Walked out on gig

[Steve]

So much curiosity. Luckily, I took today off!

so...you're OK and we can go back to breaking your **** for being a pin head?

I got aggravated enough one night to leave a sadowsky behind. Got home, freaked out but, by then the bar was closed..went back in the am..it was gone...freak x2..took me about 4 hours to nail down everyone else who was on the stage, the last guy I called said he picked it up for me...gawd what a lesson in "not letting it get to me" that was..

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I get it but I think you're missing the severity of the situation. It wasn't bad sound. It wasn't a crappy monitor mix. It was me and a basher drummer a ways behind the mains and NO sound on stage. Not a single wedge anywhere on stage. No, I couldn't hear the lead over the drums. Walking out is indefensible in absolute/theoretical/principal terms, but I made a calculated decision that I would rather suffer whatever damage to my reputation might come (turns out that's none) over enduring this torturous disaster. Really it was so bad, and so unnecessarily and egregiously so, I lost my mind.


As far as being an "amateur" move, I have made my living as a musician in the past. I don't anymore. Although I only play for a minimum dollar amount as a matter of principal, these days I only do it for fun. This gig was definitely not fun.

If you can't hear...MOVE! I'm surprised that at the first break you didn't move your gear or at least yourself to the same side of the stage as the guitar player so you could hear what was going on. I would have done that after the first song. I use a wireless so I can be anywhere on stage. If wireless is cost prohibitive, invest in a 30-ft cord and you could also be just about anywhere on stage.

 

[pbass6811]

I guess I get to tell my "semi" walk out/got up and quit story...

I was filling in with my singer's acoustic show on a Wednesday night(he and I do our own show on another night). The show goes from 9p-1a. At some point during the night, some "touring act" none of us had ever heard of, came in and started drinking. At first, they seemed pretty cool, but as they drank more, they started to get a bit obnoxious. My singer starts inviting them up to do songs with us. Most of the time, that is a horrible idea and it's usually a mess, but we figured since these guys were "pros", it couldn't be that bad. We were wrong. Since they showed up around midnight, We had an hour of trainwreck after trainwreck. I get not knowing a song, but if a band asks me to sit in and play a song, and I don't know that song, I'm not gonna play, or I'm gonna suggest something that we all might know. Not these "rockstars". Whatever song was mentioned, whichever of these fools was playing whatever instrument they were on just said "count it off" and proceeded to demonstrate that they clearly had no idea how that particular song went...

About 1:30a, the drummer for this band was falling of the drum throne when "Hey Man, Nice Shot" was suggested. I'm already irritated. I don't mind playing over, but these jackwagons had made the night no fun, and I was just filling in. So my singer announces this is the last song and I start into the riff, which I've played a zillion times, this moron behind the kit yells "Dude, you're playing it too fast. Slow it the @#&* down." . I turned around, smiled at him and said, "then you better go wake your bass player up and get his ass up here, because this is how the song goes, and that's how I play it.". I put my bass down and walked off the stage. Technically, the show was over when I bailed, but that was the one time I walked off stage and didn't come back...

Don't wanna be too judgmental, op, but I played without a monitor for almost 2 years, and I've played gigs worse than what you dealt with. Unless someone is trying to light me or my gear on fire, if I'm getting paid, I will soldier on to the bitter end. I am sure as hell not leaving any of my gear behind...

 

[joenoone]

I've thought about getting an inexpensive personal in-ear monitor as a backup or something similar. That way I can go straight into the house making them happy, and not getting into a volume war with the others on stage.

[edit] Actually, the Art HeadTap looks like a better solution...

 

[pbass2]

I think the only way I'd walk out on a gig is if the BL told me mid-set that I "wasn't getting paid after all" or something like that, or, I felt like I was in physical danger. The latter has happened once or twice, but come to think of it still played through (then ran the hell outta there right after the last note!).

