# Have you ever been heckled before? What did they say and what did you do about it?



## Hyacinth (Feb 16, 2013)

Title. I was just wondering what people have done (if anything) in response to being heckled? If you haven't had it happen to you personally, if you've seen it happen, please regale us with the story.


----------



## that short guy (Feb 16, 2013)

Happens to me every time I have to teach my Soldiers something. The Army is just like high school there's always some ass hole trying to make you look stupid.... so I normally just flip it on them, make them look like the dick that they are, and get on with the block of instruction.

For me I find it to be rewarding to piss them off when you make them lose at their own game


----------



## engage757 (Feb 16, 2013)

Ignore them and walk by...


Or turn around and lay waste to their entire existence using a vocabulary that is carefully chosen to destroy and belittle their entire pathetic, weak, miserable, and irrelevant lives.


----------



## mcd (Feb 16, 2013)

@Mathew best thing to do is ignore them. You're the one up on stage or doing whatever it is you're doing, and they're the coward in the audience.

@short-guy....tell me about it I work with a training cadre of 12 salty grunt marines....heckling is part of the job description!


----------



## Hyacinth (Feb 16, 2013)

Specifically I meant "Have you been heckled on stage" But other stories of heckling are cool too haha

It hasn't happened to me (I haven't played a show, yet) but I was watching a Between The Buried and Me interview where Paul mentioned that he "hasn't been heckled much on the Summer Slaughter Tour" which is what sparked my interest in making this thread.

I've seen it happen a couple times, and usually whoever is getting heckled just laughs it off, but there's people like Ronnie Radke that have whoever did it kicked out, and that's a bitch way to deal with it imo.


----------



## Hollowway (Feb 16, 2013)

It's different getting heckled playing music than doing stand up comedy (not that I have experience with that). When you're doing stand up, or if you were giving a speech of some sort then the heckler is basically competing with you in the same medium. But with music once you start playing the guy is drowned out. So when we got heckled (which was pretty rare) we would just start playing and the guy would stop cuz no one could hear him. Sometimes my singer would get pissed off and just start yelling expletives at the guy and then we'd launch into a song, so he always "got the last word."  
When we did get heckled it was usually by someone who didn't believe in anything electronic, and would try to say we weren't "real" musicians. But the scarier thing is when someone throws something. I've been beaned by ice and pool cue chalk.  That's usually just from somebody trying to be jerky/funny, and they only do it once because that can get you thrown out of a place pretty damn quickly.
If I were doing stand up comedy I'd come up with a bunch of really good come-backs (not the "hey, this is hard up here! Leave me alone" cop out. I personally always liked the one where the comedian kind of looks up a little as if he's reminiscing and says, "Yeah, I remember when I had my first beer...")


----------



## Rustee (Feb 17, 2013)

We were playing at a bar when an idiot bogan sitting at one of the tables yells out "Play something good".

So I turned to my band and said, into the mic, "Alright guys, let's play the good song".


----------



## F1Filter (Feb 17, 2013)

"Yeah, you say 'we suck'??? You paid 15 dollars!!! 15 American dollars, to get in here! ...and we're getting paid! Paid for this shit!!!

So who's the real asshole here???" 

-Peter Steele


----------



## FireInside (Feb 17, 2013)

"Keep running your mouth I'll stick my dick in it." -Eddie Murphy


----------



## AxeHappy (Feb 17, 2013)

I've never been heckled. I've had the opposite. 

During a solo the closing band at the first show we played:

"Dude...those are fucking Sweet Arpeggios," 

Without missing a beat I reply:

"No Friends in Highschool."


----------



## craigny (Feb 18, 2013)

Smash them over the fucking head with your guitar...that'll shut 'em right up.....

but seriously.....like others said the best thing to do is nothing...any reaction is exactly the reason they are heckling you in the first place, that and jealousy, cause your playing onstage and they can't/aren't.


----------



## ZXIIIT (Feb 18, 2013)

Look up my other band, Squirrelly Arts.

We've been heckled, gaybashed, thrown off shows before playing, had a knife pulled on my singer in the parking lot, almost had fights break out while we were onstage because of image/music, the "Wednesday 13" thing and countless trash talks from other bands during their sets.

