Rough gigs

thomasross20

PolarityMan said:

Are the girls actually vocalists or just girls who have an alright voice?

 I see lots of cover bands picking their front people for pretty poor reasons.

Just girls who like to sing. 

New (potential) singer for new (potential) band should be good... fingers crossed..

gubble

On a more serious/scary note that roughest gig probably played was in a pub near Gosport (I think Whiteley).

Our singer at the time was very pretty and 3 duty sailors took a liking to her. Being a good honest married type she politely thanked them for the interest but declined their advances. These guys didn't take kindly to this and a few minutes later became really intimidating towards her and eventually onr tried to attack her. I've never seen a drummer jump over a kit so fast to grab a singer out of the way. The landlord witnessed this and threw them out.

They then returned with a load of mates to cause more trouble.

A few minutes later what appeared to be the entirety of Hampshire constabulary turned up at the pub to deal with these guys. I remember it really clearly as we were playing I predict a riot.

These guys got pepper sprayed next to us and both the drummer and I got caught with a bit of the spray - wasn't nice.

The police asked us to stop playing - we got paid and went home.

That's about the worst. But seen plenty of fighting, drunk punters causing issues etc. The scariest time was a guy getting his head stamped on in front of us - that genuinely freaked me out as I thought he was going to be killed right in front of us.

FarleyUK

gubble said:

On a more serious/scary note that roughest gig probably played was in a pub near Gosport (I think Whiteley).

Our singer at the time was very pretty and 3 duty sailors took a liking to her. Being a good honest married type she politely thanked them for the interest but declined their advances. These guys didn't take kindly to this and a few minutes later became really intimidating towards her and eventually onr tried to attack her. I've never seen a drummer jump over a kit so fast to grab a singer out of the way. The landlord witnessed this and threw them out.

They then returned with a load of mates to cause more trouble.

A few minutes later what appeared to be the entirety of Hampshire constabulary turned up at the pub to deal with these guys. I remember it really clearly as we were playing I predict a riot.

These guys got pepper sprayed next to us and both the drummer and I got caught with a bit of the spray - wasn't nice.

The police asked us to stop playing - we got paid and went home.

That's about the worst. But seen plenty of fighting, drunk punters causing issues etc. The scariest time was a guy getting his head stamped on in front of us - that genuinely freaked me out as I thought he was going to be killed right in front of us.

Is it wrong I was laughing while reading that...??!

Seriously though, glad it was all OK in the end - and at least you got a cracking tale out of it!

Thinking back, I think the worst we had was out first ever gig in a tiny pub - some drunk bint fell into the drums and demolished the snares. We carried on playing while the singer helped her up and the drummer re-built his kit, and then carried on.

She then almost did it again, only for the drummer to move the cymbals in time so she missed them.

gubble

no you're fine to laugh at that - we laugh about it still to this day.

It's one of those 'nobody would believe you unless you were there'

just like the time I got groped by a midget at a gig or the time the drummer was about to go home with a lass until he disovered it wasn't a lass !

thomasross20

Lol!!

DLM

thomasross20 said:

The only thing going will be me if I join an in your face rock band lol...

http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqkaa0cc7Z1r25534o1_500.gif

@thomasross20

Luminous

Theres been a few...

in Shotts I was greeted with the awesome request " Gies Ruby or you're getting slashed "

in Condorrat on Xmas day a girl got slashed full in the face in font of the stage

In Gourock 2 scuzzbags tried to nick the flightcases from the back of the stage while we were play...

the mind boggles

Roland

FarleyUK said:

Bloody hell! The worst we've had so far is the usual drunk punters requesting stupid songs and asking to sing.

Out of interest, what do you guys find to be the best way to politely tell these people to f-off, and no, they cannot sing or play a song?

Just wondering as I tend to come across as pretty..... 'aggressive' when I say no (being 6ft 5 and 18 stone probably has that effect!).

Normally I use "I'm sorry, but our insurance doesn't allow that".  Best one I heard was "That's alright mate, as long as I can have a go with your girlfriend while you're at it"

thomasross20

Get this!! We've known for weeks we're to be in the studio (pricey!) this Saturday and Sunday... And bassist just sent an email saying he has to be in and out quick on Saturday as he has a pre-arranged present for his girlfriend!? And also now he's on rota so can't do Sunday!?

thomasross20

Get this!! We've known for weeks we're to be in the studio (pricey!) this Saturday and Sunday... And bassist just sent an email saying he has to be in and out quick on Saturday as he has a pre-arranged present for his girlfriend!? And also now he's on rota so can't do Sunday!?

timmysoft

thomasross20 said:

Get this!! We've known for weeks we're to be in the studio (pricey!) this Saturday and Sunday... And bassist just sent an email saying he has to be in and out quick on Saturday as he has a pre-arranged present for his girlfriend!? And also now he's on rota so can't do Sunday!?

Your bassist is a dick, kick him out.

timmysoft

I grew up playing floor shows, so nothing ever really shocked me, I spent half my time off stage in the crowd anyway!

samzadgan

leave the band man...especially if the drummer comes with you and you have a good singer waiting in the wings...you'll end up having more fun and better shows when you're in a band that you like.

thomasross20

Defo leaving if this other thing floats. 

Girlfriend thinks I'm maybe being harsh but I don't think so - we've known about the studio time for weeks! He should have said back then!

Moe_Zambeek

what happens if his bit isn't done in time?

thomasross20

F*** knows... he'll be there 10am - 3pm but include set-up time, chat, lunch etc.... I'll say 3 hours recording time. Only meant to be doing two songs initially but what if he lays something down and it's just wrong.... you can't just lay bass down - surely bass & drums need to be done at the same time (unless he's going by a click). The whole point of this was to get a professional sounding demo we can hand over to pubs but this isn't professional. 

I can bring a bass if need be. Can you play bass?? We're recording ACDC's "Shook Me" and Janice Joplin's "Piece of My Heart"

DLM

Unless there is a medical problem with your singers, those music stands are an abomination, Tiggs.

IvisonGuitars

One of the first proper gigs I played with my covers band when we were 15 was at an after wedding party in a local town. Gig went fine, cliental perhaps not the type i'd usually spend an evening drinking with, never the less as we were loading out, we heard an almighty crash and the best man had thrown the groom through a window onto the carpark....

Just had a doozy on Saturday night actually, a solo pub gig, very pissed up woman tying to grab the mic "let me sing" etc, a few polite rebuttals from me and then she comes out with "But I do PR for KK Dowling!!".....so I couldn't resist "Well, you should know fucking better then, shouldn't you??".

As I was loading out, I noticed she was slumped in the corner with her head in her hands....nice PR for KK! ;-)

IvisonGuitars

Just thinking of @Koneguitarist's post about the Valley's gigs, I lived in Pentre in the Rhondda for a while and use to have a band doing the clubs around the area. Had some great gigs, real salt of the earth music fans just wanting to have a good time and we were always treated well.

I remember walking into one club to see a guy playing the fruit machine....which was inside a cage and he had to put his hand through the bars to play it. Apparently the local scallywags used to pull up in a van, run in, rip the fruit machine off and race off in the van! It happened so often then had to build a cage around it!! :-) 

EricTheWeary

I think I've only played one gig in Wales, Welshpool way rather than in the vallies. Very quiet crowd and at the end we said sorry to the landlord that we hadn't gone down well. He said they did like us, if they hadn't they'd have thrown beer bottles at us. I don't think he was joking.