Well, the situation in the movie was a little different-the Blues Brothers stole the gig from 'The Good 'Ol Boys.' They knew(or at least Jake did)exactly what they were in for.
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Cover Band Rant.
- Thread starter bgressman82
- Start date
That was rude.
What does that even mean "you're lucky it was a slow night"?
Was that a threat?
Were you trying to make him feel better?
And you expected him to act differently than he did? Why?
You came across as rude to a guy who doesn't even know you and right when he was venting about how hard the gig was. You don't know the guy's story. Maybe he really needed the tip money for something (baby formula, diapers, whatever).
Look, I'm not trying to beat you down; but it's so easy for all of us (cuz I do it too) to think it's ok to say something that really ends up coming across as rude.
The club manager booked the band. If there were bottles to be thrown, they should have been thrown at the club manager; not at Paul McCartney. I've done gigs in bars (and even biker bars) and when you're not on your A-game, you try to lighten things up a bit. So the guy's not Dennis Leary. He didn't show up for a stand up comedy gig; he showed up to play bass and was trying to make the best of it. He realized that he was in a biker bar wearing a purple velvet suit; he was probably nervous about it. What was he supposed to do? Pack up and walk out on the gig? He had to find a way to try to get through the gig and try to connect with the audience. Maybe they failed at doing that, but they had to at least TRY...that's what they were getting paid for.
I hate to come across like I'm attacking you because I'm really not attacking you--just the attitude that alot of us have in situations like this (and I've done it too). Are you sure HE was the one acting like a snob and not YOU?
Cut a guy a little slack, man.
Sounds more like the problem was a room full of snobby bikers if you ask me.
I dont have much to ad, but I like hearing stories like this.
Last weekend my Improv Rock band was booked to play at a Long Beach Punk Bar. My girlfriend is in a really good punk band and they were opening the show. Closing the show was supposed to be another punk band, so I was a little worried we might now fit in. In the end, my girlfriends band was really the only punk band that played, and they probably should have headlined instead of opened. Our band was good, sounding better than we have in a long time, but the headlining band just really wasnt all that good IMO. I didnt feel the need to give them a hard time or anything, and we stayed there drinking through their whole set. The guys in the band were nice enough, and we chose to show them the same respect.
Last weekend my Improv Rock band was booked to play at a Long Beach Punk Bar. My girlfriend is in a really good punk band and they were opening the show. Closing the show was supposed to be another punk band, so I was a little worried we might now fit in. In the end, my girlfriends band was really the only punk band that played, and they probably should have headlined instead of opened. Our band was good, sounding better than we have in a long time, but the headlining band just really wasnt all that good IMO. I didnt feel the need to give them a hard time or anything, and we stayed there drinking through their whole set. The guys in the band were nice enough, and we chose to show them the same respect.
I don't see what the fact that they were a cover band has to do with this.
They were just a bad band whose style didn't fit the venue and crowd. Wouldn't have mattered if they'd played originals.
They were just a bad band whose style didn't fit the venue and crowd. Wouldn't have mattered if they'd played originals.
i dont mind cover bands but I hate gimmics, if your not good enough to play covers without a bit or gimmic you probably shouldn't be playing them in the first place
he's a snob, i didn't just butt into his conversation, questions were asked of me to bring me into it, i just don't feel the need to put the whole thing out. that's just the gist of it.
i stayed for 5 hours, because i was drinking and my wife was going to pick me up when she got off work at 1. a few friends left, but i wasn't going to ride with them, they were drinking too.
the owner of the club is a musician, a guitar player in a cover band, actually, and will book any band that asks. he's also got a wicked sense of humor. most everyone there thought it was a joke for the first hour or so.
I think we _all_ know you can find self delusional (rhymes with 'bankers') in every scene.
c-
well, i guess the proper term would be tribute band. that's all it was, beatles covers. someone told me they were also doing paul mccartney songs, but i'm not familiar enough with the man's work to tell.
on top of that, a small redneck town has a bar full of bikers and metal heads, and you're gonna play in front of a british flag? the talking between songs by the guy who wasn't even singing, the costumes, the crazy number of guitars they brought (something i forgot to mention, they had at least 12 guitars with them) it was just one of those things that makes a man stare in disbelief.
definately. one of these days, i've got a better story about an originals band. i just have to wait until i can post it without using excessive profanity towards the.... er... i'll just wait.
or 
that post..That was rude.
What does that even mean "you're lucky it was a slow night"?
Was that a threat?
Were you trying to make him feel better?
And you expected him to act differently than he did? Why?