I always keep my composure, since we are onstage playing/don't want to be causing drama, but when the trash talking continues in the parking lot while we are loading up our gear, then I feel like going all "Clown" on them, luckily, that has never happened.


----------



## ghostred7 (Feb 18, 2013)

I've had "Freebird" yelled at me...for me, that's considered heckling 

Our response when that happened was usually Iron Maiden or old Metallica.


----------



## nscarfo83 (Feb 18, 2013)

My band played once and a kid was spitting and throwing bottles at our singer so my singer jumped off and smacked the kid in the head with the microphone. The kid cried and we got kicked out it was pretty funny but at the same time I wish he just let it go and dealt with the kids heckling to show that he was better than that.

I say it's best to just not pay attention to people who act immature.


----------



## craigny (Feb 18, 2013)

nscarfo83 said:


> My band played once and a kid was spitting and throwing bottles at our singer so my singer jumped off and smacked the kid in the head with the microphone. The kid cried and we got kicked out it was pretty funny but at the same time I wish he just let it go and dealt with the kids heckling to show that he was better than that.
> 
> I say it's best to just not pay attention to people who act immature.



It's fucked that that they threw you guys out for the singer basically defending himself. That kid shoulda got tossed the second he did any of that shit.


----------



## SpaceDock (Feb 18, 2013)

If you can hear the heckling, your not playing loud enough.


----------



## Sephael (Feb 18, 2013)

My friend will stop the show, have the lights put on the jackass, then say "if someone wants to shut the jackass up we can continue, if not, well I'm getting paid for the next 40 minutes whether or not I play a single chord." Perhaps not the best way to deal with it, but when people realize that the jerk is wasting their money they tend to silence him.


----------



## pushpull7 (Feb 19, 2013)

You know it's funny. In all the years (pushing 50) and all the bands (not anymore, but 1000's in the past) and the countless gigs, I don't remember being heckled, or booed. I was in some pretty fucking BAD bands.

I don't know what I'd say. Maybe something like "buy some teeth". But then again, I might loose mine so, maybe not. But I'd think it


----------



## Kiwimetal101 (Feb 19, 2013)

There is always the comedian response "Hay mate, I don't interrupt you at your job by knocking the sailors cock out of your mouth" or "I don't come in and stop you flipping patties at work" etc....


----------



## Andromalia (Feb 19, 2013)

I CAN'T FUCKING HEAR YOU ! 
LOUDER ! 
ALL ABOOOOarrrd oh wait.

works every fucking time, best when band members themselves ask the singer to shut up with big "nononono" arms signs.


----------



## nscarfo83 (Feb 20, 2013)

craigny said:


> It's fucked that that they threw you guys out for the singer basically defending himself. That kid shoulda got tossed the second he did any of that shit.



Yeah it was unfortunate but shit happens


----------



## GunpointMetal (Feb 20, 2013)

Our old vocalist waited till the next song started and jumped off the stage, beaned dude right in the mouth with his SM58, pulled it back by the cord, and continued on like nothing happened....the kid apologized to our singer after crying in the parking lot for about 45 minutes. I like to say something like "Tell me about it after we load out, I can't properly kick your ass while I play."


----------



## nscarfo83 (Feb 20, 2013)

GunpointMetal said:


> Our old vocalist waited till the next song started and jumped off the stage, beaned dude right in the mouth with his SM58, pulled it back by the cord, and continued on like nothing happened....the kid apologized to our singer after crying in the parking lot for about 45 minutes. I like to say something like "Tell me about it after we load out, I can't properly kick your ass while I play."



Haha nice man!


----------



## TemjinStrife (Feb 20, 2013)

I've had "Freebird" called a few times. One time, we actually played it, and suddenly they shut up.


----------



## TonyFlyingSquirrel (Feb 20, 2013)

Since I play mostly in tribal circles, and our culture is big on honoring those who are speaking, I've not encountered that one bit. 

When I was touring and playing larger billed gigs with dozens of other bands, occassionally you'd hear some dink yelling over the singer introducing the next song with some stupid remark like "Just STFU & play duuuuuddde". Didn't happen _to_ us, but I did see it happen to other bands.

In general though, I always preferred to sacrifice talk in order to allow more time for a song added into the set. 

In tribal circles however, when I play on the Rez, stories are part of the whole experience, and they are welcomed, not shunned. I like to keep it well balanced though.


