[RANT] Worst Gig Ever

[altarsofmadness]

Was probably the lighting. I had a similar experience. Light rigs operate at a high amperage. Did a gig in August and the power went out about 3 times. I finally told the sound guy to unplug the lights. The venue really wasn't set up with enough outlets and breakers.

Yeah, we tried to get the sound guy to unplug them. We were ignored.

 

[sound of bass]

I think you were sabotaged !

being first of 8 bands NEVER goes well

kudos to you for persevering, at least you know it can only get better from now on

Sabotage. yep.

 

[Big Brother]

It will seem funny in a few years.

I set up for my first real live gig at a local club, I read all the bad gig stories here so I tested everything three times and was ready to go. I felt confident enough to bring my new gf, she was seated all pretty at the end of the bar.

We counted down for the first song and my first note sounded really nice. Then silence as the all the blue lights on the amp went out leaving one little red LED.

The band played on as I re-checked connections, flipped switches, turned knobs, swapped cables and even changed the 9V in the bass as a nervous sweat started rolling down my cheeks. Nothing....

Turned out to be a bad board on one of the very first 9.2 Shuttlemax's, those awesome folks fixed it for free and paid for shipping - even knowing that I bought it used here. I miss them already.

I brought a 112 combo for a backup fortunately. A quick dash to the parking lot and was almost sweat-free by the third song.

Let's just say that girl is married now and happy. Just not to me... but we are still great friends.

 

[altarsofmadness]

Sabotage. yep.

But what would they achieve by sabotaging(??) us?

 

[s0c9]

But what would they achieve by sabotaging(??) us?

Depends who "they" were ??
Many years ago (overseas), my band - first one I was ever in - was asked to open for a "big time" very well known Brit band that "specialise in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s as well as original material and dress as Teddy Boys" who were on a world tour!

Of course.. we jumped at the chance. We provided the backline + drums (they were OK with what we had) and contracted out for PA system and lighting. We get our gear setup by 11:00 am, then leave to be back at 4:00 pm for the sound check. At 6:00pm we start out sound check, having watched them goof around with their FOH and monitors guys for the previous hour while waiting for them to show up since 4pm.
We were not allowed (by their manager) to sound check until they did. We start our check. We do 3 or 4 songs, and THEIR ENTIRE band (there's like 8 of them) are down the back of the room (big hotel ballroom) by FOH, talking with THEIR crew. Our sound guy says OK. Done. We rush home to change and be back for 8pm start.

We go into our "green room" to prep for the gig. Practice amps, tuners.. ALL gone!! No-one knew where they went! (they amazingly were there when we were done with our set). So. we're tuning up by ear!

We go on stage - packed house, most of whom we knew or were familiar with.. local crowd!
THEIR guys are running monitors and lights. There was NO monitor mix (at least not the mix that existed during sound check, and hard to harmonize with a kick drum!).. and the stage lights were all up full - WHITE LIGHT !! *** !!

You can imagine the HEAT's impact on guitar tuning, and everything... after giving their monitor guy the *** look and hearing no change, him gesturing it's all fine here... we figured out we were being sabotaged and tried to wing it, talking between ourselves knowing that monitors were deliberately hosed and BL and I moved from drums to keys to bass to communicate, etc.. We had the most horrendous 45-min set ever... and were were a well-known local rock band.

Of course, when they came on stage, everything miraculously worked fine, they sounded great.. we SUCKED !!
Stage lighting (all PAR cans) were all working fine, I assume monitor mix eas too..
Their drummer used tree-trunks for sticks and completely trashed the heads and cymbals (serrated edges from being pounded), but the rest of the gear was OK - keys, guitar amps, etc. We got paid the contract price and not a dime more... nothing!

That was my first experience with "professionals"!
I have NEVER FORGOTTEN that night.

 

[altarsofmadness]

Depends who "they" were ??
Many years ago (overseas), my band - first one I was ever in - was asked to open for a "big time" very well known Brit band that "specialise in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s as well as original material and dress as Teddy Boys" who were on a world tour!

Of course.. we jumped at the chance. We provided the backline + drums (they were OK with what we had) and contracted out for PA system and lighting. We get our gear setup by 11:00 am, then leave to be back at 4:00 pm for the sound check. At 6:00pm we start out sound check, having watched them goof around with their FOH and monitors guys for the previous hour while waiting for them to show up since 4pm.
We were not allowed (by their manager) to sound check until they did. We start our check. We do 3 or 4 songs, and THEIR ENTIRE band (there's like 8 of them) are down the back of the room (big hotel ballroom) by FOH, talking with THEIR crew. Our sound guy says OK. Done. We rush home to change and be back for 8pm start.

We go into our "green room" to prep for the gig. Practice amps, tuners.. ALL gone!! No-one knew where they went! (they amazingly were there when we were done with our set). So. we're tuning up by ear!

We go on stage - packed house, most of whom we knew or were familiar with.. local crowd!
THEIR guys are running monitors and lights. There was NO monitor mix (at least not the mix that existed during sound check, and hard to harmonize with a kick drum!).. and the stage lights were all up full - WHITE LIGHT !! *** !!

You can imagine the HEAT's impact on guitar tuning, and everything... after giving their monitor guy the *** look and hearing no change, him gesturing it's all fine here... we figured out we were being sabotaged and tried to wing it, talking between ourselves knowing that monitors were deliberately hosed and BL and I moved from drums to keys to bass to communicate, etc.. We had the most horrendous 45-min set ever... and were were a well-known local rock band.

Of course, when they came on stage, everything miraculously worked fine, they sounded great.. we SUCKED !!
Stage lighting (all PAR cans) were all working fine, I assume monitor mix eas too..
Their drummer used tree-trunks for sticks and completely trashed the heads and cymbals (serrated edges from being pounded), but the rest of the gear was OK - keys, guitar amps, etc. We got paid the contract price and not a dime more... nothing!

That was my first experience with "professionals"!
I have NEVER FORGOTTEN that night.

Interesting, that sound quite like our experience, but I don't think we were sabotaged, I mean, the organizers are some good friends. Either way, your experience totally sucks, shame on them.

 

[slipknotmaggot3]

My first show with my current band we were supposed to play for an hour. They said they had a full backline provided for us and when we got there, the main act was 15 minutes overtime on their sound check and by the time they got off the stage, we still couldn't find the backline with any of the venue's staff...so 15 minutes later, we should of already had our soundcheck done by now, we finally find our gear and we get it set up in time for the show to start...we then got 2 songs in before they cut us because the headliner needed more time. Can't say that it was a pleasant experience.

 

[Baird6869]

My band blew out the power on a gig a few years ago. We blowed up something real good.

In any case, it was 10:30pm and we had been playing for less than a 1/2 hour.

DID YOU KNOW that draft beer and the booze metering/measuring devices do not work without electricity? 10:30 (we are scheduled to 2:00am), no beer, no booze, no pop, no food, no credit/debit cards, no lights, etc.

We were outta there by 11:00. We got paid but were never invited back. I doubt it was the band's fault, but whatever.