You came across as rude to a guy who doesn't even know you and right when he was venting about how hard the gig was. You don't know the guy's story. Maybe he really needed the tip money for something (baby formula, diapers, whatever).
Look, I'm not trying to beat you down; but it's so easy for all of us (cuz I do it too) to think it's ok to say something that really ends up coming across as rude.
The club manager booked the band. If there were bottles to be thrown, they should have been thrown at the club manager; not at Paul McCartney. I've done gigs in bars (and even biker bars) and when you're not on your A-game, you try to lighten things up a bit. So the guy's not Dennis Leary. He didn't show up for a stand up comedy gig; he showed up to play bass and was trying to make the best of it. He realized that he was in a biker bar wearing a purple velvet suit; he was probably nervous about it. What was he supposed to do? Pack up and walk out on the gig? He had to find a way to try to get through the gig and try to connect with the audience. Maybe they failed at doing that, but they had to at least TRY...that's what they were getting paid for.
I hate to come across like I'm attacking you because I'm really not attacking you--just the attitude that alot of us have in situations like this (and I've done it too). Are you sure HE was the one acting like a snob and not YOU?
Cut a guy a little slack, man.
Sounds more like the problem was a room full of snobby bikers if you ask me.
where do you get off thinking every band that's ever played a gig where they didn't belong should be treated like heroes? if he needed the money for diapers, he should get a better job, or sell some of his guitars. why are musicians never to blame, it's always the bar owner or the audience?
when you play in a bar, it's your job to entertain the audience by playing the songs they want to hear. this bar has a reputation, and anyone who walks in immediately knows what to expect. you can tell by looking at decoration of the place that it's bikers and metal. isn't it snobbish to go asking for a gig in a bar where you obviously don't belong, then expect everyone to pat you on the back for it? i'd never play in a redneck country bar, or a bar full of 50 somethings, no matter what was offered. the band is responsible for booking their gig, not the bar owner. as i've already said, the owner is a musician and it is a known fact that all you have to do is ask and you can play there, he's not going to turn down anybody because he's been turned down by bars before.
and, as i've said, i didn't post the whole conversation with the guy. i did get a little rude with him at the end because he was talking smack about my hang out bar, and the bar owner who is family of mine.
and, it wasn't a threat, it was a warning. if your band wears matching purple suits, stands in front of a british flag, and makes stupid comments between songs in a biker bar, you will be lucky not to get the crap beat out of you.
i've never seen you play, so i don't know. sometimes, the between song banter is witty and entertaining. this dude was only hitting it about a quarter of the time.
Why would a bar owner hire a band thats just going to piss off/run out his patrons anyway? Sounds like bad business sense to me.Maybe he just likes confrontation?
If the band doesnt know the bars "reputation" or expected playlist,then how is it their fault for thinking they should book there?
And whats the deal? Are these like under 50 year old bikers?Plenty of bikers like the Beatles.
IBTL
If the band doesnt know the bars "reputation" or expected playlist,then how is it their fault for thinking they should book there?
And whats the deal? Are these like under 50 year old bikers?Plenty of bikers like the Beatles.
IBTL
It would be kinda like a metal band showing up at an Air Force base dance for officers and their wives ...
... Oh wait that was in the movie Spinal Tap
... Oh wait that was in the movie Spinal Tapgood point, a band has to know wher they fit and where they dont. I play in a punk band, so i try not to book shows a jazz bars. when i was in a metal band i didnt book shows at top 40 bars. you gotta know where to draw the line. i mean a show is a show, but you cant expect everyone to like you.
as far as the whining about geting paid, thats where i see the real issue. i play shows almost every week and rarely get paid, let alone a decent amount. And we go through the trouble of writing our own songs. if you want to get paid then get a real job or write your own material.
Oh come one... We weren't THAT bad!!! And I happen to like our purple velvet suits!
actually, i must admit, i thought the suits were kinda cool. i'm working on getting one, myself. i think it will compliment my purple fender quite well, and make me stand out amongst the black t shirts the rest of my band wears.
dude, you have to talk to the guy in person to get the gig. that's the only requirement. he's always at the bar. you can walk in there and tell it's not the place for the beatles. and yes, most of the bikers that show up are under 50, and they are the minority. it's mostly 20-30 somethings.
Dude,you must be some awsome(player,musician,entertainer)and with an attitude like what w'ere experiencing you're sure gonna go a long way in the music biz.I'm definately keeping out of the way.
Woffle
the performance itself wasn't bad at all. it was just the wrong place for them to be. i could certainly see them playing a classier place and doing quite well. it wasn't just the visual aspect and the banter, though. if you want to make any tips at this bar, you're better off covering metallica and alice in chains and the like.
