We were recently playing a "no stage, bar floor" type gig. Right on a very tough timing part of a song that the drummer and I had been working on, and old friend comes up and give me a huge bear hug. I just look at the drummer and completely lose my place. I got it back fairly quickly. Made for a good laugh later.
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...Embarrising Moments At a Gig?
- Thread starter RadioMasterDude
- Start date
I played bass in the jazz band that was part of my high school's music program. One of the numbers we were doing for the spring concert was a 12-bar blues thing with horn parts arranged and our director was letting anybody who wanted to solo take 24 bars and go for it. That was me, a buddy who played trombone and our first-chair trumpeter. The program was being recorded so we all wanted to impress. Each soloist was given a kickoff (a "fast four" for you blues guys) followed by two silent measures to themselves before the band came back in to back them up. First up was my buddy on trombone. Very nice job. Then my turn. It went fine, much to my satisfaction--and great relief.
Immediately following my solo came the kickoff for our trumpeter. He had mentioned that he was going to quote Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortnin' Bread in his solo and he went right into it.....in the wrong key. And he knew it immediately and sort of freaked, going into 'free time' to boot! The first instruments to come back in were me and the drummer. We were quite startled and looked desperately at each other, hoping the other guy knew where "1" was supposed to go. We locked eyeballs and took a stab. Fortunately, we hit together and the rest of the band (including the director I dare say) were happy to follow!
I still have the performance on a vinyl LP (hey, I'm OLD, okay?). I was pleasantly surprised later, when giving it a listen, to discover that the drummer and I actually put the 1 where it belonged. Hard to keep counting over what the trumpeter was doing, but pretty darn close to right on. I'd like to believe it was instinct....but I was there. And I have to say it was more like an accident.
Immediately following my solo came the kickoff for our trumpeter. He had mentioned that he was going to quote Mama's Little Baby Loves Shortnin' Bread in his solo and he went right into it.....in the wrong key. And he knew it immediately and sort of freaked, going into 'free time' to boot! The first instruments to come back in were me and the drummer. We were quite startled and looked desperately at each other, hoping the other guy knew where "1" was supposed to go. We locked eyeballs and took a stab. Fortunately, we hit together and the rest of the band (including the director I dare say) were happy to follow!
I still have the performance on a vinyl LP (hey, I'm OLD, okay?). I was pleasantly surprised later, when giving it a listen, to discover that the drummer and I actually put the 1 where it belonged. Hard to keep counting over what the trumpeter was doing, but pretty darn close to right on. I'd like to believe it was instinct....but I was there. And I have to say it was more like an accident.
Wait 'til you're a geezer. Happens all the time. It's worse when you also have to run the PA.
So, we set up in a corner of a small restaurant, and notice there is only one power outlet. No prob, the keyboardist has a power strip, so, we plug in, turn on, and the entire place goes dark.
We burned out the main power feed - the whole building had to be rewired, and was closed for two weeks...
We burned out the main power feed - the whole building had to be rewired, and was closed for two weeks...
last gig I played I grabbed my drop C tuned bass for the first song which was a Drop D song needless to say when the song has a bass intro you feel dumb told the rest of the band to keep going while I grabbed the other bass
Well... Played a party just over a week ago. Nice party, set up in living room, family party for son in mid twenties, good people, good times. Second set, a make-shift stripper pole goes up in the middle of the room.... Good fun, people laughing and just being silly.... Of course I'm thinking that thing is not staying upright. Mid song, It gets swung on. Next thing I know I'm hit in the face by the top board of this thing as it comes directly at me, full weight pull down, I go into/over my mini-rig and into the window sill, laughing somehow about what just happened. Everyone stops... Apparently I kept playing the song through it all until they stopped, and everyone kept saying I had a bleeding nose, I wasn't hit in the nose, just below actually. So all of a sudden I realize the amount of blood, checking the mirror I quickly take note of a gash that ain't gonna close on it's own. Had to bail on the gig, 4 stitches at the hospital, fully healed already but it never gets easier telling people I got hit by a stripper pole haha! Note: party planners were extremely sorry and good people, no ill will, all in the name of rock and roll!
Oh, there was never a question of that - tips + dinner after the gig. I've played for less...
High school assembly,whole school there,started to play "Rebel ,Rebel"[Bowie] ,guitar player started to jump up and down,pulled the cord from his Les Paul[he didnt wrap it around the strap,just hanging down]. Stops the song,plugs back in,we restart and YUP ...you guessed it ,steps on his cord AGAIN. Bends down to plug it back in ,I grab his cord,and string it around his strap twice and hand it to him and said "Plug it in !"
Another time was watching a friends band[really good band in New Orleans at the time]and apparently everyone in the band[except my buddy the bass player] had gotten really drunk at the show.Well the singer and the drummer started "The Immigrant Song" while the guitar player and my friend started "Tush". Played about 15 seconds,stopped ,looked at each other and yep......you guessed it,both parties switched to what the other was playing before !!![Hey both songs were by bands that started with a "Z"]. They stop AGAIN look at each other, and the singer finally says" we are gonna do the "Immigrant song " for ya now" ! They finally all got on the same page ,but man was it an awkward moment .
