Great Private party\ Private gig stories

[el jeffe bass]

We played an engagement party for a minister and his fiancée at a country club. He paid us well, great food and he even had an open bar for the band. We thought it was out of character for a fairly conservative preacher to buy alcohol for us but we weren't complaining. We heard through a mutual friend that about month later the fiancé called the wedding off because she found out that the sinister minister had been "entertaining" a few other women from the church. Suddenly the alcohol didn't seem that out of character.

 

[NZBassman]

about 4 years ago my old band got a gig at a huge rural property in South Auckland.... singer said the place is 'pretty flash' so Mrs Bassman decided to come to the set up to see this place (she visited a friend while the gig was on). The place was massive - on several acres, about 6 bedrooms over 3 stories and had a huge infinity pool. They had hired 4 professional bartenders to make cocktails, had several chef's cooking up crayfish (lobster), Oysters, Caviar, eye fillet steak..... you name it, they had it.... we were well fed
We played on the balcony near the pool....
I decided that because Mrs Bassman was coming back to pick me up - I could enjoy a beverage or 2... I remember having a couple of high end beers and a couple of bourbons.
Gig went well - we got paid in cash
Mrs Bassman came back to pick me up and I apparently fell asleep in the car on the 1hr journey home!

 

[Flamingo21]

I've never seen RHCP perform, but RHCP have seen me perform.

For the win.

 

[kesslari]

For the win.

It's also true for David Bowie, actually. He (and a small entourage) came in to an underground after-hours club in L.A. where I was playing in a 9 piece African band. They hung out and played pool and listened. But that was a club, not a private party.
I live a weird life.

 

[Lizooki]

Down here in the south we have these things called "chicken stews"
A get together where the main course is chicken stew (chicken, broth, milk, LOTS of butter, salt, pepper and hot sauce -when no one is looking) Basically, chicken soup on steroids.
But we take it seriously! The exact recipes are guarded like Ft. Knox.

We used to have several playing musicians at church, and when ever one of their friends or families had a chicken stew, they would be invited.
Then, "Oh, and bring your friends from church and their instruments ..... y'all can play for us a bit."

It was so bad for a couple of years we called it our "Chicken Stew Tours"

But it was good food and good times!

 

[Humbled]

Down here in the south we have these things called "chicken stews"

"Pickin' Stew" where I come from. Basically an annual invitation-only outdoor jam that runs a couple days. Same recipe, huge iron cauldron. No rules, much fun.

 

[RhynoRock]

My old metal band got a legendary underground reputation for doing 2 house parties. The first was on a whim, some dumb party girl we all knew invited us to play. It was in the basement of some apartment/rundown business, and was completely filthy and unsafe. We get there early, there's people way too young to be partyin as hard as they were, I was probably the oldest person there by about 10 years. The first band was a Siblime-esque hippie band, pretty cool and chill. The band after that was a bubblegum punk band a la Blink 182 that went over with the girls really well. Then a couple folks tried an acoustic thing which was largely ignored. Then WE got to playin. The only really aggressive act there. We crank our amps as loud as they'd go, next thing we see is the entire place is moshing and everyone is just kicking the $hit outta one another. Bear in mind, the room was cinder blocks with wooden racks anchored to the walls in various places, surrounding this huge cast iron octopus boiler, a single light bulb hanging out of the ceiling. Those kids were so amped up we saw blood fly lol, literally. One kid got clotheslined by one of the boiler pipes and opened up a cut in his scalp, and he just kept right on wreckin house. We had the place roaring so loud the cops got called and cleared us all out. The whole party told everyone they knew in town about us and we became legends inside one night for causing things to get so rowdy lol. The 2nd house party was basically the same deal, but on halloween.

 

[2saddleslab]

Many years ago played a basement house party and when loading in the rain just poured down in sheets. We were soaked so the home owner said he'd take our clothes and put them in the dryer.

We proceeded to do a sound check wearing beach towels, cowboy boots, and Stetsons [Texas blues band]. Upstairs the gathering crowd thought the party was starting and came down to find us in our beach towel glory. Not sure who was more shocked, the crowd or the band.

 

[TheDirtyLowDown]

We did a company holiday party for a local gazillionaire's financial services business. It wasn't at his house. Or at any of the houses in his 'family compound' of homes. It was in his private gym building which had a full-size wooden floor basketball court with his initials inlaid in wood at half court. Lights, scoreboard, training rooms, kitchens, lots of fancy custom holiday decorations, blah blah blah.

We got the gig because I am a friend of the caterer. Each of my bandmates shows up, having checked in with security and then driven through the "compound" to get to the gym building, walk in, and say to me "We should have asked for more money."

So we set up and soundcheck and then the party starts. Compared to other corporate parties I've played, it's surprisingly glum. We try our best for a set and then take a break. The gazillionaire gets on mic and gives a speech like this. "I know many of you are discouraged about the last round of layoffs. But we'll be leaner and meaner in the new year... So, how about a freethrow competition? Winner gets a crisp new $100 bill."

