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Drunk guy didn't like my playing.

#81
Drunk guy requests a tune we did not know. He stands up and yells
to the crowd "these guys suck, they can't play my request" and continues
his rant for another hour.
Another drunk comes up to the band on last set & says" you guys are really great
and I'm really drunk and I won't remember you tomorrow".
 
#82
Tom Gallo said:
Bass players always have the upper hand because we're playing something that can be used as a weapon if needed. :)
Click to expand...
Had to use mine at a dive bar. We were playing "Tie Your Mother Down" and a fight broke out. We kept playing, slowly saw the fight grow bigger and bigger, spread onto the stage, I unstrapped and started swinging. I heard the distinct sound and feel of wood on skull. I immediately tucked my bass under my arm, ran out the back door knocked over 4 people back there smoking pot, got in my car and drove away. Left my amp, case, and jacket there.

Why did I do that? I am 6'3" and they don't make Hispanics my size. I learned at a very young age, no matter what happens, everyone remembers I was there because I stick out like a sore thumb. I knew when the cops would arrive, no matter what the situation, 20 fingers would be pointing toward me. The band members were calling me a p***y for leaving them high and dry. I don't care. Luckily, my amp, case, and jacket were still there. I still hae that bass and will never get rid of it for that reason.
 
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#83
Ben Esparza said:
Had to use mine at a dive bar. We were playing "Tie Your Mother Down" and a fight broke out. We kept playing, slowly saw the fight grow bigger and bigger, spread onto the stage, I unstrapped and started swinging. I heard the distinct sound and feel of wood on skull. I immediately tucked my bass under my arm, ran out the back door knocked over 4 people back there smoking pot, got in my car and drove away. Left my amp, case, and jacket there.

Why did I do that? I am 6'3" and they don't make Hispanics my size. I learned at a very young age, no matter what happens, everyone remembers I was there because I stick out like a sore thumb. I knew when the cops would arrive, no matter what the situation, 20 fingers would be pointing toward me. The band members were calling me a p***y for leaving them high and dry. I don't care. Luckily, my amp, case, and jacket were still there. I still hae that bass and will never get rid of it for that reason.
Click to expand...

Forget any family backgrounds, when and where I grew up, the cops had a rule, when they were called to a bar fight: "Whoever is standing up goes to jail."
 
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#87
DianaBass said:
That's funny, I can relate. I keep meeting bass players.. and I'm like "you know we'll never share a stage together, right?" Unless there's a G4 for basses someday.
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I think you're a pessimist. A little while back, someone posted a video of three (or four) great bassists on the same stage at the same time and need I direct you to Spinal Tap performing "Big Bottoms"? :smug:
 
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#92
About 3 years ago, before the plague, my band had a recurring gig at a bar so we played every Monday night and one Saturday each month, so people got to know our schedule and repeat customers could show up, anytime. We would let people who play or sing sit in with us and do a song or two if they were good. One time we had a guy do a couple of country songs with us and he was okay- but it was early in the night. When he asked to come up again during the 3rd set- it was a train wreck and we couldn't get him to sit down. He was too drunk to remember the chords on his guitar and his singing was terrible. Lesson learned.
 
#93
Bar fight story: many years ago in a bar in Rochester NY, admirably endowed young lady was enjoying the bass in that she would come up to the stage, look me in the eye, and commence rubbing her nether regions on the subwoofer. By the 3rd set she was passed out on the floor in front of me with her pants undone. At this point the bouncer decided to move her outside. All of a sudden it turns out she has a boyfriend in the building who follows them out front where the female in question regains (somewhat) consciousness and they proceed to do battle. Plate glass across the front of the bar allows the band to watch the whole thing while playing some ZZ Top. Good times...
 
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#94
Well, beer goggles (that make average looking members of the opposite sex look more attractive) are a known phenomenon, so maybe beer ear muffs that make decent bass playing sound worse are also a thing?

I've had a couple of experiences with drunk patrons. One was a guy who stood in front of me yelling that I was playing the part wrong, then commenced to dunk-shout (da-da-da-DAAH!) the lead guitar part. The other was a drunk woman who took a shine to me and started pouring her beer into my mouth (and down my shirt and onto my bass) which made me pretty mad, though not mad enough to not hook up later, then date for a couple of years, then get engaged, until I found out she was cheating on me with a drummer (a guitarist or keys player would have been OK, but not a drummer).
 