Another time was watching a friends band[really good band in New Orleans at the time]and apparently everyone in the band[except my buddy the bass player] had gotten really drunk at the show.Well the singer and the drummer started "The Immigrant Song" while the guitar player and my friend started "Tush". Played about 15 seconds,stopped ,looked at each other and yep......you guessed it,both parties switched to what the other was playing before !!![Hey both songs were by bands that started with a "Z"]. They stop AGAIN look at each other, and the singer finally says" we are gonna do the "Immigrant song " for ya now" ! They finally all got on the same page ,but man was it an awkward moment .
This actually happened several times:
The keyboardist would use the transpose button to accomodate the singer or trumpet player, than forget to change back after the song ended. I was left trying to guess the key, and transpose the bass part in my head, in real time...
The keyboardist would use the transpose button to accomodate the singer or trumpet player, than forget to change back after the song ended. I was left trying to guess the key, and transpose the bass part in my head, in real time...
I was full of gin one time 
...and got a bad case of the hiccups while singing "Third Rate Romance".
...and got a bad case of the hiccups while singing "Third Rate Romance".
I was 16, my mum just bought me a fretless Ibanez Musician neck through absolute ripper bass that was my very first nice bass after playing some aweful Jolana and Musima basses from the age of 11. My band was a Stray Cats cover band and insisted to leave my double bass back stage so desperate to try my new bass!!! The jack was tight and I thought it was pushed in all the way, it wasn't!!!! Somehow some sound did come through and the mixer guy had to turn me up soooo much to be heard! 
After 3 songs I realised what had happened and pushed the jack in hard. I'd never forget how loud I was and the mixer was nowhere near the mixing board to adjust my level, so I had to turn myself down except I had no idea which knob did what. That was the darkest day of my life
After 3 songs I realised what had happened and pushed the jack in hard. I'd never forget how loud I was and the mixer was nowhere near the mixing board to adjust my level, so I had to turn myself down except I had no idea which knob did what. That was the darkest day of my life
Didn't happen to me, more funny than embarrassing. My old band used to frequent this great local club, many indie acts would play there and we'd sometimes open for them, never knew who we'd meet. Always a good crowd, lots of good exposure. Warm summer night, great crowd, playing well, life is good. Singer turns around to grab his beer from the drum riser and, voila, his shorts rip right up the back exposing his bright white boxers with little red hearts all over them. The stage is high enough so that everyone has a perfect view. Not the exposure we wanted. Without missing a beat (literally), the drummer tosses a spare pair of shorts over his kit to the singer. One of the advantages of playing in a tight band.
Many years ago in an altered state I noticed the stage lights were reflecting off my strings and making beautiful patterns in the air. I was so enthralled I did not notice I had stopped playing. When I looked up, the entire band was looking at me with faces I know I don't need to describe. We were playing Color my World. The keybard was mest to me so I asked him where we were. He refused to look at me because we were both messed up and he didn't want to lose it. After a few whispered requests, he turned and said Eb and fell apart laughing.
We both got fined.
We both got fined.
Oh, I just remembered another. We were playing a stage where the ceiling was fairly low and covered with big round light bulbs (ala, 70s). First break, I was taking my bass off to put on the stand. I raised the bass to get the strap over my head. As I turned to put the bass down, the headstock took out about 20 light bulbs.
Years ago I was playing in the pit band for a youth theater's run of "Evita." Brought my wife and mother in law to our Sunday matinee show. We park several blocks away from the theater, and as we walk up I notice there is no crowd milling around outside. I think we must be early. I was wrong - I misread the call time for the show and was an hour late. As we got closer I could hear the orchestra playing the third song of the show.
I left my wife and her mom and bolted for the pit. Fortunately one of the trumpeters had his bass in his car, and was chunking away as I took my seat. That is the only time in 30 years I've ever missed a downbeat.
A few years ago I was playing a small club. Our singer was half an hour late, which was unusual. We start and get about four songs in, when our BL suddenly announces we are taking a short break. I go outside and notice police everywhere. They were there for our singer, who they cuffed and put in the police cruiser. This was the one gig where many of my coworkers actually showed up to see me. We finished the gig, though.
I left my wife and her mom and bolted for the pit. Fortunately one of the trumpeters had his bass in his car, and was chunking away as I took my seat. That is the only time in 30 years I've ever missed a downbeat.
A few years ago I was playing a small club. Our singer was half an hour late, which was unusual. We start and get about four songs in, when our BL suddenly announces we are taking a short break. I go outside and notice police everywhere. They were there for our singer, who they cuffed and put in the police cruiser. This was the one gig where many of my coworkers actually showed up to see me. We finished the gig, though.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
The singer and guitar player got into an argument about whether to follow the setlist or not. On stage. That was not good at all. The drummer and I just looked at each other and started playing something or another to fill space while the other two came back from whatever unfortunate planet they had gone to.
