Strangest/Weirdest/Funniest GigsYou've Played

B-squared

Silver Member
OK, I've been wanting to try this one - old "war stories". Here's a starter:

My old band was playing at a small town bar not far from Denver. The crowd wasn't too large - maybe 75 people or so - but they were mostly locals out for a good time. We had the dance floor packed pretty good when this girl came in who was very obviously under the influence of some substance. She was dancing by herself in a "hippie" free-form manner twirling around with her arms out. In the meanwhile, there was another tiny little girl dancing with her boyfriend, I saw it coming. Eventually the "free-form" hippie girl hit the little girl while she was twirling. The little lady got P.O'ed and popped the twirler right in the face. Then the fight broke out and they took the thing outside. Everyone wanted to watch so everyone left for the parking lot leaving us to play by ourselves in front of absolutely no one.

That's one of mine. Let's hear some of yours.
 
I played after a male revue once. No men were allowed in during the revue, except the band, staff and performers. There were over 700 women there. In the middle, during the strip show...you could actually smell the 'gina lol.
 
nope not the same one, but i did see that exact same scenario in park city lounge up in westminster about 2 years ago.
 
I played after a male revue once. No men were allowed in during the revue, except the band, staff and performers. There were over 700 women there. In the middle, during the strip show...you could actually smell the 'gina lol.
I played a pickup gig where the band I was playing with started right after a female review. Walked into the gig 30 mins prior (kit was provided) and the place was packed and going off. Thinking it was going to be a great gig, was rudely reminded why the crowd was there, when within about 5 minutes of us kicking off there were only about 10-15 people left. :)
 
One of the strangest gigs I've ever done was when the main band didn't turn up, leaving my own band and two other support bands without a kit. I always carry 'essential' items with me, so I had a cymbal stand, snare stand and my breakables. I went ahead and did the gig anyway, which was strange. Straight back to basics!

I offered my stands to the other drummers but they didn't feel confident playing on so few drums. So we were the only entertainment for the night. I can't really remember much about the gig, but I do remember my right foot still played the bass drum/hi hat pedals as if they were present!
 
I played patriotic music on a 10x14 parade drum along with a clarinetist on an airport tarmac for the arrival of Hustler magazine publisher , Larry Flynt , and porn star Jenna Jameson .

20 minutes = $100
 
Desperate for a gig, an old folks home, for a 1950/60's style dance. We were way too loud. A woman with dementia kept coming up every number waving arms in disgust, shouting we were loud. But 5 songs later her demented brain shifted, she loved it and wouldn't get off the dance floor the whole evening. The old gents at the back suggested to me I "use my brushes better". We were not invited back.
 
Mine have always been on boats which is weird. Oddest was perhaps backing a showcase whilst crossing the channel to Dunkirk in a force 10. Watching the dancers was just hilarious.

When we got there it was freezing and I stripped off on the dock to show the GF I really loved her. Happy days!

I also played on the Thekla (quite a famous venue in Bristol) when it sprang a leak.
 
I wasn't part of the revue, I don't roll like that lol.

Not even for Keep it Simple?

For me? Old biker bars with Kreigsmarine flags up all over the bar. Enough said there I feel.
 
I played patriotic music on a 10x14 parade drum along with a clarinetist on an airport tarmac for the arrival of Hustler magazine publisher , Larry Flynt , and porn star Jenna Jameson .

20 minutes = $100

Yep, that tops anything I've got. My hat's off to you sir.
 
Opened up for The Offspring in my teens at a hardrock venue that stunk of B.O., puke, and skunky beer. We played the second stage even though no one was on the main stage yet. When we were all packed up, we had to get in line outside to BUY a ticket to get back in... no pay either obviously. In the club's defense we were horrible. In our defense, it was punk. Hehehehe.
 
Yep, that tops anything I've got. My hat's off to you sir.

he arrived in his personal jet black Gulfstream with LFP( Larry Flynt Productions ) in gold lettering on it's tail and was carried down it's steps while strapped into his gold plated wheelchair . his two uniformed pilots did the carting.Jenna was wearing a purple velour sweatsuit as she emerged after Larry's exit...
what a nutty gig ~
 
Played with a drag show one night. The "girls" did their routine between our sets. We shared a dressing room with them.....which was interesting to say the least. A few drinks flowed and implants et al were compared, judged and rated. As one thing lead to another we ended up convincing them to let us wear their clothes and wigs and we went out and did the last set in drag. We scratched together an (almost) passable version of Lola and got 'em all up on stage to perform it with us. It was a riot. Great fun, considering the most usual backdrop.
 
We played at a rough bar ... and the band was kind of weird and funny itself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwzysiIPbtI

We had no idea how things would go. As it turned out, on every table in the bar was a bong and mull bowl. Bizarre. Good for us, given the music we were playing :)

Then, before the second set the bar manager wanted to use the singer's mic for a raffle. The prize? A big bag of weed. As it turned out our guitarist won it and handed out smoko to most of the audience. Needless to say we were popular after that!

We had another gig there a month later. This time word was out that narcs were around and there was no weed at all. So they got drunk instead. That was a bit scary. In contrast to the happy, silly vibe of the previous gig there was a sense of barely contained violence in the air (as I said, it was a rough bar).

That was the last time we played there.
 
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