 

[Honch]

There have beeen many inquiries into what my $40 tab was for. As mentioned in my OP, I was taking this gig seriously. Practice, charts, etc. I had one drink before we started. I drank a nice tequila and and sipped a beer on break. I may have orderd something for someone in the band or a friend. Anyway, it seems a little high even though I drink nice booze. Some of it may have been punitive.

Ok, I thought it was something like the band held your gear in captive mode, like you have parked your car in the wrong place, have it clamped, or towed away and have to pay a heft fine for it to be released. 1 drink, 1 tequila, 1 beer on break...must've been a very posh and upscale bar.

 

[Double E]

Band plays small bar with huge PA with no monitors...bassist can't hear anything? What exactly was drowning out the sound pumping out of the towers and bouncing off the walls? Was Animal really beating the drums that loudly? It just seems strange... Bottom line, you should've just stuck it out and played so low and little that it wouldn't have mattered what you played.

 

[sawzalot]

I gotta say, I completely understand the frustration. But I also think in such situations you grin and bear it, soldier through, remember it's more important to have fun and remember you're there to entertain the crowd. They tend to have fun even when you think it's the worst train wreck ever. Glad it worked out ok though.

 

[jive1]

In thousands of gigs, I have only walked out on one once.
We had a gig scheduled for a Sunday, a private party for the singer's exercise group. Well, they decided to change the party to Saturday because it was supposed to rain on Saturday. I told her I could do it, but I had to leave 7:30 to go to a concert with my wife that started at 8. I get there around 5:30 ready to set up to start at 6, and there was only the singer and violin player there. I ask where the bass player was, and she said he couldn't make it. I ask where the drummer was, and he made a wrong turn and was going to be late. So, I'm waiting around until 6:30 at a party where I don't know anyone. Then we hear that the drummer is so lost that he won't be able to make it for another hour, so we may as well start. So, I'm there with my electric guitar as the sole accompanist for the group. That's not a problem for me if I had my acoustic, but with the electric it's different for me. With my acoustic, it's easier to accompany because I can strum to keep time and the increased bass in my acoustic lets me fill the low end in. However, if I tried to play that way with my electric it would get me a different sound and results. Anyway, I plug away on my Tele trying to make it work.
As we're doing the gig, the violin player is giving me dirty looks, and the singer is giving me crap about the songs because they sound different. Who would have thought that having a bass player and drummer could affect the sound of the band? At one point, the singer comes up to my music stand to point out the lyrics that she's singing that I am playing along with. I wasn't playing the wrong chords or at the wrong time, it just sounded different with me going solo with my Tele. At that point, I tell her it's time to take a break. I told her that she's obviously frustrated and I'm frustrated too. I say that music is supposed to be fun and not frustrating, and neither of us are having any fun. I told her I had a date with my wife that I needed to leave for, and wished her luck. I packed up my gear and left. I still see the gal from time to time, but I don't think either of us has a desire to work together again.

 

[rmars]

$40 tab after 2 sets???

This.....and who just walks out leaving their gear?

Sounds like bad gig but I've gotten thru them. Had one few years ago where I showed up and the band didn't/wouldn't play 90% of the songs the bandleader gave me. The drummer was playing in a nook at the back of the stage so I couldn't visually see him unless I leaned over the rhythm guitarist amp and looked around a corner. They played a lot of country but for some reason he was running one of those plastic things on his bass drum beater that metal drummers use and he had this terrible piccolo snare. Guitarist were really loud and monitors bad. The crappy powered mixer was clipping so bad on the kick drum that I couldn't tell it from a the snare! He'd start songs out really weird and I'd be like "Where's the one?" but I couldn't see him to know what he was doing. Nightmare....filled in 10 more gigs with them the next few months. LOL!

 

[Robroy]

He'd start songs out really weird and I'd be like "Where's the one?"

HAHAHA! That one cracked me up. I've been there. It's irritating when nobody even knows what you are talking about. I mean, did none of those people play in a high school band?!

 

[darwin-bass]

I was asked to sub in a popular country-ish cover band.
... 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.
... Monitor doesn't work, drummer doesn't have one at all. I can hear NOTHING.
... half the band is playing one song and half the band another.
... I walk out the door and drive home.

