I guess I’m lucky, the worst thing that happened to me is when a drunk lady mooned the band. Wait, that was the best thing!
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Drunk guy didn't like my playing.
- Thread starter bassplayer1494
- Start date
As a bass player I feel it's my job to be a magnet for drunk dudes.
We used to play a bar where one guy was continually getting thrown out for starting trouble. We called him "Platehead" because he had supposedly been in a car accident, suffered brain damage, and had to be mended with a plate in his head. 
The funny thing was, watching him walking around with the biggest, most stoned, zoned out grin on his face he looked like the last guy you would expect to start something, yet somehow he always did. He never harassed the band, though - if he had, Paul (our hot head guitarist, we called him "Paulsie") would have tuned him up, I'm sure.
The funny thing was, watching him walking around with the biggest, most stoned, zoned out grin on his face he looked like the last guy you would expect to start something, yet somehow he always did. He never harassed the band, though - if he had, Paul (our hot head guitarist, we called him "Paulsie") would have tuned him up, I'm sure.
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Oh, and there was the time that half our crowd was bikers. One of the biker chicks kept flashing her tata's at the band, and at everyone else. Nobody seemed to mind, though. 
I am trying to recall my worst "drunk guy" story, which leads me to remembering another one even worse........which leads to one even worse than that. I can categorically state that there have been no deaths...... but there have been several hospitalizations and multiple arrests. Ironically, paging through the various stories over the last 45 years, there have been more incidents playing weddings than bar gigs.
yep.....had a guy crawl back into the bar after being run over by a car when the bar fight moved into the parking lot. The cops showed up and, as he was the only one still there, arrested him.
Our hard driving blues band regularly played a bar with a great biker crowd. A patron hired us one evening to play there for their wedding reception having bought out the place. Great first set and the joint is hopping. During break, this slightly demure, gorgeous woman approaches the BL and wants to address the bride and groom claiming family relationship. BL says he'll check in with the client. While he's off, she approaches the lead singer. "Gah, gah, why sure, honey." Once on the the mic she starts by addressing the bride, "you F'ing C." It was downhill from there. Later there was a bouquet toss in the parking lot, and a fight broke out over the bouquet. We don't play weddings anymore.
You have a point regarding the weddings.
At mine, we had a stationary camera at the reception of my first marriage. We're filming the festivities. Oh yes, a very sensitive mike too.
First of the night, everyone knows it's there.
As the drinks flow and the knowledge of its presence goes. (out the window).
We learned some interesting things about our guests and relatives. That film never saw the light of day.
Not alcohol, but other recreational ......
Band was playing a really dumpy bar on the SC/NC state line. I had been running the lights and sound board at what was basically a play for the bar tab gig. When the band took a break, I stepped out the back door of the bar and lit a cigar. Two guys outside asked me for a light so I tossed them the box of matches I had. I watched as they struck the match and lit up a fat one. Not two seconds later both were tackled by undercover cops who had been waiting and hiding out back of the bar. As our bass player walked out the door, I stopped him. He was likely coming out to light a fat one himself.
Band was playing a really dumpy bar on the SC/NC state line. I had been running the lights and sound board at what was basically a play for the bar tab gig. When the band took a break, I stepped out the back door of the bar and lit a cigar. Two guys outside asked me for a light so I tossed them the box of matches I had. I watched as they struck the match and lit up a fat one. Not two seconds later both were tackled by undercover cops who had been waiting and hiding out back of the bar. As our bass player walked out the door, I stopped him. He was likely coming out to light a fat one himself.
You're from Maryland. Me too. i gotta know where.
This happened last week: Dude comes up to the outdoor stage and points at me, "Bass, hell yea...you ******* rock... freaking bass!. You guys are better than Zepperella!"
In case you all have not heard of Zepperella, they are an all-female Led Zeppelin cover band. We are an all-male Tex-Mex band so that was right outta left field.
In case you all have not heard of Zepperella, they are an all-female Led Zeppelin cover band. We are an all-male Tex-Mex band so that was right outta left field.
Not playing, but I was in a bar once with a very large, very drunk guy who was spoiling for a fight. I was trying to avoid him all night but he finally caught up with me and my buddy. First thing the guy says is, “I’m the worlds biggest A******e! I said, “You haven’t met my buddy yet!” The guy busted out laughing and actually bought us a drink.
