# Shows from hell; your worst show



## garcia3441 (Jan 2, 2006)

Mine....

In early 2004 my band was on a tour of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas (former home), and Louisiana. We arrived for our show in Pine Bluff, and the first thing we see is a sign that says 'Under New Management'. The new management tells us that if we want to get paid we had to play. We go in and it's like the redneck bar from The Blues Brothers only 10 times worse. (Worst of all there was no chicken wire) Half way through our second song someone threw a bottle that hit me in the face and broke my jaw. 

It don't get much worse than that.


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## The Dark Wolf (Jan 2, 2006)

I'm sorry I chuckled, 'cause that's sorta funny. But it also fucking *sucks*, _big _time!


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## Ken (Jan 2, 2006)

Damn, if you're gonna set up a thread like that, at least make it something we can beat... That's awful. You'd have to be James Hetfield to top that...

My worst gig was playing in a bar in Northern Idaho. Everyone except the drummer could leave the stage, so we all went out on the dancefloor during the middle of Enter Sandman. My machine heads almost got caught in some woman's hair, then when the song was over, I went to leap back on the stage and misjudged the riser. Fell forward right on top of my guitar, and couldn't feel my left ring finger for the last song because it was so numb.

Then someone showed up with a gun 'cause they were pissed off at someone in the bar, so the whole thing migrated outside. We had to go out and check it out too, since we had wireless units. Looking back, kinda funny having music coming from inside when most of us were outside. No shots fired, it all ended peacefully. Pretty weird playing an entire song without being able to feel one of your fingers...


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## thepunisher (Jan 2, 2006)

so it was fucking halloween, and it was my third gig ever a few years ago. i had gotten pneumonia and was all loaded on the meds that make you sleepy to prevent coughing. after having to set up equipment for all the bands before us, as we were the last of the night, and it being about 11:30, i was kinda tired. my bandmates insisted that i practice the set at 6 am that morning so it had been a long day. anyway, the show had to end by midnight, and we had an hours set, so we choped some covers.
problem was the singer didnt tell us which covers he chopped.
as we launched into my solo in the second song, the drummer from the band before us is still onloading his set when he trips over my damn effects and into the bass player, who by the way was a sub for the one who had quit on us a week before. tht finished that song quickly. of course im scrambling to find out what has been unplugged from my setup, and much static ensues. the singer is being a dick and tells me to hurry up, and i tell him to take it up with clumsy who caused the problem in the first place.

i began the next song and the singer yells in the mic, no dumbass, we cut that one. the drummer yells hey asshole you never told us which ones you cut, and the singer jumps over the drum set to punch the drummer. the bass player and i just jam on a ratm song until the drummer and singer break apart, and we go into the next song, an original, dedicated to the singers girlfriend, which the singer forgets the words to.
needless to say, i picked up all of my shit and got out of there asap.

excet i forgot my hoodie, and when i got it back, i was informed that the singer had deficated on it multiple times after i left.

i quit the band that day.

people say they have never seen anyone put on a show like that to this day everytime im back in town. i dont think its a compliment.


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## eleven59 (Jan 2, 2006)

Wow, my worst show is nothing like that. Worst I've had is shows that no one shows up to, getting stuck between two acoustic acts (we're heavy, not extremely heavy, but heavier than acoustic), or having to play at 2:00am and having basically every gear problem you can imagine (broke string first song, lost kick beater second song and fourth song, amp cut out near end of set...). 

And technically I think Dimebag's story is worse than Jamez's, unfortunately  The worst part was that they had the little box in Guitar World magazine where they ask about your worst gig, your first guitar, etc. with Dimebag that month which I had bought about a week before it happened, and his worst gig up to that point was having diarrhea in a bucket on stage due to some bad mexican food they got out of the back of some guy's car.


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## garcia3441 (Jan 3, 2006)

We did our set, got paid, and split. I sued and won. I've been playing semi-pro for 15+(?!?!) years and that was the only time something like that has happened. 
The second worse was when the lead singer walked over to tell me what song we were dropping, but when he opened his mouth he threw up all over me.


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## David (Jan 3, 2006)

Ken Burtch said:


> Damn, if you're gonna set up a thread like that, at least make it something we can beat... That's awful. You'd have to be James Hetfield to top that...
> 
> My worst gig was playing in a bar in Northern Idaho. Everyone except the drummer could leave the stage, so we all went out on the dancefloor during the middle of Enter Sandman. My machine heads almost got caught in some woman's hair, then when the song was over, I went to leap back on the stage and misjudged the riser. Fell forward right on top of my guitar, and couldn't feel my left ring finger for the last song because it was so numb.
> 
> Then someone showed up with a gun 'cause they were pissed off at someone in the bar, so the whole thing migrated outside. We had to go out and check it out too, since we had wireless units. Looking back, kinda funny having music coming from inside when most of us were outside. No shots fired, it all ended peacefully. Pretty weird playing an entire song without being able to feel one of your fingers...



haha, that's crazy!