----------



## Overtone (Feb 20, 2013)

TemjinStrife said:


> I've had "Freebird" called a few times. One time, we actually played it, and suddenly they shut up.



That is a fantasy of mine... so glad you actually did it!


----------



## OmegaDoyle (Feb 25, 2013)

I have been heckled a few times, and I usually respond with something nonsensical. Don't try to outsmart the person or outwit them, just baffle them. 

One time my drummer and I were loading in for a show in Windsor, Ontario and we were heckled. Heckled during a load in. Some scantily clad lasses who had most likely been at a nearby dance bar said "Nice leather jackets! Go back to 1990 you Danzig ripoffs!" I was impressed that these ladies knew Danzig but I just set the cabinet down, looked them in the eyes and said "I'm still Jenny from the block." They sort of started to say something, but then stopped mid sentence because they were confused. They continued on their way without another word and we continued to load in. 

We play folk metal with a lot of Irish Trad influences and while we were between songs, someone in the crowd yelled "Have you even ever been to Ireland?" I responded by saying "I've seen over four documentaries about Ireland. So, yes." Again, he did not know what to say to that.


----------



## cGoEcYk (Feb 25, 2013)

When we started doing instrumental shows (prog metal/post metal, we fired our singer and never rehired) a drunk ass came up to the stage and managed to grab a mic and started singing/moaning really loud into during a chill part of one of our songs. I was going to kick him in the face while I was playing this cool tapping bass line but one of my friends pulled him out of range and got him to shut up.

In general though, I'll just roll with it and fire something back if I have a mic. I don't take it too seriously.


----------



## troyguitar (Feb 25, 2013)

TemjinStrife said:


> I've had "Freebird" called a few times. One time, we actually played it, and suddenly they shut up.



I've always thought it would be fun to play the extended live version every single time someone yells for it, though I suspect the band would not be asked to return after doing so


----------



## robare99 (Feb 26, 2013)

Just say "hey man, I don't go to where you work and knock the burgers off the grill"


----------



## Throat Hole (Mar 1, 2013)

actually last weekend we got heckled by these neo nazi assholes they started yelling shit at our singer like "shut the fuck up and play" when the songs would stop we eventually just ignored em

short of that just the average asshole yelling freebird


----------



## kris_jammage (Mar 2, 2013)

I've never been personally heckled but in the band yes. Our old singer was a bodybuilder, BIG dude, and pretty active on and off the stage during a gig. He would have no problem challenging people who talked shit to him or about the band.

I'm not saying its right but I've seen him throw chairs, mic stands and mic's at people cause they said some retarded shit to him in between a song.

One time we where playing a gig in a bar and there was some lads playing pool across the room. They kept shouting shit when we finished a song, typical shit like "play better" or "hippies!" so during our last song he ran over, jumped on the pool table and kicked all the balls off and just screamed at them for 4 minutes! Hilarious at the time but looking back on it I would have just ignored them.


----------



## skeels (Mar 2, 2013)

Always bring a flashlight to your gigs. Not just for finding that drum key you dropped in the van but for putting the hecklers in the spotlight. 

Get the audience involved in heckling them. They will love it. Everyone loves to participate.

Also if you can have a supply of t shirts that say stuff like "I am a moron" and announce them as the prize winners they will have fun too. Even against their will. 

People remember stuff like that.


----------



## knifefightintheor (Mar 9, 2013)

Laughed because the guy heckling already paid cover


----------



## iamjosan (Mar 19, 2013)

engage757 said:


> Ignore them and walk by...
> 
> 
> Or turn around and lay waste to their entire existence using a vocabulary that is carefully chosen to destroy and belittle their entire pathetic, weak, miserable, and irrelevant lives.


----------



## canuck brian (Mar 20, 2013)

Anytime my band played, we had our buddy - a 6'3 260 pound brick wall - standing with his arms crossed in front of the stage. Total gimmick, but never got heckled.


----------



## DjentDjentlalala (Mar 21, 2013)

I'll just leave this here.


----------



## Basti (Mar 21, 2013)

Mike Patton is such a legend


----------



## SkullCrusher (Mar 21, 2013)

Someone called me a 'Dirty Rotter' when i was reading a novel in the library the other day.

I was quite upset.


----------

