This kind of call out onstage is way more unprofessional than whatever the original mistake might have been.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Band members with egos, tempers.
- Thread starter DRBassist
- Start date
One of the things I kind of enjoy about live music is seeing someone mess up and watching the band sort of look at each other in acknowledgment. An, 'oops I missed that note' moment. Like I noticed that, but we got this. I guess there are those bands like Brian Jonestown Massacre and Janes Addiction where that makes everything collapse in a fight, but usually it's just a blip and everyone moves on. I couldn't play with anyone that does that.
Hey! I'll have you know I used to BE a redhead!
Y'know, back when I still had hair and before it all turned grey.
What's up with the anti-gingerness???
The gig was in a couple of days. I quit the next day, fulfilled my obligation to play the show, and never saw them again.
15 years back, I played in a cover band that had a bunch of children in it. They’d get in to arguments during rehearsals, and half the band had to sit back and wait while two 50-60 year old children had their temper tantrum. (I was in my 30’s at the time.) Fun. Was happy that band broke up. We played good music, were gigging a bunch, but nah… no fun.
Management 101 - Praise in public, Reprimand in private.
99% of the time in a club or bar setting the audience is having too much fun to notice that brown note of yours or theirs anyways. And does not serve well to yell about it lest you interrupt the audience enjoyment and their inclination to get more drinks. Always a time and a place for constructive criticism and i rarely give any. We are all trying hard to put on a great show.
That's about as amateur hour as it gets. Plus it takes a really sh#^ty person to pull that nonsense.
Your kinder than I would have been. I have a zero tolerance for that level of BS. No way i would have played another show with that person.
I was at a sub gig with a power trio, and the band leader/singer/guitar player did this to the drummer. The odd thing was, it was very out of character for him…usually he was very laid back and easy to work with. As soon as the song was over, the drummer got up and walked off stage. A couple of minutes later, he came back….with his drum bags and he started disassembling his drum kit. They had a bit of a discussion, and the drummer ended up finishing the gig. Nothing else was said between them that I saw. I’m not sure, but I think that the leader ended up paying him extra. Whatever, I got paid what I was promised.
I politely turned down all future opportunities to work with him.
I politely turned down all future opportunities to work with him.
My initial response will not be fit for publication. Lets just say I can dish it out just as good as he can. But more importantly, from that day on, I can guarantee you..... that I will look you dead in their eyes, smile and hit that wrong note EVERY TIME since I know it bothers you so much. I'm gonna Chuck Berry that bad boy - jump up in the air and come down on that note with all the enthusiasm I can muster ....... WRONG just for you.
It's bad form to even wince when someone (doesn't matter who it is) hits a bad note on stage. Most audience members will not notice, but if you start showing signs that things aren't going well, they will catch on.
If someone scolded me or another of my bandmates on stage, that would absolutely be my last gig with that band. I would send notice that I was leaving, and in that email or text, I would say precisely why. It's horrible behavior, and life is too short to deal with people like that.
If someone scolded me or another of my bandmates on stage, that would absolutely be my last gig with that band. I would send notice that I was leaving, and in that email or text, I would say precisely why. It's horrible behavior, and life is too short to deal with people like that.
On stage? We're just getting through it. Ideally with humor and grace and every one having a good time. Because nobody wants bad vibes to transmit to the audience. At least they shouldn't. Audiences pickup on this kind of thing, and it makes you look bad.
But even at rehearsal, it should be a coaching/teaching moment. Mistakes happen.
But even at rehearsal, it should be a coaching/teaching moment. Mistakes happen.
At a recent gig, the rhythm player pulled up the wrong version of the setlist (he'd been provided the correct one). Song #2, and the lead guitar/me on bass/drummer started one song, and the rhythm player started a different song. Colossal train wreck. However, we never stopped playing (super important IMO), and the rhythm player caught on after a few bars, and things were back to normal. Absolutely no recriminations onstage (it was being livestreamed), and even afterwards, there was understanding and empathy, a few laughs, and we move to the next show with a lesson learned. No place at all onstage for calling something out, especially just a clam or two (or three!) much less a train wreck. Heck, we play two hour sets with no break, so mistakes are inevitable. Sorry you had to experience that, I wouldn't put up with it for a second and would likely say something back with a smile that wasn't kind. FO comes to mind... 
, but that's just me.
, but that's just me.
This is at once easy AND hard. The easy part is understanding this: "Don't EVER show or choreograph a single moment of displeasure with them while performing, no matter who it is or for whatever reason. IT'S UNPROFESSIONAL and makes even the person who is 'right' even if there is actually such a person look BAD."
Take it offstage. ALWAYS.
The hard part is saying: "This is the new performance paradigm from now on, and rightly or wrongly, the 'bad looks' MUST be a thing of the past, or we need to have a different conversation. TIMING. Understand what time it is to do what thing. Starting right now."
A big screwup ought to get you a smile, maybe a quick poke in the ribs, but words, especially into a mic is wrong, just wrong
I did accidentally (honest) ram a vocalist with my headstock - I was flying across the stage, and he backed into it, and he caught the thing head on (between his shoulder blades, not his head), with the full weight of a very heavy bass squarely behind the thing. We were recording the gig, so it was something we listened to afterwards - he yells "hey!" as he launches himself backwards, and there there's an "ugh", the sound of him hitting the floor, and then....a while without vocals. He got back up and continued, but not without some pain.
Years ago, I was called out rudely on a hot mic at a gig by what was considered the bandleader. It was pretty out of character for him, so I was surprised at the time. I pulled him aside after the gig and told him that he would not be doing that again. And he never did. My advice to the o.p. is to just flat out tell the person it's not happening again.
The 2 bands I'm in now are very laid back, and any mistakes are met with a smile and a chuckle.
At a gig on Saturday, we play some songs in standard tuning and the rest a half step down. I bring 2 basses for this. During soundcheck, I grabbed the wrong bass, and we played a song. I was a half step down and the guitar players were in standard. They and the singer were perplexed and we're looking at me like I suffered a head injury. We had a good laugh about it. There were patrons in the club, but if any noticed, they saw us having a good time about it.
The 2 bands I'm in now are very laid back, and any mistakes are met with a smile and a chuckle.
At a gig on Saturday, we play some songs in standard tuning and the rest a half step down. I bring 2 basses for this. During soundcheck, I grabbed the wrong bass, and we played a song. I was a half step down and the guitar players were in standard. They and the singer were perplexed and we're looking at me like I suffered a head injury. We had a good laugh about it. There were patrons in the club, but if any noticed, they saw us having a good time about it.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
AFTER the gig have a frank discussion as a band. That is about as bush, unprofessional, and uncalled for as cab be, and shouldn't be tolerated by anyone.
