Apparently all touring musicians think they're it.

[Volitions Advocate]

We have a Radio Show up here in Canada on CBC called Q. And a couple weeks ago they had Simon Pegg on it to promote his new movie "how to lose friends and alienate people" and he said something I thought was pretty profound and that most "celebrities" needed to hear.

He said that people to bend hand over foot to make these movie starts comfortable on the set and cater to their whims because on camera the actors need to look their best and be happy to be able to pull of their trade and look good on camera.  But the second they think they deserve all this attention because of any reason other than that is when they lose touch with reality.  Im paraphrasing but it was something like that.

Well I've had my 2nd gig in 2 months opening for a big name act and I cannot believe how they all keep being such friggen dicks!
Our band is a local weekend warrior type band, and we get to be pretty versatile with our music so that we can get the gigs.  So on Sept 1st we got to open for Girlicious, the new project from that gross looking old lady who created the pus.sycat dolls. And their tour manager was a biatch, and they didn't care enough to even interface with some of their fans.  THey didn't sign autographs or anything.  They woudln't let anybody in the building while they did their sound check. not the opening band, or even the venue staff.  And then they wouldn't come on stage for at least 1 hour after the last act left... etc etc. it was stupid.  so about 3 1/2 to 4 hours after we got off stage they finally took it and played for about 25 minutes, then ran back to their bus and left.  I think thats total BS personally and a lot of people were upset and kept telling the club owner that our band was the only reason the 35 dollar ticket was worth it.  So he invites us back to play for Lukas Rossi who played last night.
(he's the guy that won rockstar supernova)

So we're thinking awesome. a real musician, somebody who will probably be cool to us and hang out a bit and make life a little easier.  Turns out you shouldn't expect people to be cool to you.

We're trying and trying to figure out when our soundcheck is, and we're pretty close with the sound guy that the club owner hired so we're talking to him and even he doesn't know whats going on. And hes pissed about it.  So we find out that Lukas is bringing his own opening band.  Okay makes sense they tour together.  So there'll be 3 bands playing that night should be a good night for people right?  Well the bands were 2 hours late for sound check. and we weren't allowed to unload our stuff in until they were all done setting up.  So while they were dawdling to even show up, the sound guy had the stage all set up with lights and everything and then they show up and say thanks, now piss off we have our own sound guy.

Then they start telling us that they didn't know we were supposed to be playing that night even though we were billed on the schedule and we were booked 2 months ago!  So first they say we're not allowed to use the stage.  So we say okay fine we'll set up on the floor in front of the stage (like, theres no way we're not playing tonight, we're booked, we're here and our gear is all loaded in) and they're like okay sure whatever we dont care.  So we're trying to work out the logistics of getting power to our gear and it turns out they 'wont let' us tie into the sound system. we have to have our own.  Its not even their fudging sound system!  They say things like "oh we just tour together we're like a self sufficient group and we're not interested in local talent"    ..........  if you're so self sufficient why dont you have your own damn pa.

    So after mulling about for about 2 hours trying to figure this out, we figure out a way to tap into the house DJ system (which was installed by the sound man) but by the time we're ready for it its just too late to get it set up in time.  So we start loading our crap back into the trailer, got paid.. and bugged out.

and on the way out...  Lukas' tour manager finally piped up (she hadn't said a word to me all night) "oh it breaks my heart to see you pack all your stuff up after bringing it in blahblahblahblah"  I wanted to smack her for being so fake.  The whole thing was so humiliating and out of the 2 bands only 1 guy ever did anything to help.  and he was the lead singer for their opener act (which was called Ours, who by the way were actually cool to us and their music rocks). 

This whole experience has left a very very awful taste in my mouth that might not be there if it was my first experience, but it wasn't.. i've had several like this both as an opening act and simply as a fan meeting whoever i went to see.

If I ever get to tour am I going to be an boom-boom too? is it a pre-requisite?

 

[WMHOLP]

Sounds like my hometown girl (Storm Large) should have one that contest.  She's a local from my town.  I'd bet she'd be more real than that Lukas dude.  There's no excuse for being full of yourself.  It takes all types I suppose.  Luke's band, management, whatever sound like a bunch of pickless diks who think they are somebody.  Sounds like they could use a dose of their own medicine...make them open up for an established national act with attitude, and see how they like it.  Somebody needs to put them in their place.

