What is the maddest you've gotten at a gig and what did you do?

Skel · #1 11-22-2006, 05:39 PM

I remember doing 5 nights a week and working a day job. You start to get pretty cranky after doing this for a while - no sleep, etc. One night my volume pedal was giving me fits. It seemed like I was always having some kind of cable/effect issue. It was a Tuesday night I think - not many people on the dance floor, so I kicked a 62 yard field goal using my volume pedal, out onto the dance floor. That felt so **&*@ing GOOD! The bar owner got over it pretty quickly. I wonder if people should let their anger out more often, regardless of the consequences.

Another time, people had to hold me back from "doing a tap dance" on my drummer's head during a break - I pissed him off for some reason, so he flicked his lighted cigarette at me! He wasn't tough enough to do something like this.

jsbass · #2 11-22-2006, 07:42 PM

My A string broke as I was playing once, pissed me off pretty bad but I kept going!

Matt Till · #3 11-22-2006, 08:42 PM

When I was in a cover band, we had a total wank of a guitarist. Really talented... but NO sense of restraint. Ever hear Margaritaville with a Steve Vai esque solo over top of it? I have.

Anyways, one gig, he invites ANOTHER wank of a guitarist to play with us! Doesn't ask the band, just invites another guy. Same situation... except this guy doesn't know the changes. HE PLAYS A WHOLE SET WITH US... 45 minutes, it was a 3 set deal. The whole time, all I could hear was this wall of dischord and weedlee weedlee wank crap from two different guitarists at the same time. I just kept glaring at the ground to keep myself from sending icey looks of death their way.

I was looking obviously depressed, so my dad walks up to me from the side and says, "What's wrong?" Meanwhile, the guitarists are still wanking between songs, I start to reply, and as I get two words into it, it gets really quiet, so everyone in the building heard me say, "We sound like ****ING ****, that's what's wrong!"

It got silent, at the end of that set, the second (actually THIRD) guitarist split. Needless to say, I didn't say goodbye.

Jiggybass · #4 11-22-2006, 09:41 PM

Well, once we were playing a cool gig, and my G string broke. Really pissed, I asked the crowd "I broke my G-string, can anyone lend me a spare?"

I was really angry when they all fell to the floor laughing, then I realized that what I had said was freakin' hilarious...but no way to get a string, so I just swore everytime I tried to pluck that string, and ended up kicking my guitarist in the shins. (I don't know why).

lowenduser · #5 11-23-2006, 04:00 AM

The closest Ive ever got to losing my head was years ago I was playing at a Battle of The Bands kind of gig -when we turned up, we realised we were the only blusey rock band amongst a load of heavy rock/metal bands. (there's nothing wrong with that music, but I'll explain why in a second!!)

Half way through one of the songs, our guitarist was flying through one of his blues solos, when one of his strings broke. Inntead of fighting on till the end of the song, we pulled his lead of his amp there and then, stormed off stage and diappeared to the designated area where all the guitars were sitting. Drums and bass still pumping on stage, I could see he was shouting over the music at some guy, and appeared back on stage with a Gibson v-shape........ Plugs it in, and puts guitar "on"......... In typical metal form, the guitar was round his knees. He unplugs himself again... walks off, re-straps the guitar, and back on stage. In the confusion, he unplugs MY lead out of the BASS amp and gets himself into a panic on the darkened stage.Bit of a shove between the two of us on stage, and we re-arranged ourselves (drummer still playing) He then comes in right where he left off. God, I nearly lost it with him that nite!

His solo at this stage sounded a bit weird, but we went on.

Chatting too him on the way home, all he could say was (polite version) "bloody metalers..... the action on that guitar was unreal, and I couldn't solo to save my life on that heap of muck.Gibson bloody v-shape yolks........"

Bit stressful at the time, but puts a smile on my face nowadaays when I think about it!!

invader3k · #6 11-23-2006, 07:04 AM

At our last gig this past Saturday, I wasn't really getting mad...but more irritated. Our drummer who was filling in (who was actually our band's very first drummer, so this was sort of a "reunion" show) brought along his wife and a bunch of friends, which was cool. They all paid the cover and were out front dancing, etc. Anyway, a couple of the chicks kept sneaking peeks at the setlist in front of me, which I taped next to my mic stand. By the third set, this was getting annoying, because they'd keep shouting the name of the next song, etc. In the middle of one song I kind of stomped my foot on top of the paper while they were looking at it. They took the hint.

Skel · #7 11-23-2006, 07:34 AM

You guys are ****ING KILLING ME!!!! It hurts to laugh this hard! I love the Steve Vai solo over "Margaritaville" - very tasteful, indeed.

