Ugh, my gig sucked. Got called to fill in on drums with a friend of mine for some black light ball put on by a group that includes body painting. Well, I thought it would be a good night, since of course, body painting means nudity.
We went to the venue, a gallery that used to be the county jail, the day before the gig to check it out. We were promised a PA (we'd be playing with 2 other bands), catered food was included, plus booze. The promoter thought that there would be from 400-600 people there. She ended up being way off! One thing that worried me, is that it was in the 60's outside, but it had to have been 40 degrees inside. Our theory was that this was really put on by a vampire coven, and we'd all be drained at the end of the night like in "From Dusk Till Dawn".
The day of the gig, the performer I was playing with got an email from the promoter that there would be no PA, since the owner of the gallery said the sound would reverb around the building too much. Plus, the budget would not allow for the bands to eat for free. WTF?! Well, my singer got on the horn with her real fast to speak to the other performers and get some kind of vocal amplification going. Next thing we hear, the last band bails. I think they were told that their wives would not be admitted for free. Next thing we know, another band has taken their place and a PA would be there. I wasn't holding my breath that this would be a good gig until I got there to see things for myself.
I arrive before the rest of the band I'm playing with, and the temperature in the room is colder than outside...and outside it's between 30-40 degrees. I could see my breath. The group is frantically trying to hook up space heaters around the venue to heat it up, but most of the heaters ended up upstairs with the DJ's. The last band brought their PA but only hooked up vocals...I would have liked some kick too. I kept my winter coat and gloves on up until the time we played. I looked around the place and never found the food or any type of catering. By the time we played, my hands were warm, but my feet were frozen. I couldn't feel my right foot through most of the hour long set.
We finished our set to a mostly empty lower level of the building and I loaded out. The last band sets up and starts in on the college rock. The only people dancing were their girlfriends. I think I counted about 40 people there that night, including staff and bands. Not good. Finally the promoter comes over and pays my band leader. She gives here a handwritten check for $40. Wow, thanks a fricken lot! I told her to cash it quick, it may bounce!
I made the best of it and had a great time hanging out with the person I performed with, but that had to have been the WORST organization of an event I have ever played. I even felt pity instead of arousal for the body painted models who had to walk around all night half naked. I hope they didn't get sick.
Mike