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I'll Never Forget This Gig, 10 Years After the VFW Incident

Discussion in 'Bass Humor & Gig Stories [BG]' started by BringerOvGirth, Dec 6, 2021.

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  1. Dec 6, 2021 #1
    BringerOvGirth

    BringerOvGirth

    Nov 29, 2021
    Worcester
    Hello there, folks! I figured I'd poke some fun at a horrendous gig I played about 10 years ago at some crappy VFW in New Bedford, Massachusetts. It was a complete poopie show, but it did end pretty damn well for the lot of us. I'll get into detail (AND I HAVE PHOTOS).

    My old death metal band Naegleria was asked to play this metal fest that was supposed to happen at some VFW. A bunch of local bands we've played with before were on the flyer, and we gave it a big "hell yeah!" since the line up was killer, and it was supposedly going to benefit the local Veterans. Man, the day of the gig, we stumbled into a epic fail of a gig. Only 3 of the bands listed (including mine) out of about 15 showed up, and the audience? the bands who showed up were the audience! Fortunately we were good natured dudes, and we didn't care too much about all of that, and just wanted to play and get the shag out of there.

    So, we offer to play first. We begin our set, everything is going well, and during our last song, I hear my drummer, the singer, and guitarist stop. The other guitarist and I finish the song, not knowing whats up, and then I see an old man ripping cords out, and yelling at everyone. We couldnt help but stare and laugh at the guy, but he was wicked pissed off. After he screamed at the "promoter", the show was done. 15 bands were supposed to play, 3 showed up, and 1 played. Fortunately, the guy who put the show on felt really bad, and invited us back to his house to finish up the show in his basement. We drank beer, played heavy tunes, and honestly, it was the perfect way to end such an obnoxious night.

    I'll always have that memory stuck in my head, and fortunately, there's photographic evidence of the event lol :poop:
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Dec 6, 2021 #2
    BringerOvGirth

    BringerOvGirth

    Nov 29, 2021
    Worcester
    The Aftermath!
     

    Attached Files:

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  3. Dec 6, 2021 #3
    Montana Matt

    Montana Matt

    Sep 15, 2015
    Montana
    The large print giveth and the small print taketh away.
    The old dude was probably just mad that you were wearing shorts on stage.
     
    pcake, dalahorse, 2cooltoolz and 28 others like this.
  4. Dec 6, 2021 #4
    Supadope

    Supadope Supporting Member

    Nov 30, 2015
    Louisville
    My goal is to leave the world a cooler place than when I arrived.
    My band in high school was asked to stop 1/2 way through our second show ever. Why? Because we played Louie Louie. In 1987, some people in the Bible belt had a big, big, problem with this song.
     
    Captain Chaos, Eli_Kyiv, Kubicki Fan and 5 others like this.
  5. Dec 6, 2021 #5
    Beej

    Beej

    Feb 10, 2007
    Vancouver Island
    Hilarious! What was he mad about? The noise? Did you guys walk across his lawn on your way in? :D
     
    pcake, timmo97, MynameisMe and 3 others like this.
  6. Dec 6, 2021 #6
    BassGuyFL

    BassGuyFL Formerly known as RichardCranium

    Mar 9, 2009
    Boynton Bch FL
    It was a wicked pissah!
     
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  7. Dec 6, 2021 #7
    Goatrope

    Goatrope

    Nov 18, 2011
    Sarasota Florida
    Lol great story! Last thing I’d expect to see at the VFW is a death metal band. :roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

    Whoever planned that show was trippin’ balls :laugh:
     
    Bunk McNulty, Chuck Chill-Out, ashtray and 8 others like this.
  8. Dec 6, 2021 #8
    LBS-bass

    LBS-bass

    Nov 22, 2017
    Back in my happy place
    VFW should have been your first clue.
     
    Bunk McNulty, ashtray, bobunit and 6 others like this.
  9. Dec 6, 2021 #9
    Tanner5382

    Tanner5382

    Sep 26, 2010
    Georgia, USA
    Great story.

    VFW gigs are always memorable.
     
    rickwebb, 40Hz and mindwell like this.
  10. Dec 7, 2021 #10
    WI Short Scaler

    WI Short Scaler

    Jun 13, 2018
    Central WI
    I've never played a VFW but all the stories I've read on TB about those gigs seem to be "awesome" or "terrible"

    No middle ground there I guess.

    Great memory for you though.
     
    lfmn16 and dbase like this.
  11. Dec 7, 2021 #11
    Beej

    Beej

    Feb 10, 2007
    Vancouver Island
    Up here in canadaland, we have "Legion Halls" which are same difference, only they are some of the best venues for punk, metal, thrash, etc. Growing up in the 80's I must have seen 200 hardcore shows at Legion Halls. :thumbsup:
     
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  12. Dec 7, 2021 #12
    WG Plum

    WG Plum Gold Supporting Member

    Apr 9, 2021
    Seattle
    It must be a VFW rule that all halls have that same wood paneling.
     
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  13. Dec 7, 2021 #13
    Ostie

    Ostie

    Aug 1, 2018
    We’re the boys from the Capitol City!
    I played at a VFW hall probably 25 years ago. It was a benefit for a very sick little girl and we were the first band to play so the place was virtually empty. This old lady comes in and sits right in front of the band and starts asking us to turn it down. She literally had her choice of any seat in the house and she chose the table closest to the band.
     
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  14. Dec 7, 2021 #14
    Thumpinshelton

    Thumpinshelton Supporting Member

    Apr 10, 2010
    Northern Indiana/Nashville,TN
    So....what you are saying is that you didn't play the VFW standards...hahahaha!!!!
     
  15. Dec 7, 2021 #15
    Mark_70

    Mark_70

    Dec 31, 2013
    Minnesota
    We played a few - always had a good time there. Guess we've been lucky so far.

    To the OP - looks like a great day was had by almost all :) Great memories for sure!

    Regards
    Mark
     
    WI Short Scaler likes this.
  16. Dec 7, 2021 #16
    themickster

    themickster

    Oct 4, 2015
    England
    Status Quo told of a gig where they played to one. After a while he said 'When are you finishing? I want to lock up'. They'd been playing to the caretaker.
     
    Kubicki Fan, pcake, slagbass and 3 others like this.
  17. Dec 7, 2021 #17
    JW56789

    JW56789 Guest

    Feb 18, 2017
    I played more than a few VFW's where they booked us, and country and old rock and roll were what they wanted. I liked these gigs as there were usually no shenanigans, everybody knew everybody else and nobody was going to get stupid in front of their friends.

    But they're probably NOT metal-friendly venues . . . . .
     
    kesslari likes this.
  18. Dec 7, 2021 #18
    MotorCityMinion

    MotorCityMinion

    Jun 15, 2017
    Almost always turned into a slugfest. In th70s/80s any schmuck could rent the hall, buy a keg, charge admission and hopefully you got your fill of beer before the police showed up.
     
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  19. Dec 7, 2021 #19
    GretschWretch

    GretschWretch Supporting Member

    Dec 27, 2013
    East Central Alabama
    In my junior high school, even getting caught with the lyrics of "Louie Louie" on a scrap of paper could get you expelled.
     
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  20. Dec 7, 2021 #20
    dickfitts

    dickfitts

    Jan 18, 2012
    The bald vocalist in the white sweater looks HELLA brutal
     
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