Would you walk out mid-gig?

[bwildt]

This question is related to another thread.
Gig Report. My ears are destroyed.

There were comments from some people about quitting on the spot, mid-gig.

Would you ever quit or leave abandon a band mid-gig? I think in my case, it would need to be something really bad, like personal danger to me to even think about that. Otherwise, I think I could/would stick out a gig instead of getting the band, the crowd, the venue mad at me and possibly ruining my reputation as a trusted, professional musician.

What do you all think?

 

[bwildt]

I could see myself quitting a band at the end of the night.

 

[Sam Evans]

If, per that other thread, I thought my hearing might actually be damaged, and I was not able to convince the rest of the band to turn down, hell yes, I'd walk. Similarly, if some other potential health / safety risk. Other than that, probably not unless there were some serious emergency, like if I got a call that my wife were in an accident or something like that.

 

[smeet]

It would have to be really bad for me to leave mid-gig. But if my hearing was being threatened even with plugs in, I would probably warn the band once or twice and leave if they didn’t do something about it.

Some TBers seem to put some sacred value on playing a gig, even when sick or injured. My welfare is important to me, and an hour or two at ear-splitting levels can have lifelong consequences.

 

[Oddly]

Per the other thread, I'd call for a break.
Tell the others to either take the volume down to a reasonable level, or I'm out.
I'm pretty sure that'd be the end of my time in that band, right there and then.

 

[JW56789]

Yes.

I have.

After the 'shots fired' call went in.

 

[monsterthompson]

I’ve done it. It was a bad situation and one of little consequence. Gig was essentially a glorified practice jam, with zero money involved.

 

[dbase]

If my amp crapped out... I'd be leaving skid marks. just sayin

 

[Reno Guy]

I could see myself quitting a band at the end of the night.

I did quit a band at the end of the night. I said yes to joining them after a short audition and then promised to be ready for a gig 2 weeks away. At the first full rehearsal I knew that I made a huge mistake. The 5 songs we played at my audition were the only ones they knew correctly. I learned 36 songs in 2 weeks and I was the only one without cheat sheet in front of me at the gig. I had to play the guitar intro to New Orleans on bass because the rhythm guitarist was incapable of playing it.

They had 3 times as much gear as they needed, it took almost an hour to load 3 pickup trucks, almost as long to carry everything inside, and 2+ hours to set up. Plus the hour driving to the gig. Oh, the rehearsal space was an hour from my place, so from me leaving home to soundcheck took almost 5 hours. FYI, the gig was 8 minutes from my house!!

Even the drummer even had cheat sheets and would sometimes partially stop playing when he turned the page. For one song the lead singer had his lyric sheets out of order and wasn't ready to sing after the intro. The band stopped, he flipped pages, then we started the song over. People that were dancing to taped music between sets sat down when we started playing. The gig was a complete and total embarrassment.

I loaded my gear after the gig and quit on the spot. I didn't help them load out which I know is not classy but I had no intention of spending another minute with them, let alone 2 more hours of hauling gear and 2 more hours of driving.

 

[2112]

I remember when that guy that plays guitar for Spinal Tarp walked out in the middle of a gig...

 

[Killing Floor]

After a gig, OK, sure. Sometimes things don't work out.
Right before a gig such that it forces a last minute cancellation that potentially burns the band and all its members? Dicey, jerk move, but it happened to me and and I became a lead singer hahaha, the horrors!
But during a gig? I doubt your gear makes it out with you.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Hopefully I would have done my homework and not ended up in a situation where I’d walk out mid gig.

 

[Steven Ayres]

It's highly unprofessional to walk out mid-gig. But if that were to become necessary, something vastly more unprofessional would have to be going on, so I wouldn't sweat it. I can recall a fair number of jobs where I'd have certainly liked to exit early, of course, and probably should have.

That said, I've never done it. I've also never called in sick or otherwise left the band short-handed, and I've always taken responsibility for hiring my own sub if there was an unavoidable conflict.

I remember once packing up and leaving when the drunken bandleader decided he wanted to play overtime to a room where they were actually putting chairs up on tables to close. I don't think that counts.

 

[Samatza]

I learned many decades ago to carry some earplugs in my gig bag. Yes I have been on some super loud gigs, put the plugs in, finished the gig and declined any further gigs with that band.

I think the first time it was too loud I actually used wet paper napkins to make ear plugs, same ending to the story, I finished the gig and never went back.

With my band the levels are super low, even without IEM it's almost a silent stage with electronic drums, small monitors and let the FOH do the work out front.

 

[BazzaBass]

Yes.

I have.

After the 'shots fired' call went in.

USA?

 

[two fingers]

This question is related to another thread.
Gig Report. My ears are destroyed.

There were comments from some people about quitting on the spot, mid-gig.

Would you ever quit or leave abandon a band mid-gig? I think in my case, it would need to be something really bad, like personal danger to me to even think about that. Otherwise, I think I could/would stick out a gig instead of getting the band, the crowd, the venue mad at me and possibly ruining my reputation as a trusted, professional musician.

What do you all think?

If I thought my hearing were being permanently damaged, I would absolutely threaten it. I would say "Either we turn it down some right now or I'm walking out RIGHT NOW."

Granted, in that situation I would have been wearing -32 db plugs anyway. And if -32 plugs weren't enough, you better believe I would have put my foot down.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

This question is related to another thread.
Gig Report. My ears are destroyed.

There were comments from some people about quitting on the spot, mid-gig.

Would you ever quit or leave abandon a band mid-gig? I think in my case, it would need to be something really bad, like personal danger to me to even think about that. Otherwise, I think I could/would stick out a gig instead of getting the band, the crowd, the venue mad at me and possibly ruining my reputation as a trusted, professional musician.

What do you all think?

Yeah. I'd stick it out.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

This question is related to another thread.
Gig Report. My ears are destroyed.

There were comments from some people about quitting on the spot, mid-gig.

Would you ever quit or leave abandon a band mid-gig? I think in my case, it would need to be something really bad, like personal danger to me to even think about that. Otherwise, I think I could/would stick out a gig instead of getting the band, the crowd, the venue mad at me and possibly ruining my reputation as a trusted, professional musician.

What do you all think?

Oh, but nobody could ever get louder me anyway. Hahaha.

Bass

 

[StayLow]

It's highly unprofessional to walk out mid-gig. But if that were to become necessary, something vastly more unprofessional would have to be going on, so I wouldn't sweat it. I can recall a fair number of jobs where I'd have certainly liked to exit early, of course, and probably should have.

That said, I've never done it. I've also never called in sick or otherwise left the band short-handed, and I've always taken responsibility for hiring my own sub if there was an unavoidable conflict.

I remember once packing up and leaving when the drunken bandleader decided he wanted to play overtime to a room where they were actually putting chairs up on tables to close. I don't think that counts.

Does professionalism matter at highly unprofessional gigs played by totally unprofessional bands in crappy venues to clueless drunks?

Context matters, I suggest.

 

[richntiff]

As others have stated - only if your personal well being is legitimately in jeopardy. That being said, I hope we’d all be cognizant of that issue before taking the stage.