Alembic Guitars Club
Connecting => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: lbpesq on October 30, 2022, 01:35:52 PM
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So last night my band “Stonetrout” was playing a benefit. We volunteered to play for free, supplied the PA, and I ran sound for the first band (we were second of two). The benefit was for an annual music/camping festival called “Two Day Town”. I was hoping this gig would give us an inside track to be invited to play at next year’s Two Day Town.
We were about 2/3 through our 90 minute set when a guy I didn’t know came up to me between songs, told me his friend was a great fiddle player, and asked if she could sit in. At first I told him we were in the middle of a set. He was persistent, so I looked at our remaining songs on the list and picked one that would work with a fiddle. I told him she could play with us on that song. He replied that he wanted her to play on 3-4 songs. I told him no. He held up three fingers and said “that’s strike three” and walked away. (I have no idea what strikes 1 and 2 were!)
He then walked over to our band spouses table and told my lovely wife that I could sing and play really well, but he didn’t like my attitude. He told her he was on the Two Day Town committee and would make sure that Stonetrout never played Two Day Town. When I got home last night, I emailed both the President and Chairman of the festival as listed on the web site, described the situation, and asked that they not allow Stonetrout to be blackballed by this one committee member.
While I have seen many bands over the years that I would have loved to jump up on stage and jam with, I have never asked to do so except when it was a friend’s band, and then usually just to add a harmony vocal on a particular song. Was I wrong to think this guy was incredibly out of line?
Bill, tgo
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No, you weren't wrong about who was out of line.
Oh man, if I had a shiny quarter for every goofball who did this to us... and we usually oblige, with (like you said...) one, or maybe two tunes that might work. And sometimes it's fun. Most of the time it's a mess. But hey, if it gets you some goodwill with the fans, then okay.
But if some jackwagon tried to cut us out of a gig because we didn't bend to the wishes... nah. It doesn't work thataway in Franklin County.
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The guy sounds like he is on some type of a power trip trying to show off for his "girlfriend". With that attitude he has no business on the committee and needs to be removed as I'm sure you aren't the first band he has pulled this stunt on. Now if a person were to ask well ahead of time if someone they know could do a couple of songs with us being the band for them I would likely say ok and have them come over to rehearse. But a stranger walking up and insisting some other stranger sit in with us never even if it means no future gig. You aren't in the wrong here the committee member is.
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That sounds a bit awkward. You were nice enough to offer letting them play on one tune in that situation. The committee person appears to have some issues to work through, and if the festival board does not respond favorably to your request maybe that’s not the kind of festival organization you want to be associated with.
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I’m surprised he didn’t demand to choose the specific songs on which she would play. You went way beyond what I would have done given that this wasn’t someone you knew and they came up to you in the middle of a performance.
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See, Bill, this is why one should never go to a gig without all one's important gear.
Peter
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A sense of entitlement is all too prevalent these days. I always held sitting in to be by invitation only or prearranged ..
Be on the lookout for this rising star and ask her Paramore to sit in on her next headlining extravaganza! Oh, and ask to use their gear as well.
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A big. "I am sorry but our policy is we don't do that" is my thought unless it was asked ahead of time by someone known to the band. I would also think it's possible he might be lying about his position. I saw a singer once sit in and he started swinging the mic around and he hit and dented the guitar players vintage Gibson SG.
But that's just me. I know many people are nicer than I am about things like this and I have been known to ask a time or two to also sit in.
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See, Bill, this is why one should never go to a gig without all one's important gear.
Peter
We have the 240 volt version in the UK which should fry the electronics to a nice crisp finish with a strong whisp of smoke.
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Well I guess my attempt at a tempered and reasonable reaction got a good result. This morning I received an email from the head of Two Day Town thanking us, stating that the guy needs counseling, and assuring us a slot on the main stage if the event happens next April (they are in discussions with the City/County/Park District and have yet to be approved for next year).
I do appreciate the responses here. I thought I handled the situation as best I could, but it's always nice to get some confirmation.
Bill, tgo
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Is it too soon to ask if I can sit in on kazoo next time I am out on the west coast? ;D
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Is it too soon to ask if I can sit in on kazoo next time I am out on the west coast? ;D
Can I join too? I'm a killer on washboard and spoons though I take no responsibility for any deaths I may cause. I wouldn't need three or four songs as two would be sufficient. :)
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Is it too soon to ask if I can sit in on kazoo next time I am out on the west coast? ;D
Can I join too? I'm a killer on washboard and spoons though I take no responsibility for any deaths I may cause. I wouldn't need three or four songs as two would be sufficient. :)
Give the date & time (and airfare.....), and I'm there with my nose flute!
Peter (who not only has one, but was the nose flautist for The Cosmic Sh!ts And Giggles Jug Band in '79; best jug band in Galena, IL!)
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And just like that; a volunteer horn section and percussionist... ;D
(glad cooler heads prevailed...)
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Any and all of my Alembic brethren are more than welcome to sit in. Just show up at a practice the previous Wednesday evening. Or just walk up in the middle of a set and I'll have brother Peter plug you in with his special cord!
hehehehe
Bill, tgo
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I'm disappointed he didn't say 'You'll never work in this town again !'.
My usual rejoinder was along the lines of 'If you were any good, you'd be on a gig instead of making a pain out of yourself to us'. I suppose that's not really polite . . . I can't remember just how many times I wanted one of those seltzer bottle from a Three Stooges episode . . . . .
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Nicely done, Bill, glad it had a positive outcome! Oh, and I also play kazoo, but I only know how to play Bach pieces on it :)
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And just when we decided to do all Mozart covers at the next gig.
Bill, tgo
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:)
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It’s been so long since I had a gig I can’t remember my policy.
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It’s been so long since I had a gig I can’t remember my policy.
😆😆😆 Same here!
Josh and Gabe would usually huddle about it on set break, and compromise on a couple tunes with whoever wanted to sit in or sing a couple with the band. I can't say what happened to Bill TGO ever happened to us, or how measured the response to it would have been.
Probably the most fun sit-in I remember during my time in the band, both of my predecessors on bass joined us onstage during a show last year. The original bassist in the band, his replacement, and me, all at once. It wasn't planned, but it was fun. We posed for a picture together later.
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Playing jazz that used to happen lot. My favourite was the time flautist Paul Horn sat in. He used his own flute though. But I loved having people sit in. Steve Piticco sat in with my band on my white-guard Tele once. He was more than welcome to it - one burning monster of a player. Basically I don’t mind if I know who they are. Stranger? Not so much on my Alembic.
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A classic sit in :)
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no sound on my computing machinery. pete townshen's my favorite guit@r player too. :-(
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I edited the link above, try viewing again
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A classic sit in :)
And rather strange! 😃