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Walked out on gig

#45
elgecko said:
You walked out and abandoned your gear and more importantly, your BASS?!?!

Wow dude! :bored:
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I have to say that one confused me as well! I would never EVER abandon my gear at a gig (natural disasters or fire being the only exception as I favor my life over any possession). Doesn't the saying go "That's it! I'm taking my bass and going home!" Or something like that...

As to leaving the gig, I don't know man - I probably would have just turned my bass way down (or played very softly if you're an upright player) and got through the next set. Sounds like it all worked out for you though. Maybe more of us should just walk out in the middle of a gig! haha
 
#47
OP, I've gotta admire your honesty in telling the tale.
Sounds like a nightmare of a night, and I get how frustrated you must've felt, yet I can't imagine actually walking out myself...and certainly not leaving my bass behind!

So...did you take the full-time gig yet?
 
#51
Chris 'Wighat' Jordan said:
My walking out was not cool and cannot be justified
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Correct.
Chris 'Wighat' Jordan said:
BUT...keep in mind there were NO MONITORS at all. I couldn't hear anything at all except drums. On a sub gig. I couldn't hear the words being sung. I couldn't hear the rhythm guitar, lead or keys. Just super loud, angry drums, murdering whatever song was supposed to be being played.

I COULDN'T play bass so I decided I might as well go home. Honestly my only option would have been to turn my amp off and stand there pretending to play.
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Yet you try to justify it anyway.

A lesson I was taught very early - other people being unprofessional does not justify YOU being unprofessional. ;)

Congrats, you got lucky and were offered the gig. Many people would not only not every play with you again, but they would trash your reputation to everyone that would listen for walking out of a gig.
 
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#52
So you got a full time gig out of walking out on them, nice. My guess would be with the last stuff that happen to you guys with no one being able to hear anything they most likely pulled the plug on the gig anyway if you stayed or not. Didn't seem to me that they had a plan B for anything? Maybe now that you are in the band you can suggest having an alternative to fall back on if stuff goes south.
 
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#58
Any way you spin it, walking out is a crap move in my book. Since the PA was an overkill for that venue as you said, why not repurpose one of the speaker as a monitor.

Walkng out is something you do if someone insulted you or disrespected you. That is not the case here based on your description of the situation. You committed to the gig, you finish the gig
 
#59
Chris 'Wighat' Jordan said:
I was asked to sub in a popular country-ish cover band. These guys play regionally and open for larger touring acts. I've seen them a few times and they are quite good. So I said yes. I get the play list and actually listen to all the original recordings. I run through the bass parts at home. I make charts. This is more work than I have ever done for a sub gig and that's only because the material is mostly new and I'm not familiar with it.

Now, these guys use IEM's. I know because I ran sound for them once. So I call the BL and ask if I need to bring my own buds or what. His answer was "we have four body packs, so yeah you could do that". But it's a six piece band, so I ask if they have a wedge to throw on the floor for me and he says "sure".

Fast forward to gig night. It's at a tiny club that has horrible acoustics. A small PA with only vocals in the mains would have been perfect. But, no, these superstars bring towers and subs, etc. And they're late. Everything seems about set-up except for my monitor. I ask BL about it, he asks sound guy, and sound guy says "it's broken". But they drag out a crappy powered wedge anyway. It IS def broken. About this time the drummer wants to know where his monitor is. BTW, it's the drummer's second gig with the band.

Monitor doesn't work, drummer doesn't have one at all. I can hear NOTHING. Drummer can't either. He's young and a little green and his reaction is to bash the hell out of everything. I trudge through the first set and tell myself that we'll get it straightend out on break.

Second set: still no monitors for me and Animal. But now, everyone else's IEM's are crapping out. I'm getting steamed. At one point, half the band is playing one song and half the band another.

A break is hastily called and I walk out the door and drive home. Not proud, but there it is.

I go the next day to get my gear and my bass is in the manager's office with a note on it that says I owe $40 for my tab. Never had my bass held for ransom before!

Anyway, I saw the BL the other night and we shook hands, all cool.

Punch line: he calls me yesterday and askes me to join as permanent bass player!
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Sounds like a textbook gong show man. I don't blame you for anything you did. Given the ridiculousness of the situation I likely would've downed a few pops myself to make it through. Are you sure you want to hitch on to this wagon? They must all have known how ridiculous the situation was to give you a pass on the walkout. Can't say I woundn't have done the same thing. Maybe they're reasonable guys and it will turn out to be a decent band experience for you. Or.......that last show could be just the beginning of further insanity........................o_O
 

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