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How would you handle this???

R

Reverend G-Money

Aug 13, 2001
1,125
4
51
San Diego, CA
www.devices.tv
#1
ok, so this past wednesday we were supposed to play in hollywood for our first time (as devices, my band), and my singer called that morning with a "bronchial infection". he's also the lead (we got 4 people total) g**tar. we got a limo bus, sold all our tickets and had about 30 heads rolling in from LA area. we'd been promoting for about 2 months and had been pushing it pretty hard(plus more). so i tell him to chill, tea, honey, throat spray, the whole 9..... he's kind of a p**sy some times so i figured he'd grow some nuts... not.... anyway, we cancelled and i'm kinda bent.. should i be upset or should i just go with the flow???? i have about 4 other bands having me fill in and sub some stuff, and i'm also joining another very promising local act... please do tell.. anybody have this??
 
#3
hey munji, thanks man. you, brad johnson, adrian garcia, SMASH, and rickbass have some of the best replies on this site. no BS or long drawn out whaaambulance things. the simpler the better. thanks for helping me make up my mind. 'nuff said!!! oh yeah, i'm still wasted from tijuana today. normally i don't do this, i'm pretty damn committed to all of my non-money making projects (ouch!!) venting was necessary.... or was it? hah! tequila!! or was it......... you decide.. anyone? where's the drunk smiley anyway?? i need one.. or two, or maybe 8-10? it was a long day.... :hmm: :eek: :( :D
 
#4
ouch.. even worse on this situation.. San Diego/Pacific Beach area bands are a pretty tight unit, and word has it my "sick" singer was at an open mic night or he sat in with somebody (not sure on the whole story) on thursday the night right after we cancelled cuz he was "sick with a bronchial infection". I then saw him friday night at a Mower show (check 'em out, best band in SD easy... no question about it) hooting and hollering.. initially i figured maybe he had gotten a little better, but after hearing what happended thursday night, i'm bent and just joined another popular local act so i don't get bent and mash him... arrrggh... :rolleyes:
 
#6
good news.. first rehearsal went w/ new guys went perfect... songs are tight 3 days till my first show with these guys(miramar air station.. go USA!!) and it's gonna rock. my other band is cool, i was a bandwh*re more than once in my life (i've got the bandwh*re t-shirts to prove it!!), there's no reason to stop now!!!! hee hee hee.... :hyper:
 
#8
Hey, even the big boys cancel gigs because of illness. It happens.

If you don't sing, don't immediately assume a singer is a weenie wanting to cancel because of a brochial infection. It's easy enough to blow your voice out with a simple head cold.

Just another perspective.

Sorry about the cancellation, but over the years I've had MANY "big" gigs fall apart. If you want to play music, you need to develop a thick skin.
 
#9
brianrost said:
Hey, even the big boys cancel gigs because of illness. It happens.

If you don't sing, don't immediately assume a singer is a weenie wanting to cancel because of a brochial infection. It's easy enough to blow your voice out with a simple head cold.

Just another perspective.

Sorry about the cancellation, but over the years I've had MANY "big" gigs fall apart. If you want to play music, you need to develop a thick skin.
Click to expand...
I can't agree; If you're alive; do the gig. A job's a job, do it. If you're too sick to stand, use a stool; just be there. If you're passing out, just do it on the beat; we've got your back covered. Gigs are a rare and special things, not to be cancelled or postponed. At least, not because of anything short a hospital stay or Armegeddon. It just the way I learned....
 
#10
I agree with lbanks.. the gig must go on.. i smashed 3 of my digits up pretty good on my right hand a week ago last thursday and STILL managed to rip a badass set the very next sunday. i still can't move my fingaz too well, but did that stop me? no. I have had back spasms to the point where pills did nothing to remove the pretzel shape my back was in and i still played. I was trained this way too....

maybe what i didn't make clear about the hollywood gig and why i was bent was that it was only a 30 MINUTE SET. 7 Tunes total.. that's probably why i'm disgruntled....
 
#11
Our singer did this to us once, same situation where he played guitar too. We told him to show up and we'd play the whole set instrumentally if he still couldn't bring himself to sing by the time we got on... he ended up giving probably his best vocal performance to that date.

IMO, unless you're on tour and blowing out the vocal chords for a day or two afterwards means cancelling a few gigs, play through the pain.
 