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#95
Fortunately no angry drunks yet (at least not angry with the band):

A few drunken moments:
  • Person who got a kick out of asking us the makes and models of all of our instruments "Is that a Fender American Telecaster?!?!?!"
  • Person who stood up at one of our mics to tell other people to tip us
  • "MORE BASS"
  • Not technically drunken, but one of the bartenders shakes his drinks to the rhythm of our music
  • One guy kept screaming out Metallica requests, one of which we half-obliged, and eventually I jokingly said on the mic "we will play all of St. Anger, and yes that is a threat"
 
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#97
bassplayer1494 said:
Anyone got any funny/crazy drunk patron stories?
Click to expand...
Subbing in a friend's band one time years ago. In the days before I had my charts in a tablet and they were all on paper. We get to the last three songs, I'm singing backup with my eyes closed and playing away when I suddenly catch the microphone to my teeth and hit the ground flat on my back, charts scattered everywhere and a bloodied mouth. With a large drunk woman on top of me who had lost her balance on the dance floor. She got up, dusted herself off, and gave me the third degree for making her fall into me.
 
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#98
bassplayer1494 said:
Hey everyone, wanted to share a rather bizarre story that happened to me last week at a gig.

We were going through the third and final set at a bar/restaurant, business as usual. IIRC, it was the first night of 4 consecutive shows.

As were rapping up a song, the crowd is cheering, people are enjoying themselves, dancing, etc.
This drunk guy gets up out of his seat at the table next to the stage, and this is where the fun begins.

Drunky: "Hey! Turn down your f****** bass! You suck!"
Me: *Suprised pikachu face* "Oh thank you so much man! I appreciate your support!"
Drunky: "A Monkey with a guitar could f****** play better than you!"
Me: *Nods and laughs* "I really appreciate the support! Have a good night!"

Dude storms out of the backdoor and disappears into the night. BL overheard some of this, and during the next song proceeds to walk off stage, while playing, and look around for the guy. Couldn't find him

BL was like "man I was about to find that MFer and beat his ass" which I guess made me feel better, but you know if push came to shove, I did have the high ground on Mr. Drunky...

BL is the kind of guy who would throw down for his friends/bandmates in a heartbeat. We had a good laugh about it, but we were still confused about why that dude was so irate.

Turns out though, the drunk guy was with another drunk guy who kept bugging the drummer in between sets to let him play a few songs on drums, was rude to the staff, etc. So I am assuming that the dude who lashed out at me was maybe a musician who wanted to get on stage and play bass in his intoxicated state? Who knows...

The whole thing became an inside joke the rest of the week/weekend, and I had a great time playing.

Anyone got any funny/crazy drunk patron stories?
Click to expand...

There I am onstage, Not my first gig, but my first band. I get hit with a beer can (it was a classy place, don't you know). Guy yells out, "Play something!" BL, being that same type of dude as your BL, jumps offstage and goes after the guy - only to have a gun pushed into his face. BL throws up his hands, "Just going to the bathroom!."
 
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#99
Bonecat said:
For context, I’m an out of shape bald guy sneaking up on 70 years old. Was playing a gig at a small town watering hole. Table right in front of the dance floor was four 20-something women all wearing matching T-shirts. At the first set break I asked one of them about the matching shirts and she told me they were celebrating her friend’s divorce. They were partying hard and apparently having a great time, singing along, dancing.

At the next set break, I put on our usual funky break music and head off to the bar. I’m intercepted by one of the women. She tells me how much fun they’re having gives me a hug. Then out of nowhere, she starts grinding on my leg to the break music. I try to politely disengage, and she holds on and says, “Don’t move, baby. I’ve got you where I want you…”.

I’m totally embarrassed and eventually get myself politely untangled from her. My bandmates saw the whole thing and have never stopped giving me poopie about it.
Click to expand...
Izzat how you got your Talkbass handle?:smug:
 
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#100
QweziRider said:
Subbing in a friend's band one time years ago. In the days before I had my charts in a tablet and they were all on paper. We get to the last three songs, I'm singing backup with my eyes closed and playing away when I suddenly catch the microphone to my teeth and hit the ground flat on my back, charts scattered everywhere and a bloodied mouth. With a large drunk woman on top of me who had lost her balance on the dance floor. She got up, dusted herself off, and gave me the third degree for making her fall into me.
Click to expand...
My dsrunken woman story:
So there I am again, playing great, this time not my first band and I am the primary lead singer and frontman. Toward the end of the last set, a drunken girl trips backwards over the monitor and lands in front of me. I picked her up and she apologized. She was cute. We dated for a bit after that. :-)
 
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