Oh...My....God. My First Gig

[Salty]

today i found out that a local band full of friends i know was having a gig today. and it turns out, that their rythm guitarist couldnt make it. so they asked me to fill in for him. yeah i know...such short notice. basically...i needed to learn 3 songs in 3 hours. we practiced...and went to the gig. one of the songs, i had a solo slot ready for me. and it was a middle school graduation party (but most of the kids were in my grade). since the band was supposed to be a background thing, the 3 women that were running it said that the maximum level was 4 for both 50w amps that we borrowed. so that it wouldnt be TOO too loud. before my solo, i didnt have to do anything because the other guitar was supposed to play the main riff like 4 times. this bought me some time so i got an idea. i turned the amp up to around 8 or 9 and jumped up onto a 5 foot pedastel for a stone railing for the stair platform we were playing on. it was like 3 feet wide. since it was cranked, i started my solo and the drums, bass, and other guitar just STOPPED because they were drowned out by the amp. it was REALLY loud. but i kept playing. and i swear...it was the greatest improvised solo ive EVER played. everything was perfect. PERFECT. i was about 45 seconds into the solo when one of the women in charge came over and pulled the plug on the amp and started SCREAMING at me. but i didnt hear a word she was saying because the crowd was WILD. like SCREAMING! EVERYONE loved it! when the song was over, the whole band tackled me and shook me on the ground yelling about how amazing i was and everything. and...wow. probably the greatest thing thats happened to me in a while.

sorry i just had to share.

-Anthony

[Tingly]

'Sounds like the typical finish for a "first gig."

For some reason, there seems to be a tradition that ya always hafta get thrown out, jumped, punched, stiffed, or have some other disaster occur, at your first gig.

Congrats!

[scott powell]

awesome story , i loved it! hahahha i'd have LOVED to have seen her face when you did that , THAT would have been priceless. a VERY fitting end to a cool first gig

[Reign in Blood]

thats cool!! you got nads to pull a stunt like that man! you've definetly put thoughts in my head for my first gig,whenever it happens.

so details,did this cranky old prune call your parents or just give you a spanking and a lecture?

[MilkMan12]

That sounds awesome and like a lot of fun. The onyl gigs I have played were for mostly parents and some students (school concerts) and when I play gigs like that I am very respectful when it comes to volume and stuff because I play more chill music and stuff...but also a lot of rock and blues. When I play rock and blues for a crowd like that, I am gonna rip it.

[wasabe]

That should score you a lot of points with your peers, and especially, the ladies!

Nice going.

[lyleman]

I like it! :D :D :D

[iamadoorknob]

I'm impressed that you wernt too nervous to go crazy with a solo like that at your first gig.

[Lazy Bee]

Funny story! So....probably not getting re booked eh? :rolleye:

[iam2phat]

If he gets booked, his fans will bail him out. Cool story. I didn't get to gig yet, but I'm going to do that at my first gig. Rock on!

[mctriple]

haha awesome. that's a great story! who cares if you get a lecture from some old lady.. i bet you'll be the talk of your peers! that would have been such a blast!

[0.1 watts]

today i found out that a local band full of friends i know was having a gig today. and it turns out, that their rythm guitarist couldnt make it. so they asked me to fill in for him. yeah i know...such short notice. basically...i needed to learn 3 songs in 3 hours. we practiced...and went to the gig. one of the songs, i had a solo slot ready for me. and it was a middle school graduation party (but most of the kids were in my grade). since the band was supposed to be a background thing, the 3 women that were running it said that the maximum level was 4 for both 50w amps that we borrowed. so that it wouldnt be TOO too loud. before my solo, i didnt have to do anything because the other guitar was supposed to play the main riff like 4 times. this bought me some time so i got an idea. i turned the amp up to around 8 or 9 and jumped up onto a 5 foot pedastel for a stone railing for the stair platform we were playing on. it was like 3 feet wide. since it was cranked, i started my solo and the drums, bass, and other guitar just STOPPED because they were drowned out by the amp. it was REALLY loud. but i kept playing. and i swear...it was the greatest improvised solo ive EVER played. everything was perfect. PERFECT. i was about 45 seconds into the solo when one of the women in charge came over and pulled the plug on the amp and started SCREAMING at me. but i didnt hear a word she was saying because the crowd was WILD. like SCREAMING! EVERYONE loved it! when the song was over, the whole band tackled me and shook me on the ground yelling about how amazing i was and everything. and...wow. probably the greatest thing thats happened to me in a while.

sorry i just had to share.

