Worst Gig Experiences?

We never went back.


Sadly, I can relate to this post. I once had a fight happen virtually under my kit. Sadly again, it involved the bass player. Stones Green Ginger Wine was also involved I believe.
 
I LOVE the fact there was a deep philosophical realization which then led to said bass player's decision to reach for a previously unknown level of combined musical nirvana and performance art, thus climaxing in a an act of such magnificence only witnessed by 10 wretching drunks and the band.

It was the perfect balance of comedy and tragedy.
 
i remember my first 'gig', not relly gig but school performnce and was using there shitty stuff and after 2 songs using double pedal, the slave arm broke and the beater loosened up so much that it was metal on thin 1ply plastc. the batter head ended up with dints on it and is now even worse haha!
 
Every single night playing in a hotel lounge with the Jerry Farber trio back in the early seventies. Yeah, Jerry, I'm talking about you!
 
Let's see...

I've had many "paid rehearsals" over the years as well. A few years ago my band played a show in Philly on a Sunday night... actually a Monday morning, at 1:00 a.m. - no surprise, only two bartenders and the soundman, and another band, were present.

I've busted a hole in my bass drum head, during a charity performance being broadcast live on the radio (though just my college's station) - happened on the second song of a 45 minute set.

Did a live set on another college station where our guitar player broke a string on the first song.

My band had its first show with a new bass player - our singer's younger brother, who was only 16, told the bar owner his age, and because he was under 18, he wasn't even allowed to sign a performer's contract and be inside the bar at all. We ran a cable out the front door, and he played his bass in the entrance way, confusing people as they walked in. Because he didn't have a monitor (he was hearing the sound as it leaked out through the door and walls) - our timing was apparently way off.

One band played in nasty dive bar where people crapped in the sinks in the bathroom, and a guy in the crowd screamed that he wanted to rape us while we were on stage, as other audience members laughed and cheered.

Played a show in a big venue where the sound guy - a friend of a friend - forgot to turn on our monitors. I asked him about this at the end of the show, after we were almost booed off (we sounded horrible and the owner wanted to pull the plug). He looked down and flipped one little switch - the monitors popped on - and he just said, "Oops!"

Nearly got into a fist fight while another drummer forced me to use his kit. My band had set up the show, and even got to pick them to play with us from a batch of CDs the venue gave us to choose from. But we opted to go on first (at 10 pm) because we, and our audience, were older and would appreciate an earlier night. But this caused the other band to think, "We're the headliners!" and take control. The other band's drummer had huge toms, and only one rack tom with a ride cymbal sticking way out - I'd never played that configuration, and I got trapped and dropped my sticks a bunch of times throughout the show. He wouldn't even let me change the heights of the drums and cymbals. And, he had the name of his band on the bass drum, though we covered it up. Very disheartening.

But the worst show I ever played was at The Fastlane (no longer in business) in Asbury Park, NJ, in 1995. Let me take you back...

I don't know if this goes on any more, but the venue would force you to buy a batch of tickets in advance that you could sell to your family/friends/fans... or not. You fronted the cost, so you were saddled with selling them - I think it was like, 30 tickets at $15 each. The venue told us in advance, "Everyone has to have a ticket - every one you bring to your show. If your girlfriend carries your guitar, she needs to have a ticket! If your buddy comes to help you set up your drums, he needs to have a ticket too!" We told them, "Okay, we get it!" We sold most of our tickets, and had a few left over that we figured we'd give away to anyone who might show up to see us or the other band playing.

So we got there and loaded in 3 hours before the show was supposed to start, but the venue wouldn't let us set up or sound check because, even though we were opening, they wanted the other band to show up, set up, get mic'ed up, sound check - then they'd move their stuff aside and we'd set up, and leave our stuff up. We sat in the bleachers with a couple friends who came with us (don't worry - they had tickets) and waited.

Eventually an employee came around to collect and rip tickets. The two girls we were with handed over their tickets, and the guy ripped them. Then he asked me for my ticket - I told him, "I'm the drummer in the first band." He frowned and said, "Didn't they tell you when you set up the show?! EVERYBODY'S GOTTA HAVE A TICKET!" "Even... even me?" I asked. "Yes, even the guys in the band!" What a scam! So we used those extra tickets on... ourselves, paying $45 off the top to perform.

