Storm Gig, Blown Away

Russell L · #1 08-13-2011, 11:02 AM

Anyone from Hendersonville, NC on here?

We had just started playing for the car show and music on Main St. thing. Sound was good, everyone felt good. The crowd was excellent, about 800 or so sitting, and many more walking around, maybe 100 dancing. The sky had been iffy all day. Actually, it rained some during set-up, but we were under a large enough tent that noting was getting wet. The sun soon came back out and things looked fine again. As we began our show I was looking at a dark area to the west (I think it was). Sure enough it got closer. Suddenly there was a gust of wind that blew over the stage right light tree. Ok, we got through that, no problem. Then...

During the sixth song, or so, raindrops started falling, and folks were folding up their chairs and heading for whatever roof overhangs were available nearby. Some went to their vehicles. We kept playing for the troopers who continued to dance and sit under umbrellas. Then it happened...

The bottom fell out of the sky and the wind picked up. I don't mean just a little bit, I'm talking sideways rain. Holy crap! I grabbed my 16'x20' tarp and began pulling it over the board and whatever else I could. I was on the side where the rain was coming in and blowing straight across the stage. Down went the light tree again. Then...

It got WORSE!!! A LOT worse!!! I had brought the tarp for my rig, but we stood to lose the board and all, so I just threw my raincoat over my Markbass 121H combo sitting on top of my 151P cab. Dang, I hated the thought of that carpet getting wet, but at least my amp was covered. I tried to get myself wrapped in the tarp. The drummer was wrapped up and under it on the other end. The singer's wife was outside the tarp on the other end, too, soaking wet. I was already soaked to my drawers from head to foot. My hat had already flown off to parts unknown, too. I swear we were like sailors in a storm on the high seas trying to haul in a sail. The wind kicked into high gear about then, hitting about 50mph, no kidding. We couldn't hold on, and could barely stand up. The tarp was beating me to pieces, and I was beginning to think we might be on the edge of a tornado. But, it just kept blowing steady like that with nothing else behind it, it seemed.

The board with it's case bottom and the long table it was on went over, wham! Jeez! Oddly, my bass was still standing, sheltered a bit behind my stack, but it was soaked.

It went on for about fifteen minutes like that. I couldn't believe it. The set looked like a war zone. Thank god the tent was staked down through the asphalt. There was a moment when I actually thought we might have to give up and run across the parking lot to safety somewhere.

We survived. The singer's wife got a dislocated finger, though. Otherwise no injuries. But, every piece of equipment was drenched to the bone. My amp did ok, though. The bottom cab got wet on the side and back, but it's ok. It took us 1-1/2 hours to sort it all out with only one towel and a large roll of tissue from the rest room. Hopefully, things will fire up for tonight's gig. It was the worst situation I've ever seen in over 40 years of gigging. We literally got blown away.

The silver lining is that I got paid $250 for thirty minutes of playing. And, the people said we were the best band they'd had (bless their hearts). It was a long 2-1/2-hour ride back home, though.

Thanks for reading. Sorry it was so long. Share some of your own horror stories if ya like.

Sheesh.

KillianRussell · #2 08-13-2011, 11:44 AM

Love to you and yours Russell, I thank God the injuries were minor.

Russell L · #3 08-13-2011, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillianRussell

Love to you and yours Russell, I thank God the injuries were minor.

Thanks, pal.

Just got word that the board survived. My stuff fired up ok, too. Hope the keys will be ok tonight. Haven't heard how Jennifer's finger is, except that she had popped it back in place, so I guess it's ok.

Billnc · #4 08-13-2011, 11:55 AM

Glad everything ended well. been there a few times myself (storms not Hendersonville) I hate outdoor gigs in the South! Hope your gear holds up ok. I had a drencher July 4th in Boone NC, everything wound up ok.

May all your gear work tonight!

Russell L · #5 08-13-2011, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billnc

Glad everything ended well. been there a few times myself (storms not Hendersonville) I hate outdoor gigs in the South! Hope your gear holds up ok. I had a drencher July 4th in Boone NC, everything wound up ok.

May all your gear work tonight!

Thanks, Bill (say, I'm originally from Lancaster, SC, right below you). You know what I mean about unexpected rain down here.

Just heard that one of the power amps ain't quite right. Dang it, we'll see how it goes.

Silaxian · #6 08-13-2011, 12:58 PM

I'm in Charlotte, but originally from Florida where the afternoon squall is never unexpected but a daily fact of life during some months.

Russell L · #7 08-13-2011, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silaxian

I'm in Charlotte, but originally from Florida where the afternoon squall is never unexpected but a daily fact of life during some months.

I've seen it be like that here, but only for a short time, maybe a week or so at a time. For awhile I remember when it would rain at 5pm every day, but it would soon return to being sporadic. The storm last night came around 7:30pm.

steveksux · #8 08-13-2011, 01:13 PM

get out the hair dryer and try to dry the electronics out for sure before you fire it up. ANything with DSP will be especially susceptible to moisture. CMOS chips are super high impedance,doesn't take much moisture to really make them malfunction.

Randy

jumbodbassman · #9 08-13-2011, 01:17 PM

i have show tonight on a pier and they are saying rain in the forecast.. fingers crossed..... I have already decided on no exotic basses for tonight. middle of the road stuff. no old tube amps either. thinking hartke

great to hear your stuff made it thru....

jumbodbassman · #10 08-13-2011, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveksux

get out the hair dryer and try to dry the electronics out for sure before you fire it up. ANything with DSP will be especially susceptible to moisture. CMOS chips are super high impedance,doesn't take much moisture to really make them malfunction.