 

[RockStarNick]

Jimmy Gnecco from OURS is a standup dude.  Down to earth, and super talented. I'm not suprised that HES the one who tried to help. He's awesome.

hmm, maybe because HE EARNED HIS FAME instead of WINNING  A STUPID REALITY TV CONTEST.  That Lukas guy can go suck a big fat D.

That whole scenario just sounds like an absolute nightmare.

 

[jackthehack]

"If I ever get to tour am I going to be an ass too? is it a pre-requisite?"

As someone who once was involved in a local concert promotion agency in Europe that did local arrangements for nation-wide larger tours (3K - stadium gates) I'd say while not a pre-requisite, it;s entirely typical, especially so newer/smaller acts.

Were this in a larger venue with a bigger act, I'd say from the reportage that the local promoter screwed the pooch; but if playing in a "club" type venue, there may not have been riders in the contract language that should have properly spelled this all out. In larger venues, a local opening act typically has to be specified for in the contract and often the local opening act must be "approved" by the touring act as applicable.

 

[Superlizard]

When it comes to arrogant sh!theads, the key term here is "compensation".

 

[guitlouie]

Dude, you will learn that there are arseh*les in all walks of life.  There are musicians, and then there is the music business.  This guy's "people" sound like they are wholey in it for the business.  Play smaller gigs with real touring musicians, people who criss cross the country in beater vans and play every night whether there are 50 or 5000 people at the show, and you will find that the people who are in it for the right reasons are less apt to be raging d*ck faces.  My first band that played lots of shows had the opportunity to play with a guy from a band that was very important to me when I was younger and really getting into off the radar kind of music.  This guy isn't even famous except in punk rock circles, and he was a huge dissapointment.  I tried to talk to him way before the show, when there was not anybody in the club, I wasn't trying to invade his privacy, or anything, just wanted to say hey, and he was like, "Before you say anything, I don't talk about the old days in _________, or anything like that, so you probably don't want to waste your breath."  What a douche.  But really, I'm a pretty jaded old man, so I expect people to be jerks all the time, and am pleasantly surprised when they are not.

 

[Lucky #7]

Did you ever talk to the actual artists or just their people?  I've met a few of the "people" and they're a*****es in the first degree.  Both groups you mentioned are likely to not have a say in s***.  That's not to say they're not complete pricks, but the music business people almost always are.

Girlicious probably didn't want anyone to see them working out their lip syncing at sound check.

 

[ognolman]

Well, look at it this way: at least you got paid.  I would say that your experience is very common.  The artists themselves are frequently absolute total narcissists through and through and the managers, promoters and agency people are all sleazeballs.

But take comfort in the fact that in 10 years most of these people will be washed-up, anyway.

 

[kreig]

Yeah, you got paid, move forward. :doh:

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Sounds like my hometown girl (Storm Large) should have one that contest.  She's a local from my town.   I'd bet she'd be more real than that Lukas dude.  There's no excuse for being full of yourself.  It takes all types I suppose.  Luke's band, management, whatever sound like a bunch of pickless diks who think they are somebody.  Sounds like they could use a dose of their own medicine...make them open up for an established national act with attitude, and see how they like it.  Somebody needs to put them in their place.

She was from San Francisco before she moved to Portland.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

Well i spoke to Lukas himself.  who seems to have a 4 word vocabulary, 2 of which are fudge and fuckin' (i'm sure that will be censored)
What bothers me is that they didn't even want to know what was up. like. "just ignore them and they'll go away" which.. is essentially what happened.

I think jack hit it on the nose with the contract language.

This was a small venue. mabey 250 - 300 people can cram themselves in there.

 

[kreig]

Lukas  Who? . . . nevermind.

 

[stubhead]

These people have all seen both "Spinal Tap" and "The Song Remains the Same" and they think if they can just get the attitude part right, they're going to BE the next Zeppelin.

Hint: Aw hell - never even mind, Junior.... :-\ Of course we'll pick out the brown M&M's....

