Merle -> RE: Funny Performing Experiences (Feb. 20 2004 19:30:20)
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Many years ago, when I played alto sax in a rhythm and blues band (remember those), we were invited to compete in a “Battle of The Bands” gig, featuring 20 or so local bands. We arrived early afternoon, found our “marked off square” to set up the drums, amps, guitars, mics, etc. Every band had it’s own “territory” to set up in. Needless to say, each band was pretty close to each other! We rehearsed the 3 songs that we were gonna play, and left while other bands set up. We came back to the auditorium (down town Albuquerque, NM) around 6:00 pm, and the show started around 7:00. The floor was PACKED with band equipment from all kinds of different bands! After 8 or 9 bands played their songs, we were next to play. Well, the first song “Mustang Sally” went really well, the audience applauded (about 300 or 400 people). We started our second song (which I don’t remember now, because about half way into the song all hell broke loose)! During the second song, the drummer was pounding away, and one of his cymbals and stand started to topple over, so he sort of stood up to grab it, and when he did, the back of his legs tipped over his drum chair, which he was not aware of! Well, when he went to sit back down he FELL DOWN BACKWARDS, ARMS FLAILING AWAY, and fell into some cymbals of a band set up in back of us, and those cymbals fell to the side of another bands cymbals… which knocked over a mic (positioned to pick up the bass drum) that started a loud feedback that sounded like … well we all know how that sounds! Someone quickly shut down the offending amp, and the whole damn place was as quiet as a mouse for about 10 seconds…then, THE WHOLE FREAKING CROWD started booing us like nothing I’ve ever heard! We got the hell outta there before they killed us!! The event went on till about 11:00 or so that night, and there we were, the five of us waiting in our old broken down van, drinking beer, trying not to kill our drummer, until almost 2:30 in the morning, so that we could be the last to go fetch our equipment!! We played all over the city the following year, but, we never got invited to the next “Battle of the Bands”!! Bummer…………!!!!!!!!! You may not believe it, but, it’s a true story!! Merle ;>)
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