Prison Gig

[vinny]

My outreach band (Roadhouse Revival) is heading out in about an hour to go to a prison in Kingman, AZ. for a show/outreach. Wish me luck. I'll post a report tomorrow on how it went.

[Valerus]

Sounds like an interesting gig. Good luck!!

[bassteban]

If you really want this thread to belong in *humor* you should wear a dress to the gig.

[vinny]

Yeah, literally a captive audience.

[von buck]

That's the one gig I never played, however my mother was a singer and she would take me to gigs now and then. A few times I accompanied her to prison gigs, I was around 7 or 8. The seemed like a nice bunch of guys, kept trying to get me to leave the secure area and sit with them.
Andy

[Jim Campbell]

its a noble idea......one of my favorite albums is johnny cash at folsom/filmed at huntsville tx im told.....but the older i get the more often im reminded about why a lot of those guys are there

[Darko74]

I've done one of them here in Dublin years ago was pretty nuts.

[vinny]

This one is a minimum security. I believe it's mostly drug offenses of the non-violent variety.

[Toastfuzz]

I hear the train a comin'
It's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine,
Since, I don't know when,
I'm stuck in Folsom Prison,
And time keeps draggin' on,
But that train keeps a-rollin',
On down to San Antone.

[kesslari]

I did one a bunch of years ago. It was not miminum security. It was a very heavy experience - good, but heavy. I'll be interested to hear your report. Here's mine:

You know that scene in prison movies when the door swings shut and there's this heavy "you're not getting out of here for a long time" echo of the shutting door?
That really happens. BOOM (oom oom oom) as the door shuts after we went in.
All our equipment was, of course, searched.
You'd think "these guys will be an easy audience, they're starved for entertainment".
No way. They were like "yeah? prove you're worth listening to".
Once they started to dig it (which happened pretty early on) they were, indeed, a great and appreciative audience.
I couldn't help but think, looking at individuals in the audience "I wonder what he's in here for?"
And the other recurring thought I had was that at the end of the night, I'd be going home - to my house, where my girlfriend was waiting. And if I wanted to stop at a Dennys on the way home, or whatever, I could. And in the morning I could go out to breakfast, or for a long walk, if I wanted. And these guys were going back to a cell...every night...
Heavy. Glad I did it, and a good experience, but not what I'd call an entirely fun one.

Good luck. I'll be interested to read your thoughts afterwards.

[thumpbass1]

Hey congrats on doing a prison gig. I've done a few in the past and they were good experiences, in a very interesting way for me, as prisons are a whole other world. I've found convicts to be pretty much an apprecitive audience in general. It's hard to not to wonder why they are there in the first place, but they are people too, who love to be entertained like the rest of society. I was glad that I got to do the few prison gigs that I did. Keep us posted on how it goes for you.

[willgroove2]

I have done a bunch of those,i used to work with a group that went to prisons regularly. 2 things stick out for me 1. Going to a women prison on valentines day, as a man I have never felt so appreciated and fearful at the same time. 2 seeing guy's who grow up in my neighborhood and them calling out to me by name.

[Jeff K]

Originally Posted by von buck

That's the one gig I never played, however my mother was a singer and she would take me to gigs now and then. A few times I accompanied her to prison gigs, I was around 7 or 8. The seemed like a nice bunch of guys, kept trying to get me to leave the secure area and sit with them.
Andy

[infamusblkdeath]

Originally Posted by kesslari

I did one a bunch of years ago. It was not miminum security. It was a very heavy experience - good, but heavy. I'll be interested to hear your report. Here's mine:

You know that scene in prison movies when the door swings shut and there's this heavy "you're not getting out of here for a long time" echo of the shutting door?
That really happens. BOOM (oom oom oom) as the door shuts after we went in.
All our equipment was, of course, searched.
You'd think "these guys will be an easy audience, they're starved for entertainment".
No way. They were like "yeah? prove you're worth listening to".
Once they started to dig it (which happened pretty early on) they were, indeed, a great and appreciative audience.
I couldn't help but think, looking at individuals in the audience "I wonder what he's in here for?"
And the other recurring thought I had was that at the end of the night, I'd be going home - to my house, where my girlfriend was waiting. And if I wanted to stop at a Dennys on the way home, or whatever, I could. And in the morning I could go out to breakfast, or for a long walk, if I wanted. And these guys were going back to a cell...every night...
Heavy. Glad I did it, and a good experience, but not what I'd call an entirely fun one.

Good luck. I'll be interested to read your thoughts afterwards.

i know EXACTLY what you mean!! great story!

[vinny]

Okay, here's the story. Great gig for a very receptive audience. Everything went very smoothly as it relates to the setup/teardown & music.

Now for the not-so-fun part...to get in obviously there would be a search. What we weren't counting on is being outside in the rain for close to an hour while the search was performed. The guards had us all (four vehicles) unload our rigs & stuff outside in the rain while they checked through it all. Then the stuff that was deemed unacceptable was quartered in their secured guardhouse. Some examples of these items are cell phones, tools in a gig bag, money, & changes of clothes as well as anything not included in our pre-approved lists. So there I was after loading in, soaking wet without my dry clothes to change into. Bummer. After that we sound checked & played the gig. It was excellent beyond my expectations & all the hassles of the search in the rain faded away. Great gig.

Once we were finished we broke down & had to wait about another hour for final count to be performed on the inmates before we could head to the gate to get out. Guess what happened then. Another search just like the incoming procedure. Same rain, same gear out of the vehicles, same hour-long ordeal. I suppose these would have been minor inconveniences had it not been for the weather. All in all it was mostly just a nuisance considering I would be leaving & going home to my wife & my own warm bed.

I can't remember ever playing for a more receptive & appreciative audience.

While I was playing I couldn't help but scan the crowd & wonder why each may have been incarcerated. On that night it didn't matter as they were all peaceable & well-mannered, yet enthusiastic. We have a standing invitation to go back & we will in spring. We can set-up outside next time & all inmates can come if it's their desire.

We included our own personal testimonies & an altar call toward the end of the night in which six inmates accepted Jesus Christ as personal Lord & Savior. Great reward for an awesome gig.

[spiritbass]

Way cool, Vinny. I did a couple of these with our High School jazz band a few decades ago. A big difference - searches took place indoors out of the weather. I may be doing more in the near future. My bandleader has been talking about some prison outreaches...

[TimmyBoomBoom]

"Who's here on a first date? Raise your hand."

[Ric5]

I bet "we gotta get out of this place" would be popular.

[9mmMike]

Very cool report. Thanks for sharing it.

[Jared92]

Originally Posted by vinny

...in which six inmates accepted Jesus Christ as personal Lord & Savior.

Word!