Dont do drugs kids

[jamdogg]

"Prius" and "drums" shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

 

[electracoyote]

I love launching through a set without any substances and waiting until the last two songs for my 2 beers -then the end of the show where i can have as many as I like! Playing drunk is no bueno!! Kids, take stock from all these seasoned musicians -rock out dont pass out!

Exactly.

I hate to generalize, but the only people I've known who could successfully gig wasted were those who got wasted when they practiced, and those who got wasted at rehearsal, and then got wasted at the gig, for the way you practice is the way you play.

Anyone I've known who tried to sneak in getting hammered on the fly without experience ended up doing something embarrassing.

And those who practice, rehearse, and perform wasted, I do believe that is the definition of addiction.

"Man's got to know his limitations." --Dirty Harry

 

[Ironbar]

So i felt the need to share my gig story from this past weekend. So I was hired to put together a band for a Co-workers 60th bday. Long story short we were hire to provide entertainment from 1-6 in the afternoon (with breaks of course)and the owner of the property said party was being held on decided to hire another band to play out the rest of the night after we packed out.

So on the day of the gig, we get there set up, sound check, and we are rolling maybe 15 min late. Around our second 2nd the next band shows up and just starts trying to load their gear on to the small stage as we are playing. They were under the impression they were to play at 6 (meaning they thought they were loading in and setting up at 4 or so) and there the rub began. After conveying to them that we had no room for their gear up there (mind you they brought 2 uhauls full of a premo 1988 JBL FOH rig, guitar stacks, lighting rig...did i mention this was for a party >100 people???) and they impatiently waited at the foot of the stage for us to finish our 1 and1/2 sets of music. I notice a weird vibe from these guys right off the bat, particularly the bassist who could barely keep one eye open.

We finish our gig, pack up our mini van worth of gear and they proceed to unload a ridiculous amount of gear and take 3 hours to set it up and soundcheck, they're all fighting and bickering much to the amusement of the party and once they finally got going it was a southern rock train wreck, my lord. The bass player was trashed on what we all assumed to be heroin, he was nodding off, couldn't keep time, by the second set he was trying to sit on his cab and do the show like that when his band kicked him off the stage and the keyboard player filled in his part for the rest of the night. The bassist then proceeds to go into the house of the guy who hired him and fell asleep on his couch. The home owner/guy who hired them proceed to literally kick his a** out of the house to which he stumbled to a camping chair in the yard and proceed to nod off, every 5-10 he'd stir awake looking like he had to vomit and one of the band girlfriends proceeded to remove him from the back yard to who knows where. What the heck did I just watch????

A side note, the girl who helped get rid of the junkie bass player was later in the drive way vomiting with her pants falling down, we all saw much more than we would have liked to.

I should also mention that these people were all in the 40s-50s, this has to be one of the most pathetic displays I've ever seen, I'd feel bad for the guys in the other band if they weren't so weird to us the whole night. Anyways, thats my gig story

So... what. No pics? What kinda gig report you tryin' to pawn off here bub?

 

[primusfan1989]

So... what. No pics? What kinda gig report you tryin' to pawn off here bub?

Wasnt a gig report, more of a story about the crazy crap I saw go down. That and I would like to protect the identity of the band in the story on the off chance someone on this board knows those guys. Im sure they feel crappy about the whole ordeal, they don't need to know that bass nerds took four pages of a forum to discuss their weekend blunder

 

[dtripoli]

I hate to generalize, but the only people I've known who could successfully gig wasted were those who got wasted when they practiced, and those who got wasted at rehearsal, and then got wasted at the gig, for the way you practice is the way you play.

+1
Absolutely. Worked with a guy for a number of years who was functionally loaded 24/7. We put up with him because the guy could play really well and never missed a gig or rehearsal. The only time he totally sucked was when he wasn't high. Couldn't remember intros, chord changes and in some cases the entire songs.
Long story short, he cleaned up to what I hear and relearned guitar sober. Supposedly he's quite an incredible player now.

 

[Josh Kneisel]

That's why I hardly even drink at gigs. I usually stick to weed and hash. lol

 

[Bassammich]

His name wasn't Joe Walsh was it?

 

[Imaginary Pony]

+1
Absolutely. Worked with a guy for a number of years who was functionally loaded 24/7. We put up with him because the guy could play really well and never missed a gig or rehearsal. The only time he totally sucked was when he wasn't high. Couldn't remember intros, chord changes and in some cases the entire songs.
Long story short, he cleaned up to what I hear and relearned guitar sober. Supposedly he's quite an incredible player now.

You are Bill Wyman and I claim my £5!

 

[Ironbar]

Wasnt a gig report, more of a story about the crazy crap I saw go down. That and I would like to protect the identity of the band in the story on the off chance someone on this board knows those guys. Im sure they feel crappy about the whole ordeal, they don't need to know that bass nerds took four pages of a forum to discuss their weekend blunder

*Psst* I know- I was just pullin' your leg dude!

