SPINAL TAP MOMENT

resinboy · #1 11-14-2011, 07:27 PM

Went saturday night, to a Woodstock Tribute show. There was maybe 8 performers doing there best to lookj and sound like some major acts from that era( Jefferson Airplane, Hendryx, Melanie, Doors, etc).
Well, being a bass player myself, I of course zero in on the "house" band that they used to back up all of the performers.
Well, on this 1 tune, the bass player, who was using a Rick, started the song, but lost his output to his amp (I could clearly see his stack from where I was sitting) maybe 30 seconds into the song. Of course, the entire low end dropped out. He spent the next 5 minutes wiggling cables, playing with the head, tapping the pedalboard, all the while trying to look like he was playing all the right notes. The song comes to the finale, and his signal kicks back in , perhaps 15 seconds from the end of the song. The guy running the board must have been trying things on his end, because he had the poor guys bass slider way too high on the board when it finally kicked in. I felt so sorry for the guy, but I guess we all have Spinal Tap moments

Dave

Bassmanbob · #2 11-14-2011, 07:32 PM

Batteries from my wireless going dead midsong.

I always have a cable handy just in case... oh, and NEW AA batteries for every gig.

Texan · #3 11-15-2011, 01:55 PM

I had a pedal on my pedalbord that would short out at random moments...did realize it was the pedal until I up graded and gave it to a buddy and it blew out on him...

richtea · #4 11-17-2011, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassmanbob

Batteries from my wireless going dead midsong.

I always have a cable handy just in case... oh, and NEW AA batteries for every gig.

same issue, same solution. I used to buy expensive batteries and do three or four gigs on them and finally got caught out. Now I buy seriously cheap ones and throw them out each gig, works out cheaper and more reliable.

JTFormula · #5 11-17-2011, 05:08 AM

I just watched the last 45 minutes of Spinal Tap the other night on cable. First time in about 15 years. Still an awesome movie. I think we've all had those moments.

klejst · #6 11-17-2011, 05:15 AM

Great story and funny thing is I just watched that movie last night too! Simply a classic!

alecduncan · #7 11-17-2011, 06:53 AM

Is the drummer okay?!

62Jazzbass · #8 11-17-2011, 07:11 AM

Hope nobody minds me posting my own Spinal Tap moment. It's a short vid (1:14) from one of our first gigs together. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Concrete.../9/6PAOvnPcmcI

kraigo · #9 11-17-2011, 07:22 AM

Watched the whole movie + the out takes (they're as long as the movie is) at a party for Nigel Tufnel day (11/11/11).

KO

Lazylion · #10 11-17-2011, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62Jazzbass

...my own Spinal Tap moment...

Yep, I've had that moment many times. It's usually the lights drawing too much current.

62Jazzbass · #11 11-17-2011, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazylion

Yep, I've had that moment many times. It's usually the lights drawing too much current.

When we set up we were told to simply to use the quad box on stage, had no idea where the power was coming from. So after following wires all over the place, in the dark, in an effort to find out where we were even getting power from, it turned out to be a restaurant adjacent to the tent we were in. Once we found someone to get us in there, turned out all was good at their breaker box. So, we followed the wires back outside and eventually discovered the issue…….

.....it was the breaker on our power strip behind our PA rack.

Seems all other power strips and extension cords ended up plugged into it; the PA, the lights, my amp and the guitar player’s amp! It’s great when you need to set up quickly and have friends there to “help”!

My favorite part of that vid? The fact that the drummer remains seated the whole time, with no sense of urgency. He spent a number of years working as a……

wait for it……

electrician.

Baron Von Vik · #12 11-17-2011, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62Jazzbass

Hope nobody minds me posting my own Spinal Tap moment.

... that's when someone puts a song on the jukebox, and all the girls cheer and start dancing. Finally. WHile you search frantically for the circuit-breaker.

lefty · #13 11-18-2011, 08:52 AM

That's when you collect your money and go home.

MonetBass · #14 11-18-2011, 10:23 AM

Darn, I was hoping you were going to say that the drummer exploded.

drummer5359 · #15 11-18-2011, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62Jazzbass

When we set up we were told to simply to use the quad box on stage, had no idea where the power was coming from. So after following wires all over the place, in the dark, in an effort to find out where we were even getting power from, it turned out to be a restaurant adjacent to the tent we were in. Once we found someone to get us in there, turned out all was good at their breaker box. So, we followed the wires back outside and eventually discovered the issue…….

.....it was the breaker on our power strip behind our PA rack.

Seems all other power strips and extension cords ended up plugged into it; the PA, the lights, my amp and the guitar player’s amp! It’s great when you need to set up quickly and have friends there to “help”!

My favorite part of that vid? The fact that the drummer remains seated the whole time, with no sense of urgency. He spent a number of years working as a……

wait for it……

electrician.

That made me laugh out loud.

TC2112 · #16 11-18-2011, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kraigo

Watched the whole movie + the out takes (they're as long as the movie is) at a party for Nigel Tufnel day (11/11/11).

KO

I have a 3+ hour directors cut of that movie with all the out takes in place. They shot a ton of footage for it and it's all flippin hilarious

Lazylion · #17 11-19-2011, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62Jazzbass

So, we followed the wires back outside and eventually discovered the issue…….
.....it was the breaker on our power strip behind our PA rack.

Seems all other power strips and extension cords ended up plugged into it; the PA, the lights, my amp and the guitar player’s amp! It’s great when you need to set up quickly and have friends there to “help”!

LOL That figures! Facepalm smiley here!

ric3xrt · #18 11-19-2011, 08:52 PM

back in Dec of 89 I was living in LA, the band I was in was playing the Troubadour,
The rhythm guitar player and I would do this side gallup deal as the Lead guitar player did his solo in this fast tune we played, Chris(rhythm guitar) tripped on my foot, took us both out and off the stage.
another band I was in (GerryRigg) the guitar player and I would toss our guitars to each half way thru this song , so I could do a lead on my bass and his guitar in the same song......at the CellBlock outside Philly, I hit him with his guitar on the swap back.