Silvia Bluejay Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 The Junkyard Dogs play 60s/70s/80s pub rock. Last night we played a small but welcoming pub where most of the audience were enjoying themselves and singing along. That included a group of women in their 30s drinking at the bar. During the third set, one of them comes to me, standing in a corner with the tablet and the setlist, and asks me to 'play' a song whose title now escapes me, but which had nothing to to with the Dogs' repertoire. My first answer in cases like this is always the standard 'sorry but it's not in the setlist', which usually does the trick. This time it didn't work. 'Oh, but I thought you were doing the music!' comes her disappointed reaction. So next time someone asks you at the interval if you like the band, and you are rather irritated to have to say you're actually in it, spare a thought for bands whose members, for some mysterious reason probably to do with punters' alcohol consumption, all actually disappear into thin air while they're playing. 🙄 😁 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Wow 😃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 A lot of people don't realise we have to physically play instruments and sing to create music. They think what we do is the same as someone shoving a CD in a slot or picking a number from a playlist on a laptop. They really are that unaware. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 17, 2019 Author Share Posted November 17, 2019 Christ, even when the band are standing literally three feet from their nose? And chatting and bantering with them between songs? Those must have been some powerful drinks they had... 😮 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 It’s bizarre isn’t it. I’ve been given the (possibly dubious) role of getting a band together for my work’s Christmas party this year. Dead easy having been in a function band for almost 20 years, but it’s amazing what the management think they can get away with asking. ”Can we do karaoke with you?” ”Can people get up and join in?” (Similar vein to the first one) ”Will you take requests on the night?” ”Can you play {insert completely inappropriate song here}?” ”A tiny portion of a main meal will be fine for 5 musicians and a DJ/soundman hanging out for 10 hours won’t it” 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoJoKe Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 I had an interesting confrontation with a wedding guest over the summer when I was doing PA for a band I regularly work with. A woman (not one of the bridesmaids) came up to me and told me the band should absolutely not be playing "Ignition" by R Kelly. (OK, so I'm not debating that thought here, its been done before, but she had some quite extreme opinions about it, along with a really unpleasant attitude). I told her I was simply the sound tech not a DJ, and she really should take it up with the band later... not good enough for her, she kept banging on about how insulted/offended she was, with a real in-my-face passive/aggressive manner. I offered her the iPad, pointed at the main LR fader, and suggested that she might like to mute the band's FOH mix while they were still doing the song. Funnily enough, she declined. I also then pointed out to her that, as always, the playlist had previously been agreed between the band and the newlyweds, and that the song had been requested by the bride... My favourite wedding guests are the drunken ones who think its funny to come up from behind, reach over my shoulder and start messing with the mix... oh, how we all laughed.....! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 18, 2019 Author Share Posted November 18, 2019 Sigh, I'm beginning to see why the mixing desk is usually a gated-off area at larger gigs! At least the tablet, being wireless, allows us to walk to the other end of the room when the punters in our corner are too drunk or stupid. 🙄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted November 18, 2019 Share Posted November 18, 2019 I think that younger generations have been bought up in such a different musical world that many really don't understand live music. I've done about 100 weddings so far this year and one thing that really sticks out is how much younger crowds have been influenced by DJs and nightclub / bar music. So often we find the dancefloor is full but nobody is facing the band. Everyone is dancing in little circles of mates like they would in a club. Then when a song ends they look really unsure as to what to do? They are so used to songs being mixed together that they can't get their heads around a break in the music. They almost seem embarrassed by the pause. Doesn't surprise me one bit that they see someone with an iPad and instantly assume that's where the music is coming from. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 I play a lot of weddings, and no-one ever faces the band - why would they? OK, there's some who are interested for a little while, but unless you're the sort of band that puts on a show (like a tribute act), they've come to dance and have a good time with their friends, not to 'see' the band. We're just there to add the music in a live context. The iPad thing is a definite one, though: on many occasions I've had people (usually girls, but then most requesters are girls, I think blokes are too embarrassed) ask for a song, and when I've said 'Nope, sorry, we don't play it', they point at the iPad and go 'Just play it'...and it's not just kids that do this... The worst, though, is usually Irish pubs - here, it's not just girls by any means, and it usually goes like this: "Play Mrs McGinnity's Goat*" "Sorry, we don't know that one." "Sure you do, go on..." "Really, we don't" "Ahhh, you do: it goes 'Bippety boppity diddle dee doo" (cue drunken rendition of their favourite song, which goes on a while, leaving you standing there a bit embarassed). Then they stop and look expectantly at you... I should add that although we do SOME Irish stuff to please the punters, we're not a ceilidh band by any means; we're just an acoustic-ish trio... Oh, and the best one is: "Play some Irish; play Dirty Old Town" "You mean the song written and sung by an Englishman about Salford?" 😁 * Insert really obscure Irish tune here: it's like a challenge... