Wimpy A** Bandmates

[4-stringB]

In summer 2010, the band I'm in played a biker rally-poker run/fund raiser (for sick kids)in a parking lot. However, the folks set up a 20x 10 awning, with carpet, a 4' fan, and all the ice water one could hope for. A little background, I'm a rural mail carrier. I worked in the 100 degree heat all day, came back to the shop, changed shirts and hauled butt across the street.The gig was like, 1 minute from my job. The conditions were better than I had dealt with all day. HOWEVER, my bandmates are all office types, and thus are all not conditioned to the outdoors like I am. They are all whining, "Its too hot","I'm going to pass out"..etc.They called off the rest of the gig, while I'm going ,"Let's go, it's time to party!" But, as you can see coming, they won , we folded. Does your group give up at the least inconvience??

[FalextheFalex]

Like you said, they're office types. You can't really expect them to be as acclimated to the weather as you being a mail courier and all. For all you know, they may have been ready to pass out. The heat's the reason I sold my Bonnaroo ticket this year and I live 45 minutes away from Manchester.

[SMILEYSIXX]

I'd never pass on a gig. Try playing in a garage in the Florida summer. You pour water over yourself and rock the **** out. That gives me energy during gigs, not makes me wanna quit.

[bolophonic]

Pathetic. I would de-friend all of them.

[BassNeo]

I'm like you. I'm a welder so working in a sweltering shop all day is nothing. Fortunately the rest of my bandmates have similar jobs so we can stand the heat.

Personally, you'd have to try and drown me before I'd cancel a gig. I'm one of those guys still playing at 3am telling the cops 'just one more song, okay?'

[PurpleDrank]

Nope, my band soldiers on through most anything. Heat is no problem ever. We used to practice in a welding shop in the dead of summer in South Florida. Lightning so bad it's dangerous might be a reason to call it a day though, everyone has their limits.

I've never seen anyone get heat stroke from standing on a stage, but I suppose it's possible, so we'll give them at least the benefit of the doubt here. However, if one lives in Tallahassee and can't hang outside in the shade for a couple of hours, they should probably think of relocating or hardening up some. (Or at least not scheduling activities that drag them away from their little air conditioned cocoons. )

[MatticusMania]

Im an office type, and I'll bitch about the heat at times, but it would never keep me from playing a gig! I'd pass out on stage before I'd cancel.

[Rockmusician]

We play no matter what. If every musician refused to play because the conditions were not ideal, there wouldn't be any music in the world.

[Chopshonky]

Good call.. What is the big deal with heat?! I can't tell you how many pro acts I work for threaten to pull a gig if the temperature can not be changed to suit them.. and while they have the luxury of getting the temperature changed... cost is no object.. It is still awaste of time, money and patience..

change your band name to: tough "your name here" and his band of wimpy choads.

[carl h.]

I've had a heat stroke and am very VERY sensitive to the heat/sun combination. I generally decline gigs where extreme heat is going to be an option. I toughed out a few gigs shortly after the initial stroke, but being laid up in bed for a week after doing it wasn't worth it. I have some gigs coming up at the local county fair that I will be carrying liquids, an awning and a fan for. I will also be playing seated should I start to "brown" out and wrapping it up shortly thereafter should it happen, and my band knows it.

Once I sit, it's over.

FWIW, I did a gig with Ray and he called it on account of cold. Nobody would ever call him a wimp.

[BritPicker]

Office type, tick! But heat, no wouldn't put me off. As long as you drink its OK.

Wouldn't want to play in the full sun though. The Australian sun seems to burn much worse than northern hemisphere rays. It's just silly getting sunburn, especially knowing people have died from melanomas and so on.

[kb9wyz]

Originally Posted by Rockmusician

We play no matter what. If every musician refused to play because the conditions were not ideal, there wouldn't be any music in the world.

+1

Of course Carl H points out the exception to this. I'm in the camp of no pre-existing condition means you're a sissy. If you're like Carl H, though, pushing it is just damned irresponsible.

[kb9wyz]

Originally Posted by BritPicker

Wouldn't want to play in the full sun though. The Australian sun seems to burn much worse than northern hemisphere rays.

I've seen the number for this, and it is scientific fact. The solar energy per square meter can be up to double for you than for me in the summer.

[JeffBTZ]

Originally Posted by 4-stringB

In summer 2010, the band I'm in played a biker rally-poker run/fund raiser (for sick kids)in a parking lot.

Very cool. A local Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy center, Sara's Garden, has a similar poker run every year. I got to help one year with punching tickets (my bicycle didn't qualify... haha) and it was a lot of fun. You should have guilted your bandmates into dealing with it.

Also, heat stroke generally happens less when you stay hydrated, which I assume was the case seeing as you were supplied with water. I've also heard (not sure is this is true, maybe someone can enlighten us) that it helps to not drink very cold water, but instead slightly cool to warm water.

I played a soccer match last summer (I'm still in high school) when it was 97 degrees and the humidity was sub-30s. We all survived, albeit most of both teams cramped up at some point and we all had to deal with very irritable referees. Everyone does have a limit, but your band mates weren't there... at least physically.

[BritPicker]

Office type, tick! But heat, no wouldn't put me off. As long as you drink its OK.

Wouldn't want to play in the full sun though. The Australian sun seems to burn much worse than northern hemisphere rays. It's just silly getting sunburn, especially knowing people have died from melanomas and so on.

[Lesfunk]

Pusses, The lot of 'em! The show must go on!

[No Malarky]

I doubt the sick kids this event was for liked being sick.
What babies.

[carl h.]

Hydration does help. Last weekend a monster storm blew through here and I spent a couple days removing downed trees - a couple semi loads at least, and I have the pics, just not the camera cord atm...

My wife was helping and came up to me mid afternoon and felt my arms and said I was sunburning. It wasn't a sun burn. My bodies ability to cool itself is messed up. While she had a mild burn going, I had no sunburn, what I had was an early relapse happening. I hit the gatorade, water and AC every 15 out of the hour for the next 2 days and got through it fine. But I needed the Ac or I would have been in trouble. I hadn't noticed that I was no longer sweating, just that my mouth was dry and I couldn't do anything about it.

Lesson learned.

[Medford Bassman]

girly-men!

I played a casino show in Feb 2009 with a 104 degree fever. I remember every so often grabbing a stool so I could finish the song. My wife was at the gig and had mixed emotions. One part of her thought, pretty cool and hardcore tough guy husband who carried on the show we got booked for. The other part of her mind was waiting for me to collapse and take me to the hospital.

The band was pretty impressed. FYI, before I'm flamed, yes, I tried to get a sub but had no luck.

[Warfender]

Weak sauce! I work in AC all day and rock 90-100 gigs occasionaly. Just did one for 3 hours this past weekend. Never, never, never bail on a commiment if you plan on being a top tier pro band. 1 bad comment takes ten times more positive to overcome.