Would you walk out mid-gig?

[JRT64]

I never walked out mid gig, but I do remember walking out the last night of a weekend gig many years ago after the singer became verbally abusive on stage. During last break, I told the BL I was through when the night was done. I packed my personal gear, left and never looked back.

 

[bisticlz]

I was in a band with a bunch of dudes that would try to sneakily bump their volumes up during/between songs, to the point where the drummer would get fatigued and fall even more out of tempo.

After the second set, I started breaking my stuff down, and the guys asked what I was doing. Told them I played nothing but open A string last two songs and nobody noticed because the guitars are too f*****g loud, so I might as well just go home.

They relented, and I played the rest of the night, but that was my last gig with them, because by the end of the night they were back up to stupid levels that kept people from hanging out at the bar.

 

[turf3]

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?

Damage to your ears IS personal danger.

 

[neddyrow]

I did once at an unpaid "barn party" where the drummer was falling over drunk and the sing/lead guitarist could do either. Our set got bumped and our bandmates got too drunk waiting for our time slot.

I tried my best but after the fourth or fifth train wreck... I packed up my amp and bass and said I was done playing because this was just embarrassing.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I could come up with hypothetical scenarios where I would, but in general I would not walk mid-gig.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Its cost vs benefit. Once the benefit of walking outweighs the cost of staying you should walk. Volumes so loud they hurt your ears even with ear plugs sounds like it might qualify. I'd try to at least remediate the situation before walking though.

 

[Basvarken]

I have stepped off the stage once because the volume was unbearable. I did continue to play, but I just needed to get away from the piercing noise that my bandmates were producing.
After the gig I told them I was going to quit if they'd ever play that loud again.
They promised to lower the decibels. But eventually they fell back into the old habit.
And I quit a few weeks later. The band wasn't worth ruining my hearing for life.

 

[legalbass]

I would never walk out mid-show unless my personal safety were at issue. Then again, I always have earplugs in my gig bag.

 

[And I]

I wear good earplugs so... unless there was physical danger I would stick it out until the end of the gig.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I've been angry enough at band situations to give an "out" date but never so bad that I left mid-gig.

Now there was the one time that the whole band decided to be done mid gig but that's a different story.

 

[Grinderman]

If there were a fire, I'd probably at least walk fast.

 

[Mark_70]

Take it from someone with Tinnitus.. Your health is totally worth walking out of a gig after ample warnings.. I mean, it's a gig - not open hear surgery
Regards
Mark

 

[Knavery]

Never walked out on a gig, but what I've learned as well as others here is that there are some really shi**y bands out there--people that are completely oblivious to the fact that they're completely horrible.

 

[MrLenny1]

No, but I should have left on a gig several times for the sake
of my ears which are now trashed.

 

[micguy]

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

Context matters, I suggest.

If your ideal gig is crappy venues with clueless drunks, do what you want - you can stay there and play those gigs as long as you want. If you want to play better gigs, I’d suggest adopting a professional approach wherever you play.

You move up if and when you’ve put in the time and effort, and are ready for the next challenge.

 

[MegaSwing]

As far as volume issues, I won’t even start with a group (or a player) that has no discipline with the volume knob. I’ve come too far for that. That’s pure kid stuff.

 

[Wesley R]

I have come really close twice. It was the same band. I had a long talk with myself on the hour drive home, with little or no concern on where to spend the whopping $20 I made that night.

 

[Hot Rats]

I walked out on a gig but I didn't know it until the next day. It was a house party and we had finished our set and other bands/people were playing and my girlfriend wanted to leave, so we left. Turns out our band wanted to go back up and I was no where to be found. I got fired the next day. Not one of my better moments as I had left without telling anybody.. Pfft, girlfriends...

 

[40Hz]

Significant personal safety issue? Yes

Band political issue leading to public drama? No. But there’s a high probability I’d be quitting the band shortly afterwards.

 

[Eilif]

Over a few hundred gigs, I never have, but I'd certainly be willing to quit mid-gig if necessary. Possible reasons (though there are probably more) are mostly related to:
-Threats to my health/Hearing/Safety
-If the band were to publicly endorse something extremely Racist, Sexist, etc. from the stage. A single drunken comment from a BL I can let slide til the set break (and then quit or have a sit-down afterwards), but if it's blatant and/or continuous and I'm being associated with it, I'm out.

I place a high value on professional conduct, even though I am not a professional. Always want to look good, play good, and do whatever I can to help the group be at their best. However, I expect similar effort from my bandmates and my personal integrity and well-being are worth far more than the mythological priority of having to finish the gig.