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Joe Bonamassa Forum → Other Artists → What is the worst gig you have ever been to?
blackmores night a few years ago..................................blackmore was such an as......................le. he went down the stage just before playing the solo of child in time. before that he did not even touch an electric guitar. he finished the concert after 40 minutes and took 43€ for it. a real rip off.
Thomas
Seen them on Conan when their album came out. Just got around to buying the album a few weeks ago. Love their stuff. Good music is still out there. You just have to search harder to find it.
For me it was the Butthole Surfers. My friends were going and they generally had good taste. Not this time. It was really unpleasant and I tried to like it.
For me, it has to be the infamous Metallica & Guns n`Roses concert at the Olympic Stadium in Montréal in 92. For those who don`t know or remember, here`s the story
It was advertized as the major concert event of the year, the 2 biggest Hard rock / Metal acts at the time, on the same stage. The place was packed, about 55000 people in the place.
Faith No More was the opening act, didn`t see them so no comments.
Metallica was second on the bill and everything was going smoothly until, during Fade to Black (10th song of the night), James Hetfield got blasted by a pyro on stage and got seriously burned on his arm. Needless to say they stopped playing and rushed him to a hospital. Bad accident, nothing we could do about it and wasn`t the band`s fault. Was a bummer and all we could do was wait. And wait we did...
It took about 2.5 hours for GNR to come on stage. They played for about 45 minutes, total of 9 songs, until Axl told us he was done and we should get reimbursed for the night. Thank you and good night... The place just erupted in frustration. Some idiots started a riot, broke some windows and they even burnt a Police car outside. It was mayhem. My friend and I just got out of the place ASAP so we wouldn`t get caught in the action, but we could watch from afar and it wasn`t pretty. Thank God for the venue policy to not allow beer to be sold during the day otherwise it probably would have been a lot worst.
Had the chance to see both bands later on and they each still put out great shows, but on that night it was just a complete mess...
The Cars circa 1980. They showed up, played about 15 songs note for note, never said a word to the crowd and promptly left. Awful.
The Cars circa 1980. They showed up, played about 15 songs note for note, never said a word to the crowd and promptly left. Awful.
I have NEVER heard a good thing about them live. I had several chances to see them but glad that I stayed away!!
kestrou wrote:Worst Sound: Saw Blues Traveller open for The Rolling Stones - the sound for BT was *terrible*! Believe it was Soldier Field in Chicago and sound for the whole band was terrible, but the harmonica was *UNBEARABLE*. Was able to sit through it and when The Stones came on it's like it was a whole 'nother PA system - they sounded great. I'm guessing they weren't letting the opening band use the whole sound system...
Worst Performance: Saw Tesla (big hair band from the 80s) at House-of-Blues in Las Vegas a little over a year ago. Was billed as an acoustic set, so all the guys (except the drummer) were sitting on stools at the front of the stage and playing acoustic guitars. The reason was because the singer couldn't stand up - in fact, could barely sit down. He kept almost falling off his tool - and the guys near him got off their stools and stood next to his so he could lean against them. He was tweaked out so bad... That's the only concert I've ever walked out on!
kestrou
I saw BLUES TRAVELER back in 96 maybe, on the Horde Tour in Hershey Park stadium. They were delayed because of the thunder storms and when they finally played, the harmonica was also UNBEARABLE! This was outfrickinside for Pete's sake and it was still piercing.
I went to the Horde Tour at Merriweather Post Pavillion and thought BT sounded good, so maybe it was Hersey Park?
There's a few I didn't enjoy. I fell asleep at a Chicago concert. That's enough about that 
We had a chance to go to the famous Stoned Pony on the Jersey shore. David Johansen was in his Dexter Pointdexter phase and it was horrid!! The most disappointing was Wishbone Ash in the 80's? at the Bayou in Georgetown. Just noise 
Coldplay in 2001 just as they were becoming popular. They moved the gig from a small venue to a venue twice the size because their single was taking off. I've seen more life in a statue.
Would have left after 3 numbers but decided to give them a chance. Didn't wait for the encores and went to the pub across the road. Was already full of people who had left before us.
Pat Benatar-not even close. My friend was a big fan and had a free tick if I drove so I figured sure how bad can it be? BAD! If hell is for Children then this was runner up!! Three songs in I was ready to leave- a tired band with NOOO energy. Since this was a freebie I was willing to sit through as my friend was a fan. Two songs later he looks at me and says "lets go". At first I felt kind of bad really don't like up and leaving until I saw the river of people flowing out. I really don't like trashing a band so I'll just chalk this up to a tired band having an off night. This was a late 80's show.