-Anthony

Haha wow that reminds me of the scene in Back to the Future. Well done mate :D

[Arc]

Nice one! Man, I wish I had the guts to do somethin like that.

[gavb]

Is it me or does that read like a wet dream?

[Smallfrie_Omega]

that's just awesome, would be great if you could get a video of it,

[Salty]

thats cool!! you got nads to pull a stunt like that man! you've definetly put thoughts in my head for my first gig,whenever it happens.

so details,did this cranky old prune call your parents or just give you a spanking and a lecture?

haha no she didnt call my parents or anything. she just yelled at me and told us to keep it down and that i was no longer allowed to play after that song...but it was our like second to last song anyways so it was all good.

thanks for all the responses!

-Anthony

[Skymx99]

awesome dude. One question though.... where were you playing? Why did you have to be quiet? lol

[BluesPower]

awesome. my first gig was similar to that. a concert for the beginning of april vacation. my band goes up and the principal told us what we could do, which was a very mellow major jam. this was to end the concert. So instead my band starts playing Leash. i just start rocking i took the vocals and i got the whole school to sing

DROP THE LEASH DROP THE LEASH GET OUT OF MY ******' FACE

my principal went nutso and started to try and pull the plug but even with out the mic on i was screaming Drop the leash and the whole school cooed at the chance to rebel against the teachers.

similar stories and i agree, it gives you such a rush, it's phenomenal

[stratman50th]

Great story! I'm going to move this over to Tales From The Road.

[Skymx99]

My first gig was the school talent show and my band played "Courtesy of the red white and blue" by toby keith. We were told we could not say Stick a boot in your ***. But Our singer in the heat of 1100 screaming rednecks and the lights did it anyway. We won that show. :)

The next year was sweet home alabama. My 1st ever standing ovation for a solo. There is an energy on stage that is like nothing I have ever felt. Oh I miss those days.

[broken.]

LOL.. thats like something I would do. Our bands just starting up.. but I go wild.

[poppedje]

That's cool!
I had something similar the other night. There was this party from a roommate, with loud music and at some point they wanted me to get my guitar. My accoustic didn't have enough volume to be heard through the music, so I went in my room with another dude, grabbed my electric and started playing, like way loud.
That was really fun, at some point they came to close my door because they wanted to dance to I don't know who, but within 2 minutes some other guys came over to open my door again because they wanted to hear the blues :)
It was fun for half an hour, but we didn't go on too long, because at some point it's just crashing the party instead of making it when not everybody wants to hear it.

[spinn]

when i was younger i had a band with some guys at junior college. we practiced once or twice a month. didnt know but 4 songs. our other singer wouldnt sing in front of crowds. drummer had to be stoned wasted. bass player played straight root notes. hilarious first band. we get the chance of a lifetime to play as the second opening act for a doors tribute band. play for about 15-20 minutes, before the main act. we accept, and practice 2 more times here and there. we were gonna be a joke almost. just sing/perform cripple creek, the letter, wont back down,,,, and i cant remmember the last one it wasnt important.

on the day we get to the gig its a 2 story indoor clubhouse with balconies. it was extremely crowded. there were kegg trucks, and lots and lots of people. my band, we just looked at each other, and about crapped our pants. we had our equipment set up along the stage side. the 1st opening act was about to finish their set, and the place was filled beyond capcity. the smoke was etremely thick. people were literally hanging from the balconies and second floor. to drop into the center open arena, because the stairs were too congested.

time to go on my band is a wreck, 75% of its members were half in the bag, or stoned cold. we take the stage. women screaming, and fights , thrown beer cups fly by, but i plug in my trusty strat. it gleams with USA's pride as i switch the standbye.......my lipps touch the microphone....fade to black

the building gets cut to emergency power.. the place gets raided, police and fire department everywhere....everone scattered like the place was onfire.

we get taken to the station. i had to have my parent come and pick me up. we eventually got our gear back. we had to pay some of the damages to the establishment. the main band never played. the doorguy collecting entrance made off with thousands, was never seen again. amazingly our pride never got hurt. we learned a valueable lesson. when your up to your *** in alligators, its too late to look and see if your fly is undone.