 

[Mor Paul]

Hint: Aw hell - never even mind, Junior.... :-\ Of course we'll pick out the brown M&M's....

Wasn't it Van Halen who requested the brown M&M's removed?

 

[mayfly]

Interesting story, but not that un-common.

A couple of weeks ago we were headlining at a local bar, and we were complete pricks!  :glasses9:

I'm kidding - but it was an interesting situation that we got through, got paid, and were still nice to everyone.

When we got the gig two months previously, we were told that we'd be the only act.  No problem, we put together 3 45 minute sets and we were good to go.  When we got to the gig, it turns out that there are 4 bands lined up to play (?!?).  The bar owner was all "ohh - didn't we tell you?" which we actually believe since they're not that organized.  We did some quick calculations and determined that we'd still be on stage by 10:30pm, if the other bands stayed on schedule.  So far so good.  Band #1 was fine, but band #2 was an hour late getting on stage because there drummer was an hour late (for a 45 minute set mind you).  Fortunately we knew band #3.  We negotiated in the parking lot, and when band #2 got off, we loaded in our drumkit and some of our gear and let band #3 use it. Everyone chipped in to help and we got everything put together as fast as possible.  Then when they were done, we just jumped in with no sound check.  Stage turnover was under 20 minutes.

The result was that band #3 played to their crowd and had a good set, we were not that late and played to our crowd and played well.  Yes, we had some sound issues, but we worked through them.  We had a full room with people waiting outside to get in, so the club was happy.  We ended up playing until 2:00am since we had the material and there were still folks in the club dancing.  Band #3 ended up staying for the entire night, and they looked like they were having a great time.

All's well that ends well, but for the next show at this bar (booked for december) you can bet that we'll be phoning a week ahead to confirm everything. :icon_thumright:

 

[-CB-]

1.  Ya got paid, so no love lost.

2.  You get into that situation again, thats when its time to go out, and do a "tire pressure check" on their vehicles.

 

[OzziePete]

Volitions, there's a number of ways you can look at the situations you found yourself in.

But for sanity's sake, don't take these idiots' attitudes too seriously.

There's an idiot in every travelling group of people, and there are other ways of dealing with people like that.

I have seen, in the car parks of pubs in the days of pub rock in the late 70s and 80s in Australia, many a fight amongst roadcrew and all sorts of get backs paid.

I helped a work mate with some roadie work when he was playing in a band in those days, and this band seemed to strike some idiots like you have recently met.

Things did happen though, in retaliation, and while we went home to our nearby home, these high arsed idiots were often left wondering why their truck can't get up air pressure, or why there was no fuel in it's tank  :icon_scratch:, or some other way they were stuck with no place to sleep.  :help:

Helps to have a devious mechanic as a band member or one of your roadcrew, say no more...... ccasion14:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Wasn't it Van Halen who requested the brown M&M's removed?

I know VH had a "fluffer" written into the contract just to see if anyone read it.  In Wayne's World II, it was Ozzy that had to have a Brandy glass filled 1,000 brown M&Ms, or he wouldn't go onstage.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Put yourself in their situation.  They played last night at a club 8 hours away.  The guitar player is sick of the bass player.  The drummer wasn't ready to leave, so they're late.  The last club had power issues (like all clubs).  They now show up at your club.  They booked this gig before you did, along with their opening band.  They show up and are told their is now a third, local band (you guys).  They're probably sick of dealing with this every other night.  There's been bands I've met that I had nothing good to say about them, and someone else just thinks the world of them.  Truth be told, everyone is capable of being nice and being an a-hole.  It depends when you catch them.  You can't always be everything to everyone.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

that makes sense aside from the fact that we were on the schedule and they did know about it. our sound guy phoned their tour manager to confirm all the details and they specifically verified our set, as well as telling the sound guy he was doing their stuff 100%.
And they really didn't need to put any extra effort into it.  They told the guy who brought the equipment in that he wasn't allowed to patch into it because they had their sound all figured out.

You can have a bad day and come off a bit rude, which happens.  Or you can just be an ass.

In any case I"m over it now. We have another gig in 2 weeks at the same club.