Funny Gig Stories

[john]

Hi Gang

 

Do you have any funny gig stories to share? Go on, give us all a laugh!

 

I don’t mind starting.

 

Picture the scene: My band were among 6 bands playing at the annual bikers ball. 300 Angels and their partners and friends and my band were 4th on the playlist. The dance floor was empty apart from people crossing it to go to the bar. the mood was pretty grim. I and the bass player were both bikers ourselves, and we knew some of the audience, but by far most were strangers.

 

We had just watched 3 or 4 bands die on stage. The bikers staging the event were getting pretty hostile with the bands. Our turn came, and we went on stage. We played 4 songs and nothing but grim looks. We were largely an originals band. We were known locally but there were guys there from all over Europe. At this point we played 2-4 gigs a week, we filled large bars, clubs and played on festival bills and regularly played to audiences in the 800-2000 range. Even with hostile audiences we always won them around, usually pretty quickly. No response was a bit unnerving.

 

At this point I thought, f*ck it. We had nothing to lose. So, we played the theme from a kids TV program, “Postman Pat”. I was half expecting to be dodging bottles and maybe even some fists and boots… yet… some did double takes. They were looking at us trying to decide if we were taking the piss or not. Still, the sun must have shone upon us, because before the end of the first line the dance floor was filling. I was trying not to laugh, all the more so as I was the singer. The dance floor was filled with angels and their partners dancing to Postman Pat, and many of those still sitting were singing along. Too funny. Who’d have thought it? I don’t know if they thought we were crazy or had huge nuts. 

 

After that, the dance floor never emptied and we went off to loads of applause. Awesome gig.

 

So, what’s your story? I have more, but I want to hear YOUR stories!

 

Cheers

 

John