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## Naren (Jan 3, 2006)

Ken Burtch said:


> Damn, if you're gonna set up a thread like that, at least make it something we can beat... That's awful. You'd have to be James Hetfield to top that...



What happened to James Hetfield? I know, on the way to a show, Cliff Burton died, but what happened at a show to James Hetfield that was so bad? I know Dime probably would have the all-time worst "show from hell."

I've never had anything that bad. All my stories are really weak. Like 6 years ago, I broke my A string before a song, the main string I used. But, that was fixed by switching guitars with the lead guitarist who didn't use the A string at all except in one solo in one of our songs. He mostly played just off of the high B, E, and G strings (and occasionally the D).


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## Christopher (Jan 3, 2006)

garcia3441 said:


> We did our set, got paid, and split. I sued and won. I've been playing semi-pro for 15+(?!?!) years and that was the only time something like that has happened.
> The second worse was when the lead singer walked over to tell me what song we were dropping, but when he opened his mouth he threw up all over me.



Now see, I was all surprised by you misfortune until you revealed the 15+ years. I've been playing live for about 14 years and I could actually picture the whole scene. 

And for the thread, I've been a very very lucky boy when it comes to gigs. Most of my "worst" were just bad gear nights and / or poor turnout.

My most memorable shit night was a couple of years ago on New Year's Eve. We got the call from this Chinese food place in the next little town over (about 45 miles). They offered great money and seemed pretty cool. We went over and set up and by the time we started there was eight people in the bar, and we brought five of them. It turned out that the bar had only got their liqour license two nights earlier and nobody in town even knew they were open. The fools hadn't done any advertising at all! The worst part of the gig was that instead of sending us home he made us stay the whole night because he paid us for the whole night. It turned out to be my highest paid jam session and rehearsal ever.

For anyone who's done the bar scene for more than a couple of years I should post a new thread asking how many times you've seen someone piss themselves on the dance floor and keep dancing! I'd answer you but I doubt you'd believe me when I told you.


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## Ken (Jan 3, 2006)

Naren said:


> What happened to James Hetfield? I know, on the way to a show, Cliff Burton died, but what happened at a show to James Hetfield that was so bad?



Why did James get burned 
The band was informed of a pyro change at a Montreal show (Aug. 8, 1992): pyro would be ignited along the "wings" of the stage during "Fade to Black." The pyro-tech however, failed to tell the band that the new pyro would be going along with the old pyro. Assuming that the new pyro canceled out the previous pyro, James was standing exactly where the old pyro occurred when a 12-foot flame was ignited, severely burning the left side of his body.


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## ajdehoogh (Jan 3, 2006)

Wasn't that the night that there was a big riot? I think they were touring with GNR (opening up for them) and Axel refused to come out early and the fans pretty much destroyed the stage and the seats along with a few cars outside.


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## garcia3441 (Jan 3, 2006)

Christopher said:


> Now see, I was all surprised by you misfortune until you revealed the 15+ years.




Yeah, I did kinda reveal that I've been around the block a few times.


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## garcia3441 (Jan 3, 2006)

ajdehoogh said:


> I think they were touring with GNR (opening up for them) a



They were taking turns.


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## Naren (Jan 3, 2006)

Wow. That is a pretty bad show. I wonder what happened to those pyro-techs...


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## ajdehoogh (Jan 3, 2006)

garcia3441 said:


> They were taking turns.


  I guess I am wrong! Oh well!  







Don't worry bro, not taking any offense.


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## Naren (Jan 3, 2006)

Hey, ajdehoogh. I before E except after C. Should be "Received my RG2027!"

Heh heh.


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## ajdehoogh (Jan 3, 2006)

Naren:  Ya got me! Dang'it.  


Like the change?


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## Naren (Jan 3, 2006)

ajdehoogh said:


> Naren:  Ya got me! Dang'it.
> 
> 
> Like the change?



Love it. And 2027's do rock.


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## noodles (Jan 3, 2006)

About three winters ago, my band played their first gig at this pool bar in Manassas called Sharpshooter's. Our singer quit on us that day, and our drummer spent the day before mixing rum and cokes (not the soda), and stayed up the whole night. Hardly anyone showed because they were predicting a huge snow storm.

