The Nightmare Gig

[Neal]

I had a Pro Jr quit on me midway through a song once. Unplugged from the amp, plugged into the mixer, cranked the channel and finished the tune. The other guitar player noodled around while I made the switch.

I have also had one of my powered PA speakers go out during a gig. I always bring two, even for the smallest of venues.

 

[loudnlousy]

One day we packed our little tour-truck very carelesly and my unprotected Reußenzehn-top was on top of the big heap.
When our drummer opend the van`s door it fell down from about 2 meters hight rigt on the pavement.
I was lucky because it still worked after that. No tube was broken. Everything ran great.
Next gig the same happend again. Still working.
Then I bought a heavy duty flightcase for it...

 

[Seamus]

I''m hoping the solo gig I'm playing this Thursday isn't a nightmare gig! I'm basically playing in an area the size of a phone booth, at the top of the entry stairs, jammed up against the wheelchair elevator. The gathering I'm playing for (it's one of those background-y situations) is happening in the adjoining room, so I'll be heard but not seen.

It's very, very weird. I'm mostly hoping no one sheers off the headstock as they come up the stairs.

 

[dspellman]

Re the reengagement - the guitarist and drummer were no strangers to drink and tough bars - they drank straight from jugs - no time for glasses. The guitarist always amzed me as he was an incredible player even intoxicated. Drummer- tempo not so much.

The guitarist booked it - I refused - he couldn't get the regular subs on bass to do it, as they knew the place.

They played as a duo - got the same money as we got for three -apparently the bar knew the score as well.

A patron at that gig was removed on a stretcher - and they said it was worse overall.

I just don't have the constitution for that sort of thing. Even they after the second time said it was a bit too scary.

Apparently, a large woman tried dragging the guitarist home - only to be saved by the bar tender. When I know every guy in the room and more than half the women could make mincemeat out of me - and depending on their constantly fluctuating mood/s - and I hate the saying - but "I just didn't feel safe".

Our customers bought us drinks. We always had one "real* drink (just in case someone got suspicious) but the ones the bartender put up for us were all strong tea. We were the house band, so the B3 and drums were okay left on stage, but we always left as a group, except for one night when two ladies sat at the end of the bar deciding who was going to take whom home.

We had other female friends who worked at the various bars on the street, and we'd meet them after the gig at a place that served the nastiest (and best) chili dogs in the county. These things would raise the hackles (and a sweat) on anyone by the time they were adorned with onions and chinese mustard, and were really good for driving any kind of alcohol out of your system.

We were young and stupid and invincible in those days.

 

[afire]

I keep a Sonicake Twiggy Blues multi-effects thingamajig in my bag-o-crap:

I don't use it much for the effects, but it has a cabinet simulator that I think should make a reasonable facsimile of a guitar amp when run through the PA in the case of emergency.

 

[DavyH]

Worst Gig?
The No Hat Country Praise Band at an outdoor Easter Sunrise Service in Byers, Colorado. Started at 6:00 AM just as the sun was coming up. Clear skies, light winds,30 degrees Fahrenheit. We lasted through 4 or 5 songs.

 

[Maguchi]

I have a lot of guitars.

I bring more than one to a gig.

Who would have thought that the tube pins in my amp needed to be cleaned of rust.

My amp was going in and out.

I brought one amp to the gig.

I did the rest of the gig by playing through the PA.

I wanted to go home.

I also carry a spare guitar but only one amp. I have had an amp problem on only a handful of occasions in over 20 years and i always made it through the gig.

I’ve had amps go out at gigs before and yes I ran through the pa. I don’t like doing it but I’m a pinch I’ve done it

I usually bring a Tech21 Blonde as a DI for the PA as an alternative to the amp for similar reasons.

I stopped carrying a spare amp awhile back. I put a Behringer Tube Amp Modeler TM-300 pedal on my board. If my amp fails it sounds pretty good going straight into the PA.

 

[LivingMyDream]

I play in church exclusively, so I don't have any nightmare gig stories. I do have a weird biker bar story, though.

A teenage boy in our youth group had a dad that played bass in a band, and after meeting him he invited me to come listen to the band at a local bar. When I showed up, this bass player was so surprised that I would go to a biker bar, that he announced to everyone that "Pastor Bob said he would come, and here he is." So far so good. A number of people came to me to pour out their hearts. Then there was this total out of it drunk woman. It all seemed innocent enough until she leaned into my ear (and because of balance problems, bouncing her face off my ear several times). Here I was, announced as a pastor, and she invites me out to the parking lot to get in her truck and listen to "a really great CD." Needless to say, I get what band members go through when gigging out.