The first band didn't show up until 40 minutes before the show was supposed to start. They set up slowly and sound checked. When they were done, the sound guy disappeared. I later found him in front of the club smoking a joint. I told him we were finally ready to do our sound check, but he waved me off - "Ah man, there's no time. Your first song will be your sound check!" I told him that we'd come three hours early to be sure we had a sound check, but the bouncer next to him stepped up to me and said something like, "He told you, there ain't time!" So we didn't have a sound check.

We got on, and performed reasonably well, from what I heard and remember. When the last song ended, I spun my mic back on its stand– but it swung too far. It went into the stack of speakers and created the loudest feedback I’ve ever heard. I saw the wasted sound guy jump – I think he thought I did it on purpose. I didn’t, but I was happy. That move may have lead to what happened next though…

When we were loading out, someone threw an M-80 at us from across the street. My memory of that moment is kind of blurry, but I think someone had called us over from the side door (where our cars were) to the front, just in time for the bomb to fly. It was shocking, I think the employees standing around laughed and said something about the kids in town doing that all the time. Asbury Park is a rough town, if you didn't konw.

It was only the next day that our singer/guitarist realized that someone (probably a club employee) had stolen one of his guitars in the commotion. This made us think that the throwing of the M-80 was planned out – the timing was just too perfect. Plus, our music never really seemed to inspire us being assaulted by fireworks – even in Asbury Park.

That's the worst show I've ever played. It's funny how when people who don't play music and don't have anyone close to them who performs ask about what it's like to be in a band, they're thinking of the actual music so often - but most of what I remember from past shows is all the stuff around it - often, the unpleasant stuff you have to endure just to play your music.
 
Let's see...

I've had many "paid rehearsals" over the years as well. A few years ago my band played a show in Philly on a Sunday night... actually a Monday morning, at 1:00 a.m. - no surprise, only two bartenders and the soundman, and another band, were present.

I've busted a hole in my bass drum head, during a charity performance being broadcast live on the radio (though just my college's station) - happened on the second song of a 45 minute set.

Did a live set on another college station where our guitar player broke a string on the first song.

My band had its first show with a new bass player - our singer's younger brother, who was only 16, told the bar owner his age, and because he was under 18, he wasn't even allowed to sign a performer's contract and be inside the bar at all. We ran a cable out the front door, and he played his bass in the entrance way, confusing people as they walked in. Because he didn't have a monitor (he was hearing the sound as it leaked out through the door and walls) - our timing was apparently way off.

One band played in nasty dive bar where people crapped in the sinks in the bathroom, and a guy in the crowd screamed that he wanted to rape us while we were on stage, as other audience members laughed and cheered.

Played a show in a big venue where the sound guy - a friend of a friend - forgot to turn on our monitors. I asked him about this at the end of the show, after we were almost booed off (we sounded horrible and the owner wanted to pull the plug). He looked down and flipped one little switch - the monitors popped on - and he just said, "Oops!"

Nearly got into a fist fight while another drummer forced me to use his kit. My band had set up the show, and even got to pick them to play with us from a batch of CDs the venue gave us to choose from. But we opted to go on first (at 10 pm) because we, and our audience, were older and would appreciate an earlier night. But this caused the other band to think, "We're the headliners!" and take control. The other band's drummer had huge toms, and only one rack tom with a ride cymbal sticking way out - I'd never played that configuration, and I got trapped and dropped my sticks a bunch of times throughout the show. He wouldn't even let me change the heights of the drums and cymbals. And, he had the name of his band on the bass drum, though we covered it up. Very disheartening.

But the worst show I ever played was at The Fastlane (no longer in business) in Asbury Park, NJ, in 1995. Let me take you back...