We start into our set (sans vox), and imediately had the joy of trying to keep up with a drummer who was strung out and had been up for 32 hours. Everything started around 30bpm too fast, and quickly dropped to 30bpm to slow, just to bounce up again. The whole set. Halfway into my solo in the second to last song, our bassist, who was hypoglycemic, passes out. Literally. I hear this THWUMMMM and look over to see him flat on his back, his bass on top of him. I signal the drummer to cut the song short, and he just keeps going, totally out of it.

On the way home, the snow storm hit, stranding us with all the gear until we get plowed out the next morning. That's when I find out the drummer left all the remaining tickets twe were supposed to sell for an upcoming show at the bar. Gone forever, and I had to cover the $450 out of my own pocket.


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## Sentient (Jan 3, 2006)

noodles said:


> Gone forever, and I had to cover the $450 out of my own pocket.


Holy crap, dude. I think I would've taken a ball bat to that bastard's head in rage (for multiple reasons). 

I too, would agree that Dime surely had the worst possible gig ever, along with several others at that same show (especially Vinnie, who likely relives the horrible memories of it every day.)

I remember watching that Metallica "Behind the Music" on VH1 where they talked about James' accident and the riot that followed. Some pretty horrific stuff, indeed, especially the way they were describing James' injuries.


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## noodles (Jan 3, 2006)

That bastard stayed in the band just long enough to make up to us in ticket sales ( he was a ticket selling machine), and then we fired his ass (because he was an alcoholic). The only reason he didn't get the beat down is because he didn't choose to do the coke. The stupid roommate he was living with was mixing them some drinks, and when my drummer started commenting on the funny feeling, the dude was like, "I spiked 'em with a bunch of coke, man, you're gonna be lit!"

Needless to say, the roommate got the beat down. My drummer still shouldn't have been up all night drinking before a show.


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## The Dark Wolf (Jan 3, 2006)

noodles said:


> My drummer still shouldn't have been up all night drinking before a show.


 Uh... helloooo! It's rock and roll, man! Were you playing Yanni covers? All night drinkfests before a gig = metal-as-fuck.

(Although a braver man than me to do it.  And a great, great story, Noodles. I even had to read that one to my girlfriend. )


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## NewArmyGuitar (Jan 3, 2006)

I'll just put up a link to my worst show:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=14099147&blogID=50066346


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## Drew (Jan 4, 2006)

Yeah, I'd probablt have killed the roommate too, lol.


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## Vince (Jan 4, 2006)

TDW, all-night-drinkfests are for after the gig, not before.


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## eaeolian (Jan 4, 2006)

desertdweller said:


> TDW, all-night-drinkfests are for after the gig, not before.



Yep. Now that Noodles is in Division, this is SOP.


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## Drew (Jan 4, 2006)

Ok, if Division and The Asylum DON'T play a show in Boston in '06, I'm gonna ban you both.


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## noodles (Jan 4, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> desertdweller said:
> 
> 
> > TDW, all-night-drinkfests are for after the gig, not before.
> ...





Drew said:


> Ok, if Division and The Asylum DON'T play a show in Boston in '06, I'm gonna ban you both.



So, if we play a show, we can crash at your place, right?


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## Drew (Jan 4, 2006)

Well, we don't have enough couches for all of you, but I suppose if we get you drunk enough first you can just pass out on my floor and be pretty comfortable...


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## Vince (Jan 5, 2006)

Drew said:


> Well, we don't have enough couches for all of you, but I suppose if we get you drunk enough first you can just pass out on my floor and be pretty comfortable...



What's this "we all go to boston for 1 fan" bullshit? You need to get your ass on a plane, motherfucker


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## Drew (Jan 5, 2006)

But... I'm not important enough to you, Vince...? 

I'd fuckin love to, I've never been to Arizona before, lol. God only knows when, but keep gigging and eventually I'll make it down.


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## Vince (Jan 5, 2006)

Either Arizona or L.A. When we finish this album, we're not just gigging here in town anymore, we're going regional. San Diego, L.A., Vegas, Denver, Albequerque, Tucson, etc.


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## eaeolian (Jan 5, 2006)

desertdweller said:


> What's this "we all go to boston for 1 fan" bullshit? You need to get your ass on a plane, motherfucker



Yeah, it's not like we're not *playing* anywhere, just not in Boston.

You can even take the Acela down to see us. Maybe the brakes will even work.


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## eaeolian (Jan 5, 2006)

desertdweller said:


> Either Arizona or L.A. When we finish this album, we're not just gigging here in town anymore, we're going regional. San Diego, L.A., Vegas, Denver, Albequerque, Tucson, etc.



Hmm. You need to be playing when we go to Pointe South Mountain again this year. Now all I have to do is figure out how to pay for it...


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## Vince (Jan 5, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> Hmm. You need to be playing when we go to Pointe South Mountain again this year. Now all I have to do is figure out how to pay for it...