... Punch line: he calls me yesterday and asks me to join as permanent bass player!

Are you sure you want to be part of a band that is willing to take on a person who left mid-gig?

 

[PimasterPearson]

Only time I ever walked out on a gig was at church. I'd been asked to jump in on bass at the last minute (so no prior rehearsal), which usually isn't a problem since we usually do 3 or 4 familiar songs and maybe 1 new one. I show up Sunday morning, our regular sound guy is running late and none of the other musicians know how to set up our PA, so I end up doing most of the setup work. Then I find out there's no drummer that day, so I have no one to lock in with, and the guitarist that day is a great lead and supplemental player but doesn't know how to "drive" a song. Then while we're doing the quick run-through with the songs (most of which we've never played before) the worship leader (who was also filling in for our regular guy, AND is a fine singer but doesn't know the first thing about music or leading a band) said "Actually bass doesn't work on a couple of these songs, do you think you could sit them out or maybe go home and get your guitar?" Bear in mind that this was like 20 minutes before the service was supposed to start, and I live 10 minutes away.

I calmly said "I don't think the bass is adding much, so I'm just going to sit this one out," packed up my stuff, and got the hell out of there. Some days it's REALLY not worth it.

 

[Robroy]

Only time I ever walked out on a gig was at church. I'd been asked to jump in on bass at the last minute (so no prior rehearsal), which usually isn't a problem since we usually do 3 or 4 familiar songs and maybe 1 new one. I show up Sunday morning, our regular sound guy is running late and none of the other musicians know how to set up our PA, so I end up doing most of the setup work. Then I find out there's no drummer that day, so I have no one to lock in with, and the guitarist that day is a great lead and supplemental player but doesn't know how to "drive" a song. Then while we're doing the quick run-through with the songs (most of which we've never played before) the worship leader (who was also filling in for our regular guy, AND is a fine singer but doesn't know the first thing about music or leading a band) said "Actually bass doesn't work on a couple of these songs, do you think you could sit them out or maybe go home and get your guitar?" Bear in mind that this was like 20 minutes before the service was supposed to start, and I live 10 minutes away.

I calmly said "I don't think the bass is adding much, so I'm just going to sit this one out," packed up my stuff, and got the hell out of there. Some days it's REALLY not worth it.

I think you did the right thing. They need to think about Psalm 33:3. You either do it right or not at all.

 

[Flabass]

I would have turned my volume off and pretended to play. No one could hear you anyway. And you could have done some "pain faces" so you looked like you were really into it LOL.

 

[Robroy]

I would have turned my volume off and pretended to play. No one could hear you anyway. And you could have done some "pain faces" so you looked like you were really into it LOL.

I've actually done that - sans the pain faces.

 

[PauFerro]

I wouldn't have walked out. I might have asked to sit it out, due to embarrassment, but I wouldn't have walked out.

It was worth it for the punchline. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George is in a job interview and basically tells his potential new boss he think's he's a jerk, his company sucks, and he thinks the job is poorly structured Potential boss is quite for a bit and then says

"Hire this man!".

Cool story overall!!! The part about 1/2 the band playing one song and the other half playing a different song was cool. I had that happen once too.

 

[Pops OB]

I seriously doubt I'd walk out on a gig. 100% positive I'd never leave any of my gear behind. Everybody gets a chance, so, if I ask for a monitor, I expect a piece of equipment that I can use. I come prepared, and so should you and your band. With that said, if you do that to me on the first gig, I am done with you. Period.

 

[MrLenny1]

Walkin out ain't cool but I would
not stay with them.
GLWYD

 

[Robroy]

With that said, if you do that to me on the first gig, I am done with you. Period.

I'm with you on that one. And I have to confess that it is my personality type to do it as a message to the guy I walked out on that I am done with him. i.e. his opinion has no value to me because I'll never work with him again. On anything.

This means it would have to be pretty bad for me to just walk off.