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SICbass Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 On 18/11/2019 at 11:05, MoJoKe said: My favourite wedding guests are the drunken ones who think its funny to come up from behind, reach over my shoulder and start messing with the mix... oh, how we all laughed.....! What freaks me out about this is that it is implicit that this sort of nonsense is not infrequent. I left the UK in 1990 and stories like this (sometimes even worse) of punters‘ behaviour seem to be commonplace these days. Back then that would have been exceptionally poor behaviour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 2 hours ago, SICbass said: What freaks me out about this is that it is implicit that this sort of nonsense is not infrequent. I left the UK in 1990 and stories like this (sometimes even worse) of punters‘ behaviour seem to be commonplace these days. Back then that would have been exceptionally poor behaviour. It is so bad these days that it has to be written into the contract with the client that should the client or their guests interfere with the band's equipment in any way, the band reserves the right to cancel the performance immediately and no refunds will be given. Luckily not something we have had to enforce yet although we have stopped songs a few times due to crowd interference. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 3 hours ago, Muzz said: I play a lot of weddings, and no-one ever faces the band - why would they? OK, there's some who are interested for a little while, but unless you're the sort of band that puts on a show (like a tribute act), they've come to dance and have a good time with their friends, not to 'see' the band. We're just there to add the music in a live context. Our show is pretty energetic so this is not our experience in general. It really is only the young crowds that tend to dance with their backs to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 That's really strange, because it's the opposite of my experience. Probably down to band approach. We used to do a thing where we'd get the groom up, give him a spare 'stunt' guitar and a wig and get him playing with us. It was good fun for a while, (the brides always loved seeing the new husband look a bit of a berk) but we got bored with it. We always get them singing to the bride and groom, though, in the acoustic bit: we get them to form a large circle with the B&G in the middle. Other than that, people of all ages get up to dance with each other. In my clubbing days no-one ever faced the DJ, you always danced with your mates, it's only the last couple of decades when the DJ became the star that the kids face a DJ like people (we) used to face a band at a gig...it's even specifically identified as a phenomenon in 24 Hour Party People, with reference to the Hacienda...IIRC the term used is 'The Beatification Of The Beat'... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoJoKe Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 4 hours ago, mrtcat said: It is so bad these days that it has to be written into the contract with the client that should the client or their guests interfere with the band's equipment in any way, the band reserves the right to cancel the performance immediately and no refunds will be given. Luckily not something we have had to enforce yet although we have stopped songs a few times due to crowd interference. iPad interference? Yes, it is a thing. The biggest problem with weddings is there generally isn't a "stage", but a "performance area" on the same level as the dance floor. I have signs on my subs politely asking people not to put any drinks on them, I have a background I use on my MacBook Pro (generally lives on one of the subs and used for music between sets) asking people not to touch it. I don't like to take my eye off anything because I regularly find a crowd of people surrounding and playing with it, and the Mac is surrounded by all their drinks, empties and spillage... so bloody disrespectful. I also often come back to the stage before the band starts, to find the bridesmaids yelling into inactive wireless mics, plonking away on the keyboard player's Nord, and someone struggling to get behind the drums... Last summer someone fell onto, and across the stage, breaking an arm off an ultimate Keyboard stand and knocking the Nord off, which landed on an acoustic guitar, sending it flying into the kick drum, all powered by the overweight body of a drunken fat sod. That was an interesting insurance claim after a non-productive conversation with an equally drunken wedding party... Also last season, during pack down at an incredibly posh wedding of two doctors, I came back from the van to find the bride, groom, best men and bridesmaids having piggyback fights on the dancefloor. They said, "its a tradition, wedding fightclub"... I then took a load back to the van, and came back for more to find the best man, a senior anaesthetist, sitting inside one of my (£80) sub covers and shuffling it across the floor like he was in a toy car... Jeez! People regularly invade the stage and grab whatever they can... You might say there is a fine line between a great atmosphere and things going too far, but no matter how posh the wedding loutish behaviour is exactly that and no more. I used to think I could get the measure of the event (if it was going to be lairy) early on in the evening, but now the mostly all are, so its academic... 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 4 minutes ago, MoJoKe said: an incredibly posh wedding They're the absolute worst - after ten bluddy years at a certain Henley gig, you can stuff the lot where the sun don't shine............. 😎 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 One of the lairiest weddings we've ever played was at The Mere Golf Resort in Cheshire, haunt of the very rich...what a bunch of entitled derrières they were... Generally, we don't get much mither from wedding punters: certainly nothing like MoJoKe's above...we're probably a lot uglier, though, which wards off even the most pisht enthusiasts... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 On 17/11/2019 at 17:20, Silvia Bluejay said: Christ, even when the band are standing literally three feet from their nose? And chatting and bantering with them between songs? Those must have been some powerful drinks they had... 