Band walked off stage and left me...

[mead_monster]

Hey everyone!

Wanted to gauge your opinions on this situation. Quick background, was invited to played a jazz gig and it went well to the point of me being invited back to play again. Next gig rolls around and while warming up prior to the shows start time, the band apparently (no communication at all) wasn't happy with my playing so they walked off stage without a word and were gone for a while. I was left there very confused and awkwardly on stage while the crowd looked confused as well. Mind you this was at a café at night so it wasn't like a huge show or anything. They ended up coming back and semi-politely told me to sit out but not leave and called me up to play like two songs. So I'm left sitting at the venue for the entire set and playing twice. I did go up and ask what happened after the show, and all they did was shrug and say "happens to everyone." Then left without another word. I wish I had more information, but I'm just as confused. It was a miserable experience and I'm feeling pretty dejected. I wanted to ask your input and opinions on this situation and possibly provide some clarification. Thanks all!

 

[two fingers]

So..... all of the same members were at both gigs? They invited you back? Then they literally walked off the stage?

Either there is something we're missing or those guys are the most cocky, asinine, jerks I've heard of in a long time.

 

[mead_monster]

Yep all the same members were at both gigs.

 

[two fingers]

Yep all the same members were at both gigs.

Were you playing a similar set list? Were you having trouble hearing at the second show? There has to be SOMETHING that would set these guys off.

Either way, if they had a problem with your playing, they should have handled it with more class. They're jerks regardless.

 

[mead_monster]

It was a similar set list, and there was ZERO communication from the other band members. They didn't even give an inclination that anything was wrong. Just upped and walked off.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Any reason you didn't ask them what that was all about?

With the info given its impossible for any of us to know. Sorry it happened, nonetheless. There's not a chance I wouldn't ask them though.

 

[TerenceE]

I dunno man. Forget about it and run.

Who does that lol?

 

[mead_monster]

Any reason you didn't ask them what that was all about?

With the info given its impossible for any of us to know. Sorry it happened, nonetheless. There's not a chance I wouldn't ask them though.

I did go up and ask after the show, and all they did was shrug and say "happens to everyone." Then left without another word. I wish I had more information, but I'm just as confused.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Any reason you didn't ask them what that was all about?

With the info given its impossible for any of us to know. Sorry it happened, nonetheless. There's not a chance I wouldn't ask them though.

Yeah, I would sit down with them and ask. That was very unprofessional of them.

 

[TerenceE]

I did go up and ask after the show, and all they did was shrug and say "happens to everyone." Then left without another word. I wish I had more information, but I'm just as confused.

Wow. Unreal

Was there another bass player there?

 

[mead_monster]

Wow. Unreal

Was there another bass player there?

Nope, it was just me.

 

[Zooberwerx]

You're done. Find a project that's a better fit. That's a dick move on their part irrespective of the reason.

Riis

 

[DWBass]

EXTREMELY Unprofessional!! Did the band get paid? If I hired them and they did that.......zero pay!! And I would have asked them WTH was that?!?!

 

[DWBass]

You're done. Find a project that's a better fit. That's a dick move on their part irrespective of the reason.

Riis

Agreed!

 

[LBS-bass]

They're jerks. I'd love to hear a recording of this show to know what they were so weird about.

I kind of agree that perhaps there's something else going on with them, but hard to know what. At least you know you don't want to waste anymore time with them.

 

[Geogio]

Maybe they were out taking a smoke break or a pause for the cause and you were supposed to be soloing which... did you?

 

[mead_monster]

Maybe they were out taking a smoke break or a pause for the cause and you were supposed to be soloing which... did you?

That would be fun to be soloing, but this occurred before the show even started and there was no inclination of them wanting me to solo or anything like that.

 

[STRMan]

Dump those morons. A band should be a unit, covering each other's backs, to let the show go on as well as possible.

Once, during a gig, the lead singer and I traded off vocals during the beginning of a song. Something on the stage was out of position, and when he moved away to correct it, he was away from his mic and unable to sing one of his lines. I just sang it for him. The audience had no idea but he realized later and thanked me. That's what a band does. I would NEVER hang a fellow band member out to dry!

This story pisses me off more than I can articulate. I really hope you walk away from this project. It DOESN'T happen to everyone, unless you're playing with a bunch of self important jerks.

 

[jpmcbride]

Did you notice anything wrong? Were you having trouble with the material, making mistakes, couldn't hear yourself, maybe too loud? Anything at all? Its hard to believe the whole group walked off and you had no idea something was wrong at all.

Is there a strong leader in the group? Maybe it wasn't everyone spontaneously deciding together to walk. Maybe one of them (the leader) had an issue and called them all off stage for a mini-band meeting.

In any case its not cool, and I wouldn't play with them again.

 

[two fingers]

So, my TalkBass experiences like this. I simply tap "New Posts" most of the time. I have a look at what people are talkiabout right now and pop in if something looks interesting.

But every time this thread gets back to the top and I see the headline, all I can think is "What a couple of JERKS!"