Worst gig mishap (yours or fellow band member)

Stuggi · #1 12-21-2009, 01:57 AM

Post your worst gig mishaps here.

Personally, I've never managed a BIG screwup, it's never been more than missing a note or something like that.

But, my keyboard player managed a big one once, she used a "guitar-style" keyboard for a song with a keys heavy intro, and she had the bend button locked, so every note was almost a semi-step sharp.

Still, we pulled of it with grace, not sure how we managed though.

So, what's yours?

Wh4len · #2 12-21-2009, 03:05 AM

Our last gig we had a bunch of mishaps.

Our rythm guitarist had soim problems with his guitar during rehearsals. And sure enough, 5 songs into the 10 song set the guitar gives up. Luckily we rehearse in the same building.
He ran to our room, we just played a "Sexy back" cover during.

He comes back, plugs in the guitar, put his strap on the guitar... and the notices that the rear strapbutton is missing. He tried to position the guitar comfortably during the last songs and eventually ends up sitting on the endge of the stage and playing.

We had such a good laugh at him. It's hillarious.

The number of things he manages to wreck is just astoounding. One gig we get to a far away town... line check only and a pressed schedule. He plugs in and instantly fries the whole head on the amp.

We give him a hard time about it but laugh so hard we can barely stand ^^.

BryanM · #3 12-21-2009, 03:32 AM

We had our PA amp blow out during a gig on Saturday in a town about 30 miles out. I ended up plugging the mixer in through my bass amp and DJing with a computer until the guitarist could run to his house 8 miles away and pick up a backup. Also played a show Saturday during which the drummer and keyboardist were so drunk they couldn't hear each other, and one of my main duties is to tie them together. That was a ton of fun.

Stuggi · #4 12-21-2009, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wh4len

Our last gig we had a bunch of mishaps.

Our rythm guitarist had soim problems with his guitar during rehearsals. And sure enough, 5 songs into the 10 song set the guitar gives up. Luckily we rehearse in the same building.
He ran to our room, we just played a "Sexy back" cover during.

He comes back, plugs in the guitar, put his strap on the guitar... and the notices that the rear strapbutton is missing. He tried to position the guitar comfortably during the last songs and eventually ends up sitting on the endge of the stage and playing.

We had such a good laugh at him. It's hillarious.

The number of things he manages to wreck is just astoounding. One gig we get to a far away town... line check only and a pressed schedule. He plugs in and instantly fries the whole head on the amp.

We give him a hard time about it but laugh so hard we can barely stand ^^.

It's amazing who much crap guitarists brake/doesn't take care of. I played with a guy that had a really crappy PA, and I could have fixed it in less than an hour, but no-no, the sound when he sang was just too amazing and it could be ruined if I fixed the god damned thing.

Another one didn't bother cleaning his 2k€ Les Paul, the finish was so sticky you could almost pick it up by planting your palm on it.

A third guy had a locking nut on his guitar, never once brought the allen key for it so he could tune the god damned thing.

Lazylion · #5 12-21-2009, 08:50 AM

Lots more wacky mishaps in this thread:
Worst thing that's ever happened at one of your gigs?

riotorgun · #6 12-27-2009, 05:53 AM

drummer managed too break his kick pedal during soundcheck and singer broke a string and didnt have a backup guitar either that was fun

MikeyFingers · #7 12-28-2009, 02:58 AM

My singer got completely trashed during our set a few weeks ago. He decided that, between songs when we're running a little short on time, it's a good idea to announce that he will now chug a beer and advised everyone in the bar to watch him. He drank 3/4 of it before coughing and spitting the rest all over himself. One guy in the audience took his chugging as a challenge and started to chug his own beer even faster. Singer started talking smack, and they went back and forth for a minute.
During this time, the rest of the band is growing impatient and getting angry. Me and the drummer start yelling at him to STFU and start the next song, but he either can't hear us or doesn't care. Drummer throws a stick at him and nails him in the back of the neck, which results in an unnecessarily loud scream into the microphone. Instead of shutting up and starting the song, he starts yelling at the drummer.
The 3-piece horn section has already left the stage. When the singer turns his attention back to the challenger in the crowd, me, the drummer, and the lead guitarist walk off stage.
We came back, after a short break, to play 2 last songs. They sounded terrible.
Probably my worst gig ever, and I'm considering quitting the band.

sloasdaylight · #8 12-28-2009, 03:05 AM

^

Your drummer is my hero. I want to meet this man.

Hagelslag · #9 12-28-2009, 06:44 AM

I once had to do 1 song in drop D only did not notice we swapped songs in the setlist. I tried to transpose but in the panic F'ed it up even more. It sounded terrible. It was the last song though en the audience was wasted so I still like to believe nobody noticed.

snyderz · #10 12-28-2009, 06:56 AM

Our harp player occasionally picks up the wrong harmonica. We just give him the stink eye, and he soon realizes his mistake. No biggie. We play on.

tdogg · #11 12-28-2009, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyFingers

My singer got completely trashed during our set a few weeks ago. He decided that, between songs when we're running a little short on time, it's a good idea to announce that he will now chug a beer and advised everyone in the bar to watch him. He drank 3/4 of it before coughing and spitting the rest all over himself. One guy in the audience took his chugging as a challenge and started to chug his own beer even faster. Singer started talking smack, and they went back and forth for a minute.
During this time, the rest of the band is growing impatient and getting angry. Me and the drummer start yelling at him to STFU and start the next song, but he either can't hear us or doesn't care. Drummer throws a stick at him and nails him in the back of the neck, which results in an unnecessarily loud scream into the microphone. Instead of shutting up and starting the song, he starts yelling at the drummer.
The 3-piece horn section has already left the stage. When the singer turns his attention back to the challenger in the crowd, me, the drummer, and the lead guitarist walk off stage.
We came back, after a short break, to play 2 last songs. They sounded terrible.
Probably my worst gig ever, and I'm considering quitting the band.