 

[Humbled]

One stands out for me. I got a call to do what was a garden party at a private residence. Our part was outside SOS playing standards in tuxedos: Bass, Drums, Piano, Guitar, Three horns, tall-willowy platinum blond singer in an evening gown. Valets helped with load and took the vehicles. The event was something really inauspicious... Aunt so-n-so in from Belgium or something. We played apx three to five pm during cocktail and hors dourves. As we were packing out there was a jazz trio setting up inside the house. I had never asked what the pay was, BL never let us down in my experience with him. But it was stunningly well compensated and tipped. Nothing else remarkable I'm afraid.

 

[John Swartz]

Nothing too outrageous, but most of the private parties we've done have been fun - usually good food and drink, and an appreciative audience. The only thing noteworthy I recall was the band's second gig was in someone's backyard and at the end of the night the police showed up because a neighbor called and complained. We were mostly done anyway so no big deal, but in this small suburban town apparently the cops didn't have much to do that night because a cruiser sat outside the residence watching us haul all our gear back to our cars - guess he figured we'd just start playing again after he left?

John

 

[jshinal]

I was hired by some posh gents to provide the hired PA and rehearsal support for a reunion party outdoor gig at their old college frathouse. Lovely place, no expense spared.

I used a local sound company and I was the walk-on engineer. Ideal. After ringing out the oversized PA system, I popped in my test music. "Flim & the BB's" a direct to digital jazz recording with amazing punch and pure tone. The PA owner smiled, he knew that recording well.

EVERYONE setting up for the party stopped work and listened. Guys came out of the frathouse to listen. Cops came 4 minutes later and even they listened.

It was a good event, but stopping everyone dead like that was the high point of the day.

 

[delta7fred]

Back in the early 70's I was in a trio. Our drummer asked if we would we play at his wedding reception, of course we will!

The gig goes off pretty uneventfully and as we are loading out the keyboard player and I are invited back to the happy couple's flat for the after show party.

What we didn't realise was that they were swingers, and so were all of the other guests. Keys were thrown in a bowl and the ladies picked them out. I didn't throw mine in because after the party I was going to spend the night with my g.f.

There were 2 more males than females and when all the keys had gone (and the couples) the 2 people left were me and the bridegroom. We finished the bottle of scotch and I bid him farewell and went off to a nice warm bed. Happy days!

 

[Adjectives]

Wow, great story! Major bummer that did y'all in.

Needless to say, we did not get the very lucrative return gig. The singer is still in the band, I am not.

 

[Adjectives]

Churches man. At the one my parents(mid 70s) still attend the preacher cheated on his wife with the secretary. I quote my mom "that hussy!"

We heard through a mutual friend that about month later the fiancé called the wedding off because she found out that the sinister minister had been "entertaining" a few other women from the church. Suddenly the alcohol didn't seem that out of character.

 

[Playbyear]

We played a private wedding. The bride was a very large, bossy and angry girl, her father a wealthy developer.
The "Name" bandleader was out of town and flying in that day for the gig.
We set-up and sound check on time. The wedding reception started and no bandleader. The bride is furious and the father is too. We have bass, drums and sax, we play some instrumentals and sing a few, but they are not happy with that at all.

Finally the bandleader shows up... with no guitar. He had checked it as baggage and it didn't make the connection. He asked me if I brought a guitar. I hadn't , but had brought along a back up bass.

He was reluctant to play the bass, but the pressure was on from the angry bride and the dad. So he plugs the bass into the twin reverb, cranks the treble and goes for it. Playing single notes and two finger chords, playing solos and bending those big strings.

It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible. (It was kind of entertaining to me) The angry bride and her father settled down. The guests danced, then we packed up and left without drama.

 

[el jeffe bass]

People can turn a blind eye to their religious and political leaders behavior if they are on the same team.

Churches man. At the one my parents(mid 70s) still attend the preacher cheated on his wife with the secretary. I quote my mom "that hussy!"

 

[kesslari]

Churches man. At the one my parents(mid 70s) still attend the preacher cheated on his wife with the secretary. I quote my mom "that hussy!"

Because of course it was the woman's fault... bleah.

 

[Humbled]

People can turn a blind eye to their religious and political leaders behavior if they are on the same team.

Almost everyone is proud of the jersey they wear, many refuse to acknowledge the prism that comes with it.

 

[gustobassman]

Pretty tame but a good one.. my punk cover band was doing a private party. We do top 40 stuff our own way, really fast and with terrible jokes in between. A lady kept asking us to play something by Phil Collins. After every song we did the whole.. "stay tuned Phil Collins is coming up soon!!" She was right in front, super excited... and waiting.

Needless to say we don't play any Phil Collins stuff. After a while she was getting more and more annoyed and finally it was our last song - "Here's that Phil Collins tune".. and we started playing Fat Bottom Girls by Queen.

She threw her drink down, started screaming at us, pointing her finger, just irate beyond belief! One of her friends kinda put an arm around her and began to move her away but she kept yelling and finally just stormed off and split.

Leaving her husband there.. she took their car and didn't come back.