Years ago, playing a gig in L.A. I was in a funky theatrical art-rock band. After our set, this drunk dude comes up to me and says with every bit of enthusiasm he can muster, "WOW, you guys were like King Crimson in 1969!".
Best drunk compliment ever.
Best drunk compliment ever.
About four years ago my band was playing a VIP pregame party at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. An inebriated Saints fan came up to us between songs and insisted that we play “When the Saints go Marching In.” We were strictly forbidden to play any team song. Not that our trio was going to be able to pull that off anyway . We tried to explain this to him but he came up on stage and tried to grab one of our microphones. The sheriff’s deputy that was on duty watching us came over and the guy decided it wasn’t really a good idea and stepped off the stage and slunk to the back of the room.
My practice is... if the song was recorded with a plectrum and then I will use a plec for that song. If the song was done with the fingers I will use my fingers to duplicate the tone on that song or if it's slapped and popped I will slap and pop to duplicate the tone on that song....
Initial readings of a manuscript I will usually go fingers.
On a short scale, for some odd reason, I use my thumb and two fingers like a classical guitarist or like a lot of European bassists employ.
The worst I have experienced, which was only a minor annoyance really, was this summer. Imagine a Rockabilly band on a giant stage, looking completely lost and out of place, and right in front a bachelor party doing a trek over the festival grounds.
For some reason, they decided to stay for a set and heckle us. Crying genre-inappropriate requests, deliberately dancing in the most awkward and out of place ways, trying to get us or the security staff angry. Thankfully, our frontmen know how to deal with that and keep them at an arm's length. Now the funny thing is, I was playing double bass and this group of intoxicated guys that wanted us to play random EDM and trash songs thought I was the coolest guy on stage. It was like an episode of Twilight Zone in reverse.
Then I woke up. Just kidding, this did happen. Everyone was so glad they didn't stay for the second set.
For some reason, they decided to stay for a set and heckle us. Crying genre-inappropriate requests, deliberately dancing in the most awkward and out of place ways, trying to get us or the security staff angry. Thankfully, our frontmen know how to deal with that and keep them at an arm's length. Now the funny thing is, I was playing double bass and this group of intoxicated guys that wanted us to play random EDM and trash songs thought I was the coolest guy on stage. It was like an episode of Twilight Zone in reverse.
Then I woke up. Just kidding, this did happen. Everyone was so glad they didn't stay for the second set.
In my 30+ years playing, I came to the conclusion: It does not matter if the tone sounds good. No one really cares.
Saw the opposite. A supporting guitar player's guitar wouldn't stay in tune and could see he was struggling. Eventually, he took it off mid song and threw it down on the stage and stormed off. What made it funnier was he was a black metal guitarist, with the corpse paint and all.
That was pretty cool.
That was pretty cool.
I don't mean to disparage anybody but...
If you play for drunks that's what you should probably expect.
I like to play and what matters to me is if I enjoy it. I would rather play fests. special occasions, receptions, so we got out of the bar rotation 20 years ago, and that was a Moose gig. When I was with the big band, we would play Shriners New Year's Eve parties etc... those were something.. and back when we were playing those the Shriners was a party and bunch of old war vets for the most part. A 2 fisted crowd, the old wives auxillary could definitely keep up.
I haven't played in bars since they outlawed smoking inside, but it was pretty rank and I still have a bit of equipment left over that probably still smells like bars used to smell.
Only one "drunk guy didn't like my playing" story for me.
We were on break and I see this guy walking up to my gear and picking up my bass. Um, what are you doing? He said he played for years and was gonna sit in the next set and show me how it's done. Um, no, you aren't. His reply was "but dude, I could play circles around you." Great, let me know when you have a gig and I'll come to admire your brilliance. Now let go of my bass.
There was an uncomfortable minute where he pondered his next move and I pondered if he was really just drunk, or he was just a moron who knew martial arts.
He walked away grumbling so I'm going with the assumption he was drunk based on his inability to form all consonants needed to complete his thoughts.
We were on break and I see this guy walking up to my gear and picking up my bass. Um, what are you doing? He said he played for years and was gonna sit in the next set and show me how it's done. Um, no, you aren't. His reply was "but dude, I could play circles around you." Great, let me know when you have a gig and I'll come to admire your brilliance. Now let go of my bass.
There was an uncomfortable minute where he pondered his next move and I pondered if he was really just drunk, or he was just a moron who knew martial arts.
He walked away grumbling so I'm going with the assumption he was drunk based on his inability to form all consonants needed to complete his thoughts.
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