you have to put up with this and youre only thinking of quitting? i would probably fire the singer. that behavior is BS

N.F.A. · #12 12-28-2009, 07:12 AM

A drunk and stoned drummer ruined a few songs in a row for us once. He was also telling people to smoke weed and do heroin in between songs. He also kicked over his drums, threw sticks up in the air and missed them. Needless to say that was the last time we played with him.

thebassspace · #13 12-28-2009, 07:16 AM

I managed to fall into the drum kit some years ago...well, the side of my head landed on a stand and i managed to bounce back into a standing position. It bloody hurt but i didn't miss a note:-D

RobertPaulson · #14 12-28-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogg

you have to put up with this and youre only thinking of quitting? i would probably fire the singer. that behavior is BS

No kidding, I'm all for having some drinks while playing, but not to the point where you can't control yourself. Stopping a gig for some stupid heckler drunk or sober is enough to piss me right off.

Decedo · #15 12-28-2009, 08:22 AM

I slammed my fingers in the door of our gig van!!
We were doing a string of shows between Los Angeles and Vancouver, BC. We finished a gig in Hollywood and were loading out. I loaded some gear in the van and slammed the door. I realized three of my fingers on my right hand (fingering hand) were still in the door, and the door was locked. I had to fish the keys out of my right pocket with my left hand. My finger tips were swollen and the finger nails fell off a couple days later. I had to finish the tour with a pick, held between my thumb and little finger, braced with my ring finger. Kinda looked kewl with the show, because there was alot of blood at the end of the set.

plankspanker13 · #16 12-28-2009, 10:34 AM

Over half a lifetime ago, I made the fatal mistake of dropping acid before playing a house party. I came on during "White Room," which was very apropos, and all was OK. It went to hell when the time came to switch to 6-string, and our guitarrist played bass. I promptly broke strings on both guitars, and we had to break early, and neither axe stayed in tune the rest of the night. That was the last gig that I ever ventured outside of the 1 drink/set rule (with special dispensation for occasional ganja).

rtslinger · #17 12-28-2009, 11:15 AM

Okay I have one my guitarist had a guitar built custom and played it and only it on stage well we were coming from a gig and had to take a major highway to get home as we all pulled on to the highway his trunk flew open and yes is guitar came out of the trunk on the highway at about 45 mph slid along the road and stop under my drummers SUV on the on ramp guitarist stop and ran down the ramp to get his guitar at first glance seemed okay hard shell case which did not open but, we had a gig the next night and will tuning up he heard a cracking sound and the headstock was cracked at the neck he had to borrow someones guitar to do the show.Builder said he could glue it but it is going to cost him large!

SMILEYSIXX · #18 12-30-2009, 06:09 PM

Most recently I snapped three strings during one song. Wasn't too big a problem, but two of the lashed across and cut my palm open and had to play the rest of the set with blood running down my bass. I have to say, it looked pretty killer. Plus the incessant screaming during the set made it amazing.

Sonicfrog · #19 12-30-2009, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeyFingers

My singer got completely trashed during our set a few weeks ago. He decided that, between songs when we're running a little short on time, it's a good idea to announce that he will now chug a beer and advised everyone in the bar to watch him. He drank 3/4 of it before coughing and spitting the rest all over himself. One guy in the audience took his chugging as a challenge and started to chug his own beer even faster. Singer started talking smack, and they went back and forth for a minute.
During this time, the rest of the band is growing impatient and getting angry. Me and the drummer start yelling at him to STFU and start the next song, but he either can't hear us or doesn't care. Drummer throws a stick at him and nails him in the back of the neck, which results in an unnecessarily loud scream into the microphone. Instead of shutting up and starting the song, he starts yelling at the drummer.
The 3-piece horn section has already left the stage. When the singer turns his attention back to the challenger in the crowd, me, the drummer, and the lead guitarist walk off stage.
We came back, after a short break, to play 2 last songs. They sounded terrible.
Probably my worst gig ever, and I'm considering quitting the band.

If you like the music and the other band-mates, don't quit. Fire the lead singer.

JPaulGeddy · #20 12-30-2009, 06:18 PM

Oh lord, where to begin...

Put on a brand new set of strings right before a gig (always a bad idea). Broke one of the tuning machines. Didn't have a backup, luckily a bass-playing cohort was there who lived close.

Have a BNX3 effects unit, which also doubles as a recorder. Long story short, thought I hit an effect as the song was starting, but actually hit 'play' and launched some other song that didn't quite gel with the one we were playing.

Played a gig (in a Rush trib. act, no less), where the guitar player/singer decided to go get *completely* wasted after the first set. Was literally leaning on the microphone to stay upright for the few songs we completed after that.

Different band, 2-nighter. Guitar player/lead singer came down with a vicious cold at the end of the first night. My brother the drummer ended up singing the entire 2nd night, thanks to many lyric sheets and many more shots of Jack.

Played a gig when I was way young, 500 miles away at a state fair. Somewhere in the first set, we blew a power amp. We thought we sounded great, audience couldn't hear anything. Luckily there was a soundguy there with an amp in his car.

Morals of the story? Always bring backups where feasible, and believe in the kindness of fellow musicians. Oh, and drugs bad, mmmkay?