If this was at the Civic Center in Portland I was there too. Saga was the opening band and they were FANTASTIC! Saw them again in Portland when they opened for Tull and (believe it or not) Eddie Money. Now *that* was an odd double bill.
I'll toss in a runner up. Tommy Castro, usually one of my very favs at Belly Up last fall. This was right after he had formed a new band and first show on the road. Well, first off he had gear issues and his amps were cutting out. Then his old bass player he'd brought back was given the opportunity to sing while keys and drums kept it going giving TC time to mess with his amps. This guy had no voice and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Three songs in the wife looks at me and asks, "had enough?" We joined the line headed for the door. To Tommy's credit, I compained on his fan page and he sent me a personal note of apology, saying it was one of those bad nights bands have. I will go see him again.
Rick
I'll toss in a runner up. Tommy Castro, usually one of my very favs at Belly Up last fall. This was right after he had formed a new band and first show on the road. Well, first off he had gear issues and his amps were cutting out. Then his old bass player he'd brought back was given the opportunity to sing while keys and drums kept it going giving TC time to mess with his amps. This guy had no voice and couldn't carry a tune in a bucket. Three songs in the wife looks at me and asks, "had enough?" We joined the line headed for the door. To Tommy's credit, I compained on his fan page and he sent me a personal note of apology, saying it was one of those bad nights bands have. I will go see him again.
Rick
Rick,
Just had to post a reply, I saw him at the Belly Up too (after seeing him before at different venues) and HATED the show. Lack of horns, Scott on bass was gone, Lack of any "groove".
We left when he had the current bassist bring his daughter to sing RAP!!!
I posted on his facebook page that night, and he deleted it in two days.
I for one, DO NOT LIKE the new sound.
vin14841
A Boston concert years and years ago. Seriously, I almost fell asleep. Just awful live
Only gig I've left after maybe 20 mins was Taj Mahal with the Hulu Blues Band. I hadn't realised that it was going to be Hawaiian (I guess I should have!) when all his band with ukuleles walked on it was a surprise! Not my kind of thing, plus the sound system squealed and crackled with every high note. A real shame!
There are a few but the standouts are Van Halen (Sammy Hagar edition),Mott the Hoople (blown away by Blue Oyster Cult), U2 (forever heading my most overrated band list) and in recent history Lindsey Buckingham (mind numbingly awful).
Worst band I have ever heard live was the Black Crowes when Marc Ford did a run with them the venue didn't help the sound any but I swear they weren't all playing the same song at times as well as taking a crappy 3 minute song and playing it for 10 minutes. Not good enough musicians to pull the jamband thing off. IMHO
Worst setlist catagory was Robert Cray opening for Clapton and playing the most depressing songs from the then new album Twenty. He tried to put the entire audience to sleep and I believe Clapton never quite woke them back up. This was the Derek Trucks with Clapton tour and he managed to save the day.
I have a laundry list of worsts bands doing the club scene many of which I must plead guilty of being the fasicilitator of the fiasco's but I'm saving those stories for my memoirs and Rick one of them was not Tommy. In 2007 and 2008 the band was at it's peak.
Worst band I have ever heard live was the Black Crowes when Marc Ford did a run with them the venue didn't help the sound any but I swear they weren't all playing the same song at times as well as taking a crappy 3 minute song and playing it for 10 minutes. Not good enough musicians to pull the jamband thing off. IMHO
You haven't seen Freak N Roll Into The Fog then?!
They are THE jam band...especially with Marc Ford. I'm hearing madness from this gentleman. For sure your opinion.
I've been to a few gigs that have been ruined by awful venues and terrible sound - Cold Play and Daryl Hall spring to mind - but the worst was probably seeing the Edgar Broughton Band when I was a kid. Steve Broughton, the drummer, was so stoned or drunk or ill that he collapsed off his drum kit after a couple of songs. A couple of roadies had to carry him off stage and another roadie took over the drumming, though it quickly became obvious that he was a crap drummer. The rest of the band just shrugged their collective shoulders and carried on as though it was the kind of thing that happened all the time...the whole thing was a mess.
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Other Artists → What is the worst gig you have ever been to?
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