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Wimpy A** Bandmates

#81
I once played a fund raiser for a non profit. They had us under a tent, but it was raining heavily outside. I looked and saw that we were being powered by a bunch of extension cables connected together, with most of them being in the rain and uncovered, soaking wet. At that point, we finished the next song and told the band and organizer that we're done. Not risking electrocution for a gig.
 
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#82
jive1 said:
I once played a fund raiser for a non profit. They had us under a tent, but it was raining heavily outside. I looked and saw that we were being powered by a bunch of extension cables connected together, with most of them being in the rain and uncovered, soaking wet. At that point, we finished the next song and told the band and organizer that we're done. Not risking electrocution for a gig.
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That's one scenario where i'd stop playing......
 
#83
4-stringB said:
In summer 2010, the band I'm in played a biker rally-poker run/fund raiser (for sick kids)in a parking lot. However, the folks set up a 20x 10 awning, with carpet, a 4' fan, and all the ice water one could hope for. A little background, I'm a rural mail carrier. I worked in the 100 degree heat all day, came back to the shop, changed shirts and hauled butt across the street.The gig was like, 1 minute from my job. The conditions were better than I had dealt with all day. HOWEVER, my bandmates are all office types, and thus are all not conditioned to the outdoors like I am. They are all whining, "Its too hot","I'm going to pass out"..etc.They called off the rest of the gig, while I'm going ,"Let's go, it's time to party!" But, as you can see coming, they won , we folded. Does your group give up at the least inconvience??
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Time for a new band.
 
#86
honestly, I wouldn't have ducked out of the show, but really not everybody is built with the same conditioning or tolerances as you are. I mean, it's better to not have a stroke than it is to have one. I've got some pretty wimpy bandmates if you care to hear some stories.
 
#89
Well, One time the guitarist pulled a muscle in his arm by reaching into his fridge.

I walked an hour, bass in hand, from my university's campus to the practice space, to find out that the singer - who lived there - was still asleep, and NOT in a good mood that I woke her up. It was about -10C out, something like 10 to 20F. I showed up before everybody else did, and they had cars and rides.

The car that I did drive at the time wasn't available to me for a period during the summer before last, so I bused to practice a couple times - 50 pound combo in one hand, bass in the other, about an hour either way without wait times. Nobody found out, until when the guitarist said that he wanted to cancel practice because he couldn't get a ride, I told him he could just bus it. His reply? "I'd rather cancel". Keep in mind that while it tends to be quite humid in the summer, and can be rather hot as well, but the weather was nothing but gorgeous that day.

Oh man, this band agreed to be the backing group for this (incredibly bad) solo project that I did for a while as it got onto the local university's radio station. I mentioned that I'd get them beer and pizza afterwards at my girlfriend's place about six block east of campus, so I proposed we walked, since the weather was amazing out. The vocalist declined because six blocks is a long way.
 
#90
HA HA -man. Sounds like my first band and practices and playing -i was always ready to go for everything -they were like "meh" or maybe. I wanted to name our band "Hell yeah and the maybes" which is actually a pretty good band name :) :)
I used to be in the army and played Rugby so I usually "viking on" in situations where others do not. However i dont often give them a hard time i just try and set an example -well most the time. Sometimes i am just a grumpy old fart (but i got my number). ;)
 
#91
Jimmy4string said:
HA HA -man. Sounds like my first band and practices and playing -i was always ready to go for everything -they were like "meh" or maybe. I wanted to name our band "Hell yeah and the maybes" which is actually a pretty good band name :) :)
I used to be in the army and played Rugby so I usually "viking on" in situations where others do not. However i dont often give them a hard time i just try and set an example -well most the time. Sometimes i am just a grumpy old fart (but i got my number). ;)
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I'd play in Hell Yeah and the Maybes. Also, funny story, I'm currently training to box, and am contemplating a career in the military as well, so I can hear ya about the Viking on part. Although at first I thought you were referring to their preferences for funeral arrangements, which did kinda confuse me :p

It honestly really frustrated me that in between classes at the U and shifts at work, and having a girlfriend, I STILL somehow managed to be the most dedicated, hard-working, and punctual guy there.
 
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#94
4-stringB said:
In summer 2010, the band I'm in played a biker rally-poker run/fund raiser (for sick kids)in a parking lot. However, the folks set up a 20x 10 awning, with carpet, a 4' fan, and all the ice water one could hope for. A little background, I'm a rural mail carrier. I worked in the 100 degree heat all day, came back to the shop, changed shirts and hauled butt across the street.The gig was like, 1 minute from my job. The conditions were better than I had dealt with all day. HOWEVER, my bandmates are all office types, and thus are all not conditioned to the outdoors like I am. They are all whining, "Its too hot","I'm going to pass out"..etc.They called off the rest of the gig, while I'm going ,"Let's go, it's time to party!" But, as you can see coming, they won , we folded. Does your group give up at the least inconvience??
Click to expand...
I'm an "office type". I've also rode the 200 miles from Seattle to Portland in one day with temperatures above 100 (only once, thank God). If you have water, are in the shade, and you're not running a marathon, you are not going to faint. What you are is a wuss. There is no way I'd cancel such a gig for that reason. I'd embrace it.

And since I've moved to rural KY, I've learned what humidity can mean. You just gotta be prepared to sweat. It's not gonna hurt you. You are not gonna pass out. These guys must be young bucks that prefer a climate controlled world.
 
#95
Too much macho posturing.

I look perfectly healthy, but have a very bad back as well as having previously had heat strokes. I'm not lifting it and not playing in hot conditions. My life will actually be the better for not doing it, vs some crappy gig for little reward. I've put in my time in the outdoors in heat and cold and biting insects. I've nothing to prove and little to gain by putting up with it - not to mention much to lose.
 
#96
carl h. said:
Too much macho posturing.

I look perfectly healthy, but have a very bad back as well as having previously had heat strokes. I'm not lifting it and not playing in hot conditions. My life will actually be the better for not doing it, vs some crappy gig for little reward. I've put in my time in the outdoors in heat and cold and biting insects. I've nothing to prove and little to gain by putting up with it - not to mention much to lose.
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I'm with you - unless we're cancelling. 100 degrees is not that hot - especially in a covered area, with fans and all the water you can drink. It's part of life. I've always been careful to hydrate on long distance bike rides specifically to avoid heat stroke. Playing on a covered stage is a piece of cake. I've also learned to embrace the sweat. I see it as a cleansing.
 
#97
Robroy said:
I'm with you - unless we're cancelling at the last minute. I try to be professional in all things. A commitment is a commitment. 100 degrees is not that hot - especially in a covered area, with fans and all the water you can drink. It's part of life. I've always been careful to hydrate on long distance bike rides specifically to avoid heat stroke. Playing on a covered stage is a piece of cake. I've also learned to embrace the sweat. I see it as a cleansing.
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#98
My problem is if I don't notice I'm not sweating. I'll ride bicycle in any temperature, as long as the wind isn't crazy. I've ridden from -40 to 115 with no unusual complications. I do cut myself off from riding if it's over 95 these days. I am in control on a ride, on a gig there are expectations that I will not walk off and find shade or air conditioning without warning.
 

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