Randy

+1000%

Russell L · #11 08-13-2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveksux

get out the hair dryer and try to dry the electronics out for sure before you fire it up. ANything with DSP will be especially susceptible to moisture. CMOS chips are super high impedance,doesn't take much moisture to really make them malfunction.

Randy

Yep. Well, the lead singer owns the stuff, so he had fans on everything overnight. I dunno about a hair dryer. He must've been up half the night with it all. But, turns out we did fine tonight. The keyboard player has a problem with an amp in his rack, but says it has nothing to do with what happened yesterday. My stuff ws fine. The board has a dent in the back, but it works fine.

Russell L · #12 08-13-2011, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumbodbassman

i have show tonight on a pier and they are saying rain in the forecast.. fingers crossed..... I have already decided on no exotic basses for tonight. middle of the road stuff. no old tube amps either. thinking hartke

great to hear your stuff made it thru....

Hope yours went well, pal.

Man, if all we had had to deal with was rain, we woulda been fine. But, that wind!

bound'n'blocked · #13 08-14-2011, 04:55 PM

We got rained out last night after one set at the county fair. We had been scheduled to play a set, then take a break while they did the rodeo or something, then play another hour or so to end the fair. It was our first headlining gig too! We got the first set in of about 45 minutes before the lighting and rain hit. By the time we were supposed to go back on, everyone had pretty much gone home. Oh well, maybe next year!

BnB

kaiuk · #14 08-14-2011, 05:06 PM

Im not from Hendersonville, but i spend a load of time up and around there

kesslari · #15 08-14-2011, 05:31 PM

Glad you're OK, and that your gear seems to have survived the ordeal!

redwood · #16 08-15-2011, 05:37 AM

You guys were lucky. The tent didn't blow away!
That happened to us a few years back.
Playing at an amusment park, after an afternoon tornado had blown through (yes, we occassionaly have them in Buffalo). The skies started clearing and the manager said the evening gig was a go.
Got everything set up. Then our guitarist says, "Hey Jim, look over there."
Off on the distance was the most ominous cloud bank I had ever seen!
We went running to the cars for tarps. Carefully wrapped the tarps around the open style tent. Started wrapping up the gear, and closing up whatever we could (glad that day I use a rack setup!).
Then the rain hit. Pretty bad. Then the hail started. THEN (and this was verified by the park's weather station) 80 MPH WINDS!
Straight line horizontal blinding rain!
Then the worst.......the tent wasn't properly staked down and away she went....landing about 150' from it's original spot. Also leaving us, and our gear, completely exposed to the elements.
Holy Crap!
We were pouring water out of the subs. The powered board flipped over and landed on it's face (that was buried during a nice ceremony the following week). One guitarist got a huge gash on his leg from flying gear.
Absolute chaos!
The only good thing (and pay attention to this one) was that besides being paid in full for the gig, which was nice of them, we also sent a very nice, carefully worded letter to the venue, stating what equipment we had lost, including depreciated cost. But the kicker was at the end of the letter, we suggested that in the future, they have their staff make sure the tent was secure, as the stakes and straps were just dangling from the top of the tent poles.
We received a check from the park 3 weeks later for the full cost of out replacement gear.
Moral of the story: Sometimes acting calm and professional even while in crisis mode, gets a better outcome.

And lastly, while on this note: God bless the lost souls at the Indiana State Fair disaster.

Russell L · #17 08-15-2011, 06:17 AM

That's pretty rough there, redwood. yeah, our tent was spiked down like a circus tent. I coulda played bass on the lines they were so tight.

My hat is off to all who have had to suffer through storms.

And most of all, my heart goes out to the victims of the Indiana State Fair disaster. I really had a feeling about it when I saw the video, having felt severe wind myself just the day before at our gig. I can only imagine what it must've been like to add such tragedy to what was already a bad scene. May God bless them all and help the survivors through these dark times.

Bassmanbob · #18 08-18-2011, 06:52 AM

Glad you and your crew are OK, minus the dislocated finger.

I have not been in a situation like that gigging, but I can totally relate. Here in South Florida, it can get like that with little to no warning.

We play mostly outdoor gigs and there have been a number of times we've gotten out our 50' X 50' tarp halfway into setting up or through the first set. Usually we can finish the gig after a half hour hiatus, but sometimes it doesn't stop.

pasta4lnch · #19 08-18-2011, 10:18 AM

Wow - glad the damage toll wasn't higher! Rain is bad enough, but wind complicates things to a whole other degree

Outdoor gigs always scare me for that reason. I did a show on a dockside bar once and we saw this thunder storm actually moving towards us the whole second set. After the first drop, I think I was packed and loaded in my car by the time the second drop hit the ground

spent hours untangling cables at home that night . . .

Russell L · #20 08-18-2011, 10:31 AM

Thanks for the additional replies, folks. Well, I'm with a different band this Saturday for another outdoor thing. This time we're under a solid roof, though, with two other walls. But we're at the shore of Lake Murray, and who knows what the wind could be like. I will have the tarp just in case.

"Bassmanbob," that's a mighty big tarp you guys have! That thing could really whip yer butt in a strong wind!

pasta4Inch, I once played with a keys guy who would pack right up if one drop hit the ground. Made everyone mad, except me. I thought he was perfectly right!