I don't know if this goes on any more, but the venue would force you to buy a batch of tickets in advance that you could sell to your family/friends/fans... or not. You fronted the cost, so you were saddled with selling them - I think it was like, 30 tickets at $15 each. The venue told us in advance, "Everyone has to have a ticket - every one you bring to your show. If your girlfriend carries your guitar, she needs to have a ticket! If your buddy comes to help you set up your drums, he needs to have a ticket too!" We told them, "Okay, we get it!" We sold most of our tickets, and had a few left over that we figured we'd give away to anyone who might show up to see us or the other band playing.

So we got there and loaded in 3 hours before the show was supposed to start, but the venue wouldn't let us set up or sound check because, even though we were opening, they wanted the other band to show up, set up, get mic'ed up, sound check - then they'd move their stuff aside and we'd set up, and leave our stuff up. We sat in the bleachers with a couple friends who came with us (don't worry - they had tickets) and waited.

Eventually an employee came around to collect and rip tickets. The two girls we were with handed over their tickets, and the guy ripped them. Then he asked me for my ticket - I told him, "I'm the drummer in the first band." He frowned and said, "Didn't they tell you when you set up the show?! EVERYBODY'S GOTTA HAVE A TICKET!" "Even... even me?" I asked. "Yes, even the guys in the band!" What a scam! So we used those extra tickets on... ourselves, paying $45 off the top to perform.

The first band didn't show up until 40 minutes before the show was supposed to start. They set up slowly and sound checked. When they were done, the sound guy disappeared. I later found him in front of the club smoking a joint. I told him we were finally ready to do our sound check, but he waved me off - "Ah man, there's no time. Your first song will be your sound check!" I told him that we'd come three hours early to be sure we had a sound check, but the bouncer next to him stepped up to me and said something like, "He told you, there ain't time!" So we didn't have a sound check.

We got on, and performed reasonably well, from what I heard and remember. When the last song ended, I spun my mic back on its stand– but it swung too far. It went into the stack of speakers and created the loudest feedback I’ve ever heard. I saw the wasted sound guy jump – I think he thought I did it on purpose. I didn’t, but I was happy. That move may have lead to what happened next though…

When we were loading out, someone threw an M-80 at us from across the street. My memory of that moment is kind of blurry, but I think someone had called us over from the side door (where our cars were) to the front, just in time for the bomb to fly. It was shocking, I think the employees standing around laughed and said something about the kids in town doing that all the time. Asbury Park is a rough town, if you didn't konw.

It was only the next day that our singer/guitarist realized that someone (probably a club employee) had stolen one of his guitars in the commotion. This made us think that the throwing of the M-80 was planned out – the timing was just too perfect. Plus, our music never really seemed to inspire us being assaulted by fireworks – even in Asbury Park.

That's the worst show I've ever played. It's funny how when people who don't play music and don't have anyone close to them who performs ask about what it's like to be in a band, they're thinking of the actual music so often - but most of what I remember from past shows is all the stuff around it - often, the unpleasant stuff you have to endure just to play your music.

Plasmicsteve,

This is awesome, very few people reading this will have a true visual of the places but I was there, maybe not at those shows but at the Fast Lane, Stone Pony, Asbury, all those towns.

Used to follow a band called Backstreets around. Was hammered out of my head at the bar and the piano kicked a drink onto my lap, fortunately I was too drunk to start a fight so the nice chap bought me another one.

I remember very little of that night or many of those nights. Great memories.
 
Plasmicsteve,

This is awesome, very few people reading this will have a true visual of the places but I was there, maybe not at those shows but at the Fast Lane, Stone Pony, Asbury, all those towns.

Used to follow a band called Backstreets around. Was hammered out of my head at the bar and the piano kicked a drink onto my lap, fortunately I was too drunk to start a fight so the nice chap bought me another one.

I remember very little of that night or many of those nights. Great memories.

Wow, cool that you were there and remember that place, aaajn - even if the memory is tainted with a spilled beer. Asbury Park is in worse shape than ever now, from what I hear - I haven't been back since that show. Thanks for the memories!
 
I fell off the stage once half-way through a gig, my drum throne slipped back and I went over luckily it was whilst the singer was chatting to the audience, but yeah....that really sucked.
 