Reminds me of when I played some song with a 4 bar break where there was a solo bass run and I decided it should be the theme song from "The Flintstones" instead. But the band laughed their ass off instead of getting mad.

BbbyBld · #8 11-23-2006, 10:32 AM

There's this guy in our town that basically bar hops around and causes trouble, the only thing is, his father is well known, so nobody will do anything about it. He dresses like Ali G and tries to talk like a rapper all the time.

Anyway, he will always walk up to the stage and ask for the mike so he can rap. He'll say something like, "Yo, let me rock that mike!" Some people let him, but experienced bands don't because they know he's an idiot. If you don't give him the mike, he'll stand there and grab himself and/or heckle the band really bad while staring and dancing in front of audience members who are watching the band. I especially don't like him because he tried to start a fight with me one night. His name is Brock, so we lovingly call him Brock the C***.

I started a new band with some guys and told them about this guy at practice. I told them not to EVER give him the mike or let him near the stage. One night, the lead singer did because he thought it would be funny. I yelled at the drummer to stop playing and then at the singer to get his mike back, but it was too late. If I wasn't on the other side of the stage I'd have unplugged the P.A. I just told the band to start the next song on top of what he was doing.

Joe Nerve · #9 11-23-2006, 10:36 AM

Maddest I ever got was Sept. 1, 2000.

What I did was write this.

http://www.thenerve.info/pay_to_play.htm

ric1312 · #10 11-23-2006, 10:56 AM

go to play a crap gig that's an hour drive. Dead of winter. Two stages upstairs and downstairs. Downstairs, where we were playing, has a crap soundsystem and no one to run it, even though I was told there was a soundman/ house sound.

So, because I was the singer I was appointed the sound man for a board I had no clue how to run. We complain and some little drunk comes down for a whole five minutes, moves faders and dissapears. And then goes upstairs to do sound for the cover band or drink some more free drinks.

We start playing.

Because the drummer isn't miced he thinks he has to slam his skins. so, they sound like crap.

One guitar player can't be heard because the other guitar player is blasting with a half and he only has a regular amp.

My voice is shot from being frozen from the cold and moving equipment in and out with no help, and I can't hear myself, and if I move just a quarter of an inch from directly in front of the drums I get feedback.

In the middle of this, band members are bugging me to adjust the sound of the, "house sound."

In short we sound like hell, after months of practice, and I'm getting severely pissed.

So, instead of throwing a fit on stage or something. After about 8 songs I just said, "we're done, goodnight," and walked off. The band was soooo pissed at me.

I was so pissed I told the band I quit,this is ********, thanks for all the help with the sound, I'm not a fing soundguy. Very prima donna on my part.

This last gig was the straw the broke the camels back as far as dealing with, "house sound," at bar and clubs. It made me never want to play out again.

Happy ending though.
Much later I discovered the Bose L1 and things have never been better soundwise. I will never use house sound again, unless it's a professional level.

If I sound like crapola it will be because of my performance, not because of a lack of sound support.

Skel · #11 11-23-2006, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric1312

go to play a crap gig that's an hour drive. Dead of winter. Two stages upstairs and downstairs. Downstairs, where we were playing, has a crap soundsystem and no one to run it, even though I was told there was a soundman/ house sound.

So, because I was the singer I was appointed the sound man for a board I had no clue how to run. We complain and some little drunk comes down for a whole five minutes, moves faders and dissapears. And then goes upstairs to do sound for the cover band or drink some more free drinks.

We start playing.

Because the drummer isn't miced he thinks he has to slam his skins. so, they sound like crap.

One guitar player can't be heard because the other guitar player is blasting with a half and he only has a regular amp.

My voice is shot from being frozen from the cold and moving equipment in and out with no help, and I can't hear myself, and if I move just a quarter of an inch from directly in front of the drums I get feedback.

In the middle of this, band members are bugging me to adjust the sound of the, "house sound."

In short we sound like hell, after months of practice, and I'm getting severely pissed.

So, instead of throwing a fit on stage or something. After about 8 songs I just said, "we're done, goodnight," and walked off. The band was soooo pissed at me.

I was so pissed I told the band I quit,this is ********, thanks for all the help with the sound, I'm not a fing soundguy. Very prima donna on my part.

This last gig was the straw the broke the camels back as far as dealing with, "house sound," at bar and clubs. It made me never want to play out again.

Happy ending though.
Much later I discovered the Bose L1 and things have never been better soundwise. I will never use house sound again, unless it's a professional level.

