to get said TS officials in an uproar.

Maybe if my band gets things together, we might be able to work something out for the Talent show this year...that is, if my school has one...

LWatford · #9 09-26-2001, 09:25 PM

Man thinking about the only talent show I ever played in makes me want to go hide somewhere! We had origianally planned to do some song (I don't remember, as my musical tastes have done a complete 180 in the past 6 years!) but the guy that wanted to sing had a horrible voice. So we put this instrumental together, that was o.k., except we had all been playing for less than 6 months! (except the drummer, he has been playing since he was two or three) When I think about the music now, I know I could do something alot better, but the one time I asked the drummer about it, he looked at me strangly and said he just wanted to forget all about it!

When we actually performed, the guitars were both out of tune, and half of the stage power went out, leaving me and the drummer playing alone. The song was built on this simple three not pattern, so it is really empty without anything with it!

I kinda see this as my first real learning experiance. Music can be fun when you don't get to serious. I just don't like talent shows for some reason!

Lee

JOhnk · #10 09-27-2001, 10:53 AM

My last serious band planned on playing Down, by STP.. we got in, against about 7 other bands. On the night of the rehearsal, we made the mistake of mentioning "shirtless, and leather pants" in our wardrobe for the show. The next day, the singer was banned from the stage (apparently for his low grades.. although people were kicked out for those purposes a month prior the the rehearsals). We refused to go on without him, but having no loyalty, i played bass for a girl singing a tory amos song. I was disappointed.. it was a 3 note song. but i got to wear the leather pants.. which i do at normal gigs anyway.

but anyway, for this year, i'm getting another group together, and we plan on doing something chili-peppers oriented. probably breaking the girl or mellowship slinky.

Comakazi · #11 09-27-2001, 11:22 AM

Ah, HS talent shows. I remember doing mine. Sophmore year, 1992, and my friends and I started a band just to do the talent show. We got together and decided to do Subdivisions by Rush, it had a keyboard part and we had to include our buddy who played keys!

So we practice this one song for like two months -- one damn song! We make it to the show and everything went great. I almost screwed up, though. I was going all crazy (yes I know it was a Rush song, but hey!) and was walking out and went to far and unplugged myself!! Luckily some guys that came and roadied for us lept over my amp and grabbed my cord, yanked me back and plugged my in just in time to do one of the runs! I got this all on tape and it is absolutely hysterical!
We even got second place, beating another band that did Limelight - a lot of Rush fans in my HS! Although, wouldn't you know it, the band that got first did a version of Starway to Heaven - OMFG. And the guitarist was so bad, that in the beginning the drummer had to come up behind him during the song and tap on his back to keep him in time!!!

But I tell you it was fun, and was the first gig I ever did, in front of 2500 people.

Ketch27 · #12 09-28-2001, 09:09 PM

This is the topic I was looking for...

Tomorrow night, my band is going to be in our HS's talent show. I'm beyond pumped. We're playing an original song called "Questions". I'm obviouly playing bass. The song is pretty easy, but everyone loves it. Half the fans there are going to be just for us. I just hope I dont fall and hurt my big ego that I've developed through all this...

Ketch27 · #13 09-28-2001, 09:10 PM

Oh yeah, it's my first real gig too...

tallguybcs · #14 10-03-2001, 11:19 PM

I had my talent show tonight! It was a blast, I played Daddy's got new socks (wrote and samg myself) with my band, and played tourettes by nirvana with some friends (great musicians, a drummer to die for). We didnt win anything, but I had the bestest time. Although the mic was crappy, so the first half of my song was vocal-less, but it was ok.

What a rush, being my first time playing in front of people, not including my church! woohoo!