 

[BAG]

I've got a 2012 Prius and was amazed by how much I can cram in there. On a recent gig, I hauled an upright bass, an electric bass, two guitars, a 2x12 bass cab, a guitar amp, two PA Mains, two monitors, and the PA head. And the guitarist. I'll have to post pics of it...

I had some friends playing in town and their van had blown. They rang and asked if they could borrow our PA so they didn't have to try and cram it all in their backup car for a 12 hour drive. When they arrived they were in a Diahatsu Charade (not sure if it's the same name in the USA but it's so small it makes a Prius look like a minivan). Granted, it's only a duo gig this time but they managed to fit in two acoustic guitars, one electrig guitar, guitar amp, two 12' and horn top boxes, a powered mixer, powered wedge, all their clothing for over a week on the road, leads bag and more. They both had their seats all the way forward and Leesa had one bag on her lap for the 30 minute trip up the mountain...... and the snow decided then was a good time to start dumping down so halfway up the mountain they had to dig out the snow chains.

 

[Hotblack]

"Prius" and "drums" shouldn't be used in the same sentence.

For some reason, almost every band I've ever been in, the drummer has had the smallest car. One even has a Mini. To their credit, they've all packed their own stuff into their vehicle and have never asked, "Dude, could you carry my floor tom in your car?"

 

[Clipped]

Hoping Michael Phelps can weigh in on this thread.

 

[74hc]

Remember that drugs don't enhance who you are, but steal who you are.

I've been fortunate as the bands I played in were all clean. Except for one of the guitar players who smoked. Traveling to a gig or rehearsal sometimes with him in my car was like sitting in a smoke factory. This was before all of the smoking bans and concerns about 2nd hand smoke.

 

[katalyzt13]

I wonder if the other bass player is a TB member, reading this thread right now in abject terror and embarrassment.

 

[trailer]

This is why I stopped doing the band thing. All the musicians around here are unemployed pot heads, unreliable cocaine addicts, or the ones who drink a 6 pack every practice. I forgot to mention all these groups live with their parents and well into their 30s+. I switched from guitar to keyboard to bass, to drums. Now I do everything except sing so if I can find the right people I'll do whatever. I'd love to be in a functional band again. hoping a job transfer to a bigger area will fix this.

I don't mind someone getting a buzz and working on music. It's what the poster said above me. Most people go well beyond their limits.

Umm so drinking a sixxer at practice puts me in the same category as "unreliable cocaine addicts"? Geez

 

[Murdoc_420]

I got food poisoning once, and was treated like I was some kind of lousy drunk. I didn't appreciate it. I felt like I was going to die and kept blacking out. The dude was probably on drugs, but I'm just saying... maybe should have sent him to a hospital.

Me too, I had a margarita (half of it) and some bad fish tacos. Walked out of the place almost sick, got home fell on the couch and my room mate looked at me all pissy like I was drunk.
Puked it all up in half hour and walked out of the bathroom 'sober' and upright. He took a double take and said 'damn I thought you were just drunk'.
Never the less it was a hell of an argument to get my money back from the restaurant. Bartender also told the owner i was drunk.
Owner didn't want to refund for the half marg I threw up and insisted it wasn't bad fish in her rest.

 

[Imaginary Pony]

Me too, I had a margarita (half of it) and some bad fish tacos. Walked out of the place almost sick, got home fell on the couch and my room mate looked at me all pissy like I was drunk.
Puked it all up in half hour and walked out of the bathroom 'sober' and upright. He took a double take and said 'damn I thought you were just drunk'.
Never the less it was a hell of an argument to get my money back from the restaurant. Bartender also told the owner i was drunk.
Owner didn't want to refund for the half marg I threw up and insisted it wasn't bad fish in her rest.

You should have called the hygiene inspectors.

 

[primusfan1989]

Umm so drinking a sixxer at practice puts me in the same category as "unreliable cocaine addicts"? Geez

Well in a way. In the bands I work in we treat it like work. Yes music is fun, however when people are paying you good money to deliver a show, said show and the rehearsals leading up to it I consider to be "on the job" and I would call "drinking a sixxer" at a rehearsal incredibly unprofessional and would not work with a band that runs like that. You might not consider yourself "intoxicated", however after ingesting 6 12oz beers, your perception of time and pitch are altered and furthermore most are unaware of it.
Now if you play music for purely fun and this is a way to relieve stress with your buddies out in the garage by all means have a couple of beers, burn a couple doobs to each their own etc enjoy yourself. If you are a working musician and need to knock back 6 beers to get through a rehearsal...well i dont have time for that crap

 

[someguyfromNC]

Umm so drinking a sixxer at practice puts me in the same category as "unreliable cocaine addicts"? Geez

No it just puts you in the drunk at all times category which limits who wants to play with you. Most people don't have the time to deal with drunks or druggie kids.

 

[Imaginary Pony]

Umm so drinking a sixxer at practice puts me in the same category as "unreliable cocaine addicts"? Geez

If you were doing that regularly, I'd be worried. If you drank That much after practice I'd still worry about your health, but less about how you impinge on my time.

I would worry about how you'd get through the stress of a heavy gig schedule.