#12
nicoli said:
Our singer did this to us once, same situation where he played guitar too. We told him to show up and we'd play the whole set instrumentally if he still couldn't bring himself to sing by the time we got on... he ended up giving probably his best vocal performance to that date.
Click to expand...

LOL, I think I was there for that gig... he did sound damn good!
 
#13
I've played a gig with a guitarist who, when helping to carry in the PA, tripped and ripped his little finger wide open by smashing it between the PA cab and the jagged concrete steps.

He needed 24 stiches...but not until after the gig did he go to the hospital to get it fixed up. Lots of kleenex and duct tape (and Jack Daniels for the pain) helped him during the gig. Of course he was limited to simple chords and NO use of his little finger. But he did the gig...the show must go on.

Then, I've also had to cancel a gig because our singer had problems breathing. This was the day of the gig. We were thinking, like most would, that maybe he just can't handle it. He had a cold and we thought he was just making something out of nothing. But we cancelled the gig.

Two days later he was in the hospital with a hole in his lung. Four weeks later he got out. He could have died.

Each scenario was handled professionally...and each person did the right thing. Really only the individual him/herself can determine what is right for them. You've got to give alot of credit to those that perform regardless of the circumstances, but sometimes you have to be realistic.

Gigs get cancelled all the time, for a variety of reasons. Sh*t happens.
 
#14
he screams a little but not much..., we played 2 shows in an 10 day span before the hollywood gig... both of those other gigs we short sets too. he did just fine then..... to add to it all, we are playing the Pacific Beach Block Party this weekend and with New Model Army on 5/12 (was that that gigspam?), and i'm wondering if he's gonna be able to pull it off... :hmm:

maybe i'm just overreacting or being selfish :confused:
 
#16
gustomatic said:
he screams a little but not much..., we played 2 shows in an 10 day span before the hollywood gig... both of those other gigs we short sets too. he did just fine then..... to add to it all, we are playing the Pacific Beach Block Party this weekend and with New Model Army on 5/12 (was that that gigspam?), and i'm wondering if he's gonna be able to pull it off... :hmm:

maybe i'm just overreacting or being selfish :confused:
Click to expand...

Well, if it's a pattern with him I would be concerned. There may be underlying issues, like performance anxiety. It's one thing to cancel a gig...it happens. But if he does it to the point where he is unreliable, then you don't have many options.
 
#18
man, id be pissed if we had to cancel a big gig like that! if he really sat in with another band then kick him out. however, it seems like youre doing well with that other band so i guess you dont have to worry to much about it ;)
 
#19
yeah, i'm stoked... my guys are still cool, i've known my singer about 14 years now, and he's got the same b-day as me so i can't be too pissed. we've done really well, we are doing really well, and maybe i'm just getting older.... POOP! We've got John Beard (blackbeard studios, anyone remember Cheshire Cat by B***K 182????), doing our new EP so we really don't have anything to complain about, but gosh darnit, i'm not into playing SD my whole life! i didn't mean to rant on this thread, but you know what, i am gonna be selfish. i've been doing this at the same clubs for so long, i need to step up. There's obviously a reason why my phone rings every week and a lot of bands call me for sub work.... i need to give myself more credit and not just support the band, but be "the man". enough people call me that so i might as well get used to it! :cool: no i'm not promoting myself...

but maybe that's my problem.... i've never stepped up to that point. I've done shows with eek-a-mouse, one of dre's artists named Khariz, Harley from Deadbolt, too many to name... I've always considered myself the "bass player".. i jump around and play the crowd as much as i can. heck they call me "frogdog" cuz my voice sucks (i blame can*abis) but i get what we call a "Bulls**t" mic cuz i can make people laugh and feel good about coming. a couple actually met, hooked up at one of my shows when i was 19, i see them 3 years later and they were married! they were so excited because of the music i had played and they met humming one of my bass lines at the bar... sorry for rambling, i just got back from rehearsing with the new band and i'm amped...

This site rules and R.I.P. Pollybass
 
#20
hmmmm......

Well I think it depends on the singer. Is the singer usually a cry baby and a weenie? Or is the person normmally more mentally "tougher". If the guy starts crying because of a hang nail, then you need another singer.

The singer I have in my band is made of pretty tough stuff. She does a lot of physical labor. We have had shows where she is not feeling good, but went ahead and pulled off the gig. If she was to tell me "I am to sick to play." I would have no qualms. I know that she must be missing a limb.
 

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