One of my first gigs i decided to cut my hand open by clasping a cymbal a bit too hard.. carried on through the gig, but ended up having to replace my skins due to the blood!! wasnt a nice sight.

Worse gig for sound was when the soung eng decided to put nothing but vocals into my monitor, at a volume where i couldnt hear myself or the rest of the band. When i told him all he said was 'wear earplugs' what a douche!
 
Played a gig outside, in the woods, at night. Got destroyed by mosquitoes

And to top it off, when I was setting up my drumkit
this guy walks over (drunk) and says
"have you seen these guys play? they're really good!"

my response
"...um yeah, i'm the drummer"

him
"oh shit, seriously?"
 
Played a gig outside, in the woods, at night. Got destroyed by mosquitoes

And to top it off, when I was setting up my drumkit
this guy walks over (drunk) and says
"have you seen these guys play? they're really good!"

my response
"...um yeah, i'm the drummer"

him
"oh shit, seriously?"

Great story, you could have told him you were the new drummer because the last guy got fired for being a homicidal maniac but he comes to the gigs every once in a while to haunt it--- and then pull out that claw attached to the door handle.
 
Before I started playing full time I done a lot of work for local bands. My worst experience was with a band called KT Offbeat, where they claimed to be country and southern rock (I got paid, so the genre of music didn't bug me.) We arrived at the bar, and had to play behind chicken wire and ended up doing a 4 hour set with only two 15 minute breaks, and 3 fights broke out.
 
hmmm. that one reminds me.

my band opened for a well known local band but they didn´t show up.

we rocked the house for 3 hours only stopping for 2 minutes (timed) to change a string.

because we had to pay for the PA (which the headliners would have done) we got paid $1 each.

oh and the time my bass was stolen.
 
First gig I ever did. Wasn't used to playing live, so naturally, I filled every two seconds and dropped my stick halfway through a two song set ahaha.
 
Once I was playing in my high school Wind Ensemble, Michael Daugherty's Bells for Stokowski. The song had a very intense Tympani part, which I was barely up to on familiar Tympani's but this school's Tympani, although very nice, didn't have the tuning range I was used to.

I screwed up throughout the entire piece, including not playing at all in one of the two solos.

Before that, I failed to pack the triangle (hate the triangle) for Mozart's Wedding of Figaro, and walked around the stage like a doofus until deducing it's absence and exiting stage left.

Ugh.

Once I had an audition for a Tunes for Charity event. It was A rock band playing Freebird.

The band leader was involved in organisation of the the event, so our audition was practically a formality, but the kit I had to play on was atrocious.

The bass drum had no spurs, it looked like it couldn't be younger than 30 years old. It was so out-of-tune that once the towel we had draped over it had finished it's journey off the shell, clinging to the pedal's beater and onto the floor, it sounded like a trash can.

There were only two toms, both mounted off the same stand in front of the snare, so I couldn't even get any 4-piece action in. They were both super dusty and out-of-tune as well.

The snare was fine, but given the circumstances, i couldn't lay into it while still hearing any of the rest of the band, so that sounded lame.

The cymbalS weren't: I had one orchestral suspended cymbal to my right. No good for riding, weak bell, couldn't crash or I'd loose my ride.

I didn't play so good.

Night of the actual gig however...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g9Cn6YUYM8&feature=autofb

yes.
------------------------------------------
 
My first concert; I was playing Don't Cry by Guns N' Roses at a school concert, with a friend of mine on drums, some guy who I didn't really hang out with or get to know singing, and my school's music teacher on bass. I was playing guitar, or course. Before I went on, I had to set up my multi effects pedal, which I had 2 presets on. One for the clean guitar, with delay and chorus on top of it, and on for the distortion, which was slightly louder, and didn't really have any effects. I plugged it in, and it didn't work. So I had to change the clean to distortion on the amp. The amp didn't have 2 channels, only one, so I would have to roll up the gain knob all the way, and start playing again. When I got to that point, and I turned up the gain, the guitar was so loud, and overpowering, that we had to stop the song, and turn down the volume, and start again from where we ended up. Of course, we finished the song correctly then, but I was extremely embarrassed. lol
 
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