When are you coming? Let me know, and if we're not playing live, at least we'll have you out to a rehearsal or party or something.


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## eaeolian (Jan 5, 2006)

desertdweller said:


> When are you coming? Let me know, and if we're not playing live, at least we'll have you out to a rehearsal or party or something.



TBD, but we know were going back. We loved it out there.


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## Vince (Jan 5, 2006)

BTW, you do realize there's a Guitar Center within 1 mile of The Pointe South Mountain, right?


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## eaeolian (Jan 5, 2006)

desertdweller said:


> BTW, you do realize there's a Guitar Center within 1 mile of The Pointe South Mountain, right?



Nope. Fortunately for me, since my wife would have killed me.


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## Drew (Jan 5, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> You can even take the Acela down to see us. Maybe the brakes will even work.



Hahahahaha.

The breaks might, but I almost guarantee you something else won't. Seriously, the non-express Amtrak between Boston and New York beats the Acela more times than not.


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## eleven59 (Jan 5, 2006)

Drew said:


> Hahahahaha.
> 
> The *breaks* might, but I almost guarantee you something else won't. Seriously, the non-express Amtrak between Boston and New York beats the Acela more times than not.


You mean "brakes" right?


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## The Dark Wolf (Jan 5, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> You can even take the Acela down to see us. Maybe the brakes will even work.


Was that a VRE reference? I have ridden on that exact line/train before, if so. The Fredericksburg train. And I live in Ohio! Trippy.


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## eaeolian (Jan 6, 2006)

The Dark Wolf said:


> Was that a VRE reference? I have ridden on that exact line/train before, if so. The Fredericksburg train. And I live in Ohio! Trippy.



No, although I race that train every day...

The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed train that runs between DC, NYC, and Boston. It had to be taken out of service last year when a major problem with the brakes was discovered...


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## Drew (Jan 6, 2006)

eleven59 said:


> You mean "brakes" right?



Nope - this is Amtrak, Eleven.  

eaeolian, you say that as if it was ever properly in service to begin with.  

Seriously, anyone who takes that line regularly who I've talked to (and this is backed up by my experiences taking it a handful of times) tells you that you're odds are just as good on the regular train if you're in a hurry. It's a bit more comfortable, though, as I recall...


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## The Dark Wolf (Jan 6, 2006)

eaeolian said:


> No, although I race that train every day...
> 
> The Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed train that runs between DC, NYC, and Boston. It had to be taken out of service last year when a major problem with the brakes was discovered...


Ah, ok. I mentioned it because the Fredericksburg VRE train derailed yesterday.


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## eaeolian (Jan 6, 2006)

The Dark Wolf said:


> Ah, ok. I mentioned it because the Fredericksburg VRE train derailed yesterday.



Yep. Not too serious, as such things go, but it's symptomatic of using anything to do with CSX, who own those tracks...


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## The Dark Wolf (Jan 6, 2006)

CSX owns all the tracks in my neck of the woods, too. Used to be all Conrail. 

I remember the old days when CSX was Chessie System, and you;d see that cat on the side of the train. Of course, you really only saw that down south. Uh... I've got nowhere to go with this train of thought now...  (How's that for a bad pun?  )


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## eaeolian (Jan 6, 2006)

The Dark Wolf said:


> I've got nowhere to go with this train of thought now...  (How's that for a bad pun?  )



{Points and laughs as TDW's train de-rails} Ah-ha!


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## smueske (Jan 6, 2006)

I don't have a worst show story, just a bunch of minor vignettes. One of the most memorable shows, though, was at a place called The Zoo in Janesville Wisconsin. Some dude was doing backflips every time I'd play a solo (literally backflipping in front of the stage). During the break we went outside to smoke and shoot the shit and were stunned by the carnage in the parking lot. Straightline winds had come through during our set and most of the cars in the lot were crunched by fallen trees and flying rocks. The drummer takes one look around, grins and says, "I knew we played loud, but fuckin' A, not THAT loud".


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## The Dark Wolf (Jan 6, 2006)




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## eleven59 (Jan 7, 2006)

smueske said:


> "I knew we played loud, but fuckin' A, not THAT loud".


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## garcia3441 (Jan 7, 2006)

smueske said:


> I don't have a worst show story, just a bunch of minor vignettes. One of the most memorable shows, though, was at a place called The Zoo in Janesville Wisconsin. Some dude was doing backflips every time I'd play a solo (literally backflipping in front of the stage). During the break we went outside to smoke and shoot the shit and were stunned by the carnage in the parking lot. Straightline winds had come through during our set and most of the cars in the lot were crunched by fallen trees and flying rocks. The drummer takes one look around, grins and says, "I knew we played loud, but fuckin' A, not THAT loud".




   YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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