If I sound like crapola it will be because of my performance, not because of a lack of sound support.

Wow. So EVERYBODY goes through this SHPIT!. Sorry. Since you were already sick and tired though, I would have loaded the "house" PA in my vehicle and took it to my house, and told the little drunk guy you were gonna mix remotely. I agree with everything else you did.

Skel · #12 11-23-2006, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BbbyBld

There's this guy in our town that basically bar hops around and causes trouble, the only thing is, his father is well known, so nobody will do anything about it. He dresses like Ali G and tries to talk like a rapper all the time.

Anyway, he will always walk up to the stage and ask for the mike so he can rap. He'll say something like, "Yo, let me rock that mike!" Some people let him, but experienced bands don't because they know he's an idiot. If you don't give him the mike, he'll stand there and grab himself and/or heckle the band really bad while staring and dancing in front of audience members who are watching the band. I especially don't like him because he tried to start a fight with me one night. His name is Brock, so we lovingly call him Brock the C***.

I started a new band with some guys and told them about this guy at practice. I told them not to EVER give him the mike or let him near the stage. One night, the lead singer did because he thought it would be funny. I yelled at the drummer to stop playing and then at the singer to get his mike back, but it was too late. If I wasn't on the other side of the stage I'd have unplugged the P.A. I just told the band to start the next song on top of what he was doing.

Sounds temping to carry a can of mace, just for this guy. That could be part an interesting part of your show, hearing this guy "scream rap".

XansNiceSweater · #13 11-23-2006, 11:29 AM

Once, after we had set our levels on the soundboard, the drunken soundman adjusted them.

Then he started blasting rap in the middle of our set.

I didn't do anything except write a letter to the club owner, who told us that they wouldn't have to do stuff like that if my band didn't suck, then he told me to get over it and find somewhere else to play.

Skel · #14 11-23-2006, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Maddest I ever got was Sept. 1, 2000.

What I did was write this.

http://www.thenerve.info/pay_to_play.htm

I read it. You got to autograph two girl's breasts? I'd hate to see how mad you get when this kind of stuff *doesn't* happen.

I know one thing, I personally would have made up a REALLY LONG Russian type stage name on the spot.

XansNiceSweater · #15 11-23-2006, 11:33 AM

Joe:

I've been there, man.

d-basser · #16 11-23-2006, 11:46 AM

a couple o times i have messed up, i find if you swear really loud the crowd help you laugh it off.

I once ran to jump onto the podium the drum kit was on, mid air i unplugged my bass from the pedals (forgetting i had a short lead in) i just turned and screamed F*CK! and after the gig guys were like well covered up.
Same when i had a mental block mid solo, just yelled SH*T and laughed

Rick Brienzo · #17 11-23-2006, 12:38 PM

We had just finished setting up our equipment to play a show that we were headlining and I noticed that the sound guy was back at the board looking at us funny like it was time to get going. You know, looking at his watch and whatnot because he wanted to get to Taco Bell before the rush. I noticed that the drums weren't mic'ed up yet and all the mics were sitting on the ground next to our drummers kit. So I waved at him to come up to the stage because I thought he had forgot. He came strutting up to the stage and said WHAT! I politely ask about the drums not being mic'ed and he flat out said "I am not going to mic your drums". I said "why not? all the other bands had mics. He then said "BECAUSE I AM NOT GOING TO MIC YOUR ****ING DRUMS"

and he stormed off the stage????

All my drummer and I could do was look at each other in amazement. I was so pissed that all I could say was "hit those MUTHA****ERS HARD". We then proceeded to tear the roof of the joint with one of the best shows we have ever played. We even got applause during songs and a standing ovation!

He's lucky I like the club owners, otherwise I would have cut his snake in four places, rewired his amp racks, and took a wee-wee in his mic box.

AdlerAugen · #18 11-23-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Nerve

Maddest I ever got was Sept. 1, 2000.

What I did was write this.

http://www.thenerve.info/pay_to_play.htm

Make sure you get the name of the club out as having a bad rep...sounds like some real jack@sses owning that club to me.

buliwyfff · #19 11-23-2006, 02:35 PM

man..pretty soon the band I'm in is going to start giging regularly...after these stories I'm kind of fearing it because I've got a bit of a temper (especially when someone tries to screw me over)

Skel · #20 11-23-2006, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buliwyfff

man..pretty soon the band I'm in is going to start giging regularly...after these stories I'm kind of fearing it because I've got a bit of a temper (especially when someone tries to screw me over)

Believe me, the women you will get will make up for all of this...easily!