ThePaste · #15 10-05-2001, 05:14 AM

I had my talent show last friday. We were supposed to have a drummer, but he didnt show for somereason! But anyway, it was just me, my friend David on guitar, and this kid I don't know singing

We played AAF "Smooth Criminal", Nirvana "Come As You Are", and Alkaline Trio "Radio". In CAYR and Radio, I got to play the lead guitar parts, so everyone thought I was really good

hehe. Radio has an especialy cool part. But anyways, the singer guy sang AAF and Nirvana, but everyone though he sucked at AAF. After the first couple of measures of AAF, we had the most unpopular (but funny) kid at school hiding behind the curtains off to the side, and he did that kid in the video's little dance (the one with the surgical mask), he just danced across the stage, but everyone thought it was brilliant! During the solo in AAF me and him jumped around around, and some of my friends started a pit!

Then we did Nirvana, and everyone loved it, the kid had a scratchy Kurt voice, so that was a little easier for him.

Then we did Radio, the favorite of the crowd, I was playing hte main part, so everyone was screaming my name, it was so cool. But David sang that song, but he was sorta outa tune, oh well though.

It was great and we got 5th place.

Eric Cameron · #16 10-08-2001, 02:14 PM

HS talent shows are the best. I hope they will let us in again this year, even though everyone except the rhythm guitarist have graduated.

Rock on
Eric

Chris3142 · #17 10-16-2001, 10:01 PM

my first talent show is tomorrow, i'm doing an original with my actual band called "20th Century Suicide Note" its sure to strike a not with the crowd because almost everyone know's who it's about. And tonight, yes, the night before the show, I was asked to play a Weezer song "Say It Aint So" because that band's bassist quit today, so i had to learn it tonight (not that it's a hard song or anything) and perform it infront of 3000 people tomorrow and the next day.. it'll be fun though, i love high school!
Chris

nikofthehill · #18 10-21-2001, 04:18 PM

last year at our talent show, me and my family were leaving for a vacation to italy(the talent show was on the friday before spring break) since i wasnt going to be there, one of the guitarists was going to borrow his dad's bass and play the bassline. BAD IDEA!

they rehearsed all week, and i tried to teach the "bassist" something about rhythm but he wouldnt hear any of it and told me to "shut up and get the f*ck out you're disturbing the rehearsal."

well the talent show rolled around and they started playing their first song (something by AFI ), which went ok. then they started playing In Bloom by Nirvana, which also started out okay. but about a third of the way through the "bassist" drops his bass, and the guitarist turns around to see what happens, and doesnt remember what to do. so the singer shouts to the drummer to take a solo, and after 2 min of drum solo, they say "we're done"

the guy who videotaped it was laughing so hard that he fell out of his seat "literally"

moral of story: never let a guitarist do a bassists job.
(he claimed that his strap was faulty)

yawnsie · #19 10-21-2001, 04:58 PM

Ah, I remember the awfulness of school concerts. In the last one I ever did, the band I was in was asked to play the Robbie Williams song "Millenium" with the school orchestra as the big finale. We turned up, and dolefully played our part. Then, as the sort of thing that sixteen years in the mistaken belief that it's rebellious, we went straight into playing one of our songs at the end of it. Wow, how hard we were back then. To make it even worse, some of the orchestra actually tried to join in! School days - happiest of yer life...

**Hategear** · #20 10-21-2001, 05:11 PM

I didn't have much talent in high school and most of our "musical talents" at the talent shows involved lip-synching.

I will probably never forget the talent show in the fourth grade, where Matt H. and Chris K. played a "song" that they wrote. Matt was on the keyboard and Chris on the guitar and they announced that the song to follow was written by them. One of the teachers asked with genuine amazement, "Really?" Chris proceeded to play random notes and chords (basically noise) and Matt banged on the keyboard like a drunken idiot. when they finished, the crowd went nuts and the teacher that asked if they really wrote their own song was applauding and grinning like she had just witnessed musical history. It would be about fifteen years before I would even think about picking up an instrument and I still knew that what I had been a party to was complete and utter crap!

Did I mention that at the time, Chris and Matt were among the five most popular kids in our school? Hmmmmm...