😮 or some very stupid people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 23 hours ago, Muzz said: The worst, though, is usually Irish pubs - here, it's not just girls by any means, and it usually goes like this: "Play Mrs McGinnity's Goat*" "Sorry, we don't know that one." "Sure you do, go on..." "Really, we don't" "Ahhh, you do: it goes 'Bippety boppity diddle dee doo" (cue drunken rendition of their favourite song, which goes on a while, leaving you standing there a bit embarassed). Then they stop and look expectantly at you... I should add that although we do SOME Irish stuff to please the punters, we're not a ceilidh band by any means; we're just an acoustic-ish trio... I now have visions of Father Ted Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on, Go on. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 Yep... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 On 17/11/2019 at 15:14, Silvia Bluejay said: This time it didn't work. 'Oh, but I thought you were doing the music!' comes her disappointed reaction. I'm struggling to process this degree of stupidity...did she just assume that Jack & co were playing a very elaborate form of Guitar Hero along to the music on your tablet...? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 20 hours ago, mrtcat said: It is so bad these days that it has to be written into the contract with the client that should the client or their guests interfere with the band's equipment in any way, the band reserves the right to cancel the performance immediately and no refunds will be given. Luckily not something we have had to enforce yet although we have stopped songs a few times due to crowd interference. I'm not sure if it's better or worse than it used to be, but it amazes me how some people (not always the drunk idiots, but sober idiots do it too) feel that band equipment are toys for them to play with. Reaching out for a saxophone on its stand... WHILE we're playing? Yeah, it's happened more than once. When there's not a physical separation we try to delimit our area with monitors etc, but nothing stops some people. There was one bar gig we used to do... I hated the place. The place was cool, actually, and most people were very very good and make the experience enjoyable, the pay was very good and we got a room for the night, good food... It's a small village out on the coast surrounded by nothing, so everybody from the neighbouring areas come in. BUT there's always a handful of idiots that push the limits. There was a woman once who while I was playing kept coming to me, with her younger friend (turned out to be her niece) asking me to let her play my guitar. While we were playing. Did she think we were miming? That's one of the same ones who kept trying to come in and take the saxophone that was on the stand, while the sax player (using another sax) kept fending her off. She ended up taking my hat. Then putting it back on my head. Rinse, repeat. That set was very long... Then when we finished she came and sat next to me while I was sorting out some cables, and took my hat again. I said nothing, just took it back, but I think my face must have shown my feelings, for she looked shocked and I thought she was about to cry, and left and never saw her again... But I can't imagine that playing to people drinking will be idiot-free ever. Bar functions like those are ok as we can still keep some dignity and be reasonable, but the few weddings I've played were stressful and there's an added sense of having to remain ultra polite and happy at all times, and probably more accommodating than usual: you don't want to create any bad feelings on somebody's happy wedding party. It's complicated... the best part of playing live is the people, the worst? The people too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 20 hours ago, mrtcat said: Our show is pretty energetic so this is not our experience in general. It really is only the young crowds that tend to dance with their backs to us. Another one I just remembered... In a popular music bar in town, with my RATM band. There was this guy wanting to come onstage to jump about with us. He eventually managed, and the singer had a hard time keeping him in a controlled area without bumping into everyone else and making a mess... Guy eventually comes down. He is right in front of the stage, back towards us. Suddenly the people in front of him move away. He was peeing. On the floor. At least he didn't do it onstage. I think I'd have murdered him if he whizzed on my board. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 As someone who, like many of us, spends a lot of time sober in pubs and other venues people-watching (while playing), I'll just say this once: the reason things have become more lairy is the fairly recent proliferation of a cheap, cut version of a certain Class A drug, which has become as normalised for a night out as lager... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 4 minutes ago, mcnach said: Another one I just remembered... In a popular music bar in town, with my RATM band. There was this guy wanting to come onstage to jump about with us. He eventually managed, and the singer had a hard time keeping him in a controlled area without bumping into everyone else and making a mess... Guy eventually comes down. He is right in front of the stage, back towards us. Suddenly the people in front of him move away. He was peeing. On the floor. At least he didn't do it onstage. I think I'd have murdered him if he whizzed on my board. WOW that's a first. That really does take the P. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted November 27, 2019 Share Posted November 27, 2019 When younger watching bands was every weekend and therefore i was very aware the music was live. For those that don't go to see live bands are they under the illusion that everything is just mimed like the many TV programs they watch ie TOTP. There are artists / bands playing "live" that also mime and if you follow pop music i guess its what you'd come to expect from any band. Its a wonderful world we live in. Shame about all the naive idiots we have to put up with. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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