Just Witnessed a Gig from Hell

[Boplicity]

I just returned from witnessing a "Gig from Hell" in a small South Florida town that has a lively band scene on Friday nights. Many of the small bars, cafes and restaurants on the main street feature live music with everything from a gal with an acoustic guitar singing Melissa Etheridge-type material to an all out blues rock band fully amplified.

Well, one bar favored by bikers has a large open air patio area. At this bar was playing an extremely well amplified blues rock band cranking out Joe Walsh and Eagles covers. They were going to town and clearly audible from the street.

Trouble is, right next door was a small sidewalk cafe which had for entertainment a guy and gal with acoustic guitars. They were seated on stools right at the sidewalk area. The gal had a pure, lovely voice in the style of , oh say, Joan Baez. She was singing folk songs and similar peaceful, tranquil music meant to relax the patrons of the cafe.

Yet, as luck would have it, the well-amplified band next door was drowning her and her companion out on every song. Sometimes she could be heard between songs from the neighboring band, but she would just get going and they would crank it up again.

But that wasn't enough. Someone had elected to walk their dog at the same time someone else had elected to walk his German Shepard. When these two dogs crossed paths right in front of the side walk cafe, a full scale dog barking war started. What was worse, neither dog owner seemed at all bothered by the racket their dogs were making.

I just don't know how this pair of musicians managed to keep their cool. For me it would have been nearly impossible to perform against this backdrop of competing sounds.

As both establishments regualrly feature live music, I wonder why the owners haven't tried to work an accommodation in which the performers alternate sets so that one band doesn't drown out another. I wonder if there isn't some real animosity between the owners. Who suffers most, though, are the patrons and the performers, except the loudest band may not be inconvenienced very much.

[hyperlitem]

I once witnessed a horrible show too. i went to a metal show my friend put on, didnt actually play, hes just kinda like a promoter. Anyway there were about 500 people in a space the size of a living room so the bands were scrunched up against the back wall. The first band sets up with 2 guitarists both having big crate stacks. I play guitar and bass in alot better band and ive never ever needed anything bigger than a half stack, so overkill to say the least. The drummer starts counting off and the guitarist jumps in the air to kinda do the rock and roll jump, comes down and snaps his guitar neck on the amp. I felt so bad for the kid i left to save him sum embarassment, but my friend told me he did not even have an extra guitar. Maybe if he wouldnt of gotten such a large amp he could of afforded another guitar. Well live and learn.

[rickbass]

Shoot, that makes me feel better, Jason O.!

I recently had to listen to how completely awful Jimmy Eat World and Hoobastank sound, live, compared to their studio work!!! I would have preferred to be where you were!

[Ian Hall]

Hoobastank live??? Yeeowwww. I'll pass.

[Woodchuck]

This was hell, but I enjoyed the comedic genius of it. These guys came up from Florida, and played this local bar called Lenny's. There were 3 guys with guitars, and all they played was feedback! No notes, chords, or anything, just feedback. The room erupted with people booing and throwing stuff. Finally, the owner cut the stage's power, and these bastards put down their guitars, and went to the back of the stage, and they all PULLED OUT HORNS! They started doing random screeches with their horns, until the security people threatened them with a good ol' fashion azzkicking. The funniest thing that ever happened on that stage!

[Brendan]

Sounds like you saw either a very, VERY stupid band, or an art project/avant garde experiment...

[Woodchuck]

They claimed that it was the latter.

[Josh Ryan]

Originally posted by Woodchuck
They claimed that it was the latter.

It sounds like a very stupid avante guarde art thingy to me. I would have laughed a bit myself though....

[lushfreak]

Originally posted by Woodchuck
This was hell, but I enjoyed the comedic genius of it. These guys came up from Florida, and played this local bar called Lenny's. There were 3 guys with guitars, and all they played was feedback! No notes, chords, or anything, just feedback. The room erupted with people booing and throwing stuff. Finally, the owner cut the stage's power, and these bastards put down their guitars, and went to the back of the stage, and they all PULLED OUT HORNS! They started doing random screeches with their horns, until the security people threatened them with a good ol' fashion azzkicking. The funniest thing that ever happened on that stage!

I think I would have peed my pants laughing! Hopefully, someone had a video or still camera to capture the madness!

[BWB]

You should see the situation in my city...not going
to name it, just 'cuz...but...

There is a small, thriving 'entertainment district'
where the city is pulling out all the stops to get
people to come from the 'burbs and enjoy live
music, the coffeehouses, clubs etc.

Trouble is, Thursday night is traditionally 'biker
night' in this part of the city. We're 'treated' to
a couple hundred Harleys and their attendant
noise every Thursday night. I didn't think anything
of it until my brother-in-law had a singer/songwriter
gig at a coffeehouse down there and was absolutely
drown out by motorcycle engines. Gratuitous,
"I'm-doing-this-cause-I'm-a-redneck' engine
revving - not actually driving the bike. My B-O-L
said 'never again' for Thursday nights after that,
and in fact, it's chilled all the local clubs for
Thursday night entertainment down there.
They keep calling for gigs, and we both have told
them (any club that calls) that for a Thursday
night the answer is no, I'm not going to battle
cycle noise in front of no one for no money.
Sorry!

Stupid - yet true.