Most Embarrassing Performance Moment?

What's the most embarrassing thing that's happened to you when you've performed?

For marching band, I had my trumpet break RIGHT BEFORE my solo. It was the first show of the year and the two higher chairs were out of town. I had multiple solos (and this was my real chance to "show off") and right before my first one, I realized something was blocking my valves. The trumpet player next to me (who would later become the bassist in my own band) realized this and swapped trumpets (sans mouthpieces) with me. All was fine but MAN, that was pretty nerve-wracking.

In terms of playing with my own band, I've had a few. During one show, I was jumping around so much that my guitar became unplugged from the BOSS overdrive pedal. It wasn't too big of deal but it was very obvious. During another time, I jumped off my Fender amp and knocked it over. Not only did I get a nag crashing sound (from the reverb box being jostled) but I also damaged the input jack rendering my amp useless until it was fixed. I've also had string break and almost snap me in the face (when the little e hits you...you remember it forever---I used to change strings while wearing snowboarding goggles because of that) and my guitar go out of tune during performances.

The WORST moment was when we were opening for Kansas. We, as a band, were burnt out. I knew we weren't ready for this gig but the guys wanted to play it anyway. We sounded awful and, overall, it was just painful to get through. One of our guitarists started playing the wrong song, I forgot the lyrics to a couple songs and flubbed my way through, and the sound tech didn't help us at all.


Anyone got any horror stories?
Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
"Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy

Comments

  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 22,129
    i have had a lot of embarrassing spinal tap esque things happen to me over the years.

    we were filming a promo video in 2008 and i started a song in the wrong key. that was embarrassing because it was captured on professional audio and video. i have never heard the end of that one from my bandmates.

    another few times i have broken a string in the middle of a solo and could not find the right notes on the remaining strings. i never ever prepared for such an occurrence before then. i still struggle with it to this day.

    a few times i have gotten so drunk i could hardly play. that is what happens when people buy you round after round of jagerbombs and the waitress brings them to you while you are in the middle of a set. you get put on the spot. here someone just bought your band a $40 round of drinks and you have to take them otherwise you look like an asshole to that person. you can't just re-gift the drink ya know?

    probably the worst thing that ever happened was on new year's eve 2008. we were playing with a band that we are close friends with. we decided we were going to try to get the other band hammered. the game was whenever a waitress brings you a shot, you have to take it right then and there, and there had to be a witness. no matter if it was during a set, between sets, whenever. the other band had more money to burn than we did, so they were getting us 2-3 shots at a time each. i remember during our second to last song i was doing something with my wah pedal. the stage was about 3 or 3.5 feet tall. a girl in front of the stage was flirting with me and was trying to use her hand to push the switches on my pedals. i stepped on my wah and was rocking it back and forth. she grabbed on to the bottom of my jeans and pulled on my leg. i pulled back trying to get away from her. she then grabbed on to my guitar cable and i lost my balance. i ended up falling forward because the way i was standing i did not have the greatest balance, plus all the booze i had drank made it easy for me to teeter over. i ended up falling forward off of the stage mid song. i landed on my feet miraculously. i finished the song standing on the floor because i could not climb back up the stage. between songs i walked around to the steps and ended up back in my spot on the stage for the last song.

    we got in trouble with the owner of the bar and the promoter. the next time we played there they had put up a foot tall wall on the front of the stage. it was really nice because they put outlets on the wall so you did not have to run extension cords and stuff. they said that it was to keep people from interfering with the bands' pedal boards and to keep them from spilling drinks on the stage. come to find out later it was put there because of me. facepalm.
    There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.- Hemingway

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • That's hilarious! Alcohol really plays a role when you're playing and MAN it's obvious to some of the audience members. Gotta love live entertainment, though, haah
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • StuffnJunkStuffnJunk Posts: 896
    edited March 2016
    I've been the guitar player in many bands, but I always wished I could sing. I must admit, when I have tried singing at open mics, the response was not always positive.

    Once I was singing Ramblin Man by the Allmans at an open mic, and the bartender came from behind the bar and unplugged the speakers! The host plugged them back in. I said "Well I guess I'll have to start that song over from the beginning". And I did.

    Another time, I was singing at an open mic, and there were a bunch of drunken Irish soccer fan type guys (I live on Long Island). I did a song, and said I was gonna do one more, and they yelled "No thanks! That will do!" Or something like that. I did the song anyway.

    Honestly, I didn't really feel embarrassed either time. If anything, it feels pretty badass to plow on when you know people don't dig it. My own lame version of Dylan going electric as boos reigned down.

    Years later, I started doing comedy open mics, so this type of thing helped me build a thick skin. And I got good reactions with comedy, yes I've felt the pain of bombing but have gotten laughs more often that not, so it helped me realize that I can always stick to guitar and comedy, and maybe forget about singing, at least based on the feedback I've gotten when trying each of these things.
    Post edited by StuffnJunk on
    "I'll tell you what: If all I had was Pearl Jam, and I didn't have another band in the world, I would not be worried. Because in there is the essence of making great music. You don't have to use it all at once, but it's there." - Neil Young
  • PJ_SoulPJ_Soul Vancouver, BC Posts: 49,473
    I had my dress fall off while I was singing and dancing. I was basically up there in a thong. That's it.
    With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
  • rollingsrollings unknown Posts: 7,124
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  • rollingsrollings unknown Posts: 7,124
    edited March 2016

    The WORST moment was when we were opening for Kansas.

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    Post edited by rollings on
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