17 replies to this topic

[mrentertainment]

Hey all, being the musical director for a Blues Brothers tribute band makes for some interesting times! With ten musicians in a band, it makes for some exceptional great musical moments, and sometimes very wild "other" moments. Are there any stories that you would like to share?

[Robster]

Must admit it certainly is different being with a full band behind you. You don't look like an idiot when there's a long gap before the intro, with a band, at least they can go straight into the intro of the song. :-)

[mrentertainment]

At one show during "Shotgun Blues" our guitarist broke three strings, during his screaming guitar solo. I watched him move the three strings out of his way so he could continue playing his solo. He ended his solo, took his guitar off, grabbed his second guitar, put it on, and kept on going. What was amazing to me was that the majority of the band had no idea that anything had happened!

[cheoperative]

Did a show in May of this year. We have no band, so all the tracks are timed and we know when the cues are and whatnot. Start the backing tracks, get in our bluesmobile and wait. We hear our cue, start the car and proceed to pull up next to the stage. Car stalls out 20 feet from the stage.... Start her back up, proceed a foot, stalls out again... After one more time of stalling out, we get out of the car and quickly walk up on stage. LOL! We came super close to missing the being of our first tune.

Luckily the rest of the show went off without another hitch. Great time had by all!

[mrentertainment]

Cheoperative, sounds familiar!

We recently played a blues festival (opening for Curtis Salgado). Our Elwood had recently got his Bluesmobile, and drove it to the gig. The folks in charge of the festival suggested that the brothers drive up to the side of the stage. We have only practiced doing the opening of the show where Elwood does the talk, and the brothers come out on the stage and do the briefcase thing. Talk about timing. So being the good musical director and not wanting to dissapoint, I figured out a way to lengthen the opening, I told the players, and cued it all. It's always great the way it works out in the end!

[cheoperative]

mrentertainment said:

Cheoperative, sounds familiar!

We recently played a blues festival (opening for Curtis Salgado). Our Elwood had recently got his Bluesmobile, and drove it to the gig. The folks in charge of the festival suggested that the brothers drive up to the side of the stage. We have only practiced doing the opening of the show where Elwood does the talk, and the brothers come out on the stage and do the briefcase thing. Talk about timing. So being the good musical director and not wanting to dissapoint, I figured out a way to lengthen the opening, I told the players, and cued it all. It's always great the way it works out in the end!

The lord works in mysterious ways.

[mrentertainment]

As long as we stay "..on a mission from God" I think the Lord will continue to work in mysterious ways!

[mad-wolfie]

not really a "gigging" story, but i remember we were planning some dress rehersals & i had to go & pick our "Elwood" up, however the car wouldn't start so phoned him & he said he'd come over on the bus.. needless to say he knocked on the door & he was already in his Elwood gear, complete with hat, shades, briefcase & Microphone stand.. I was expecing him to come over in civvies & get changed once he got here.. i bet the passengers on the bus gave him some funny looks.

But that's not quite the end of the story.. by the time he got to our house, i'd got the car started but it was the time i had to go & pick the kids up from school & "Elwood" still in his full garb came along for the ride. (& this is the "war" bit of the story), On arrival at the school he got some stares from passing builders vans & the like but while we waited in the car for our kids to come along, one of the other kids started to yell abuse at him so in his best Elwood voice he said "the kids a wise-ass" (emulating the scene from BB2k) & we forgot it was a hot day, he was in a black suit in a car & the windows were down... the kids mother heard (i think you can guess where this is going) she then came over & said "what did you say?", to which the reply was "i mean't .... what a sweet.. kid!".. don't know how i kept a straight face!!

[mrentertainment]

mad-wolfie what a story!

[djpauly]

OK well this isn't so much a war story as a lesson what not to do......... so were up on stage Ellwood and I dancing our little hearts out... as my Jake brothers can agree you work up quite a sweat being 300lbs of heavenly joy and wearing a black suit under the stage lights. so here i think i'm gonna be cool and do my cartwheel again........ I know......... I back up and take a running start sweat pouring in my eyes... Unbenounced to me when i did it the first time at the beginning of the show the bass player stood way back by the drums to give me some "runway". Well he move back up to his "spot" on stage which gave me a shorter runway. I come barreling in and......... wait for it........... wait for it.......... and go sailing over the monitor and off the stage in to the crowd. now heres the good part..... the band, in shock mind you, stops playing. everyone looking down to the floor. I pop up hands held high thinking i'll make a joke of it.. and with out skipping a beat the keyboard player Plays..."Ta-da" and the crowd goes wild thinking it was part of the show. I climb back on stage finish the set only to lick my wounds later. All through the night people are coming up to me complementing me on how funny and well timed my prank fall was... I told them it was one shot deal... I got luck and didn't get too hurt just some bruises and swollen knee... but hey the show must go on!

[mrentertainment]

Excellent! Love that story! We have stuff like that in our show as well. Lots of "by the seat of your pants" stuff. The band loves it, and the crowd loves it. You are right, the audience always thinks its part of the show!!! It's always great when someone in the band is there to catch the moment with some sort of musical hit. Just makes it work even better!!! Great story! Thanks for sharing.

[mrentertainment]

Here's one that isn't really a war story. Had a band barbeque! All showed up with significant others, and a grand time was had by all!

[sammycbrooks]

I had the worst gig i have ever done last night because i have flu and couldn't hear anything all blocked up and a very sore throat. it was two hours of pain! in the interval i had to lie down off stage for 20 minutes but thanks to redball we kept the energy up and the crowd loved it so all was OK. now i am under my blanket on the sofa trying to get better for my gig tomorrow.
"On a mission from snot"

[Rune31]

sammycbrooks said:

I had the worst gig i have ever done last night because i have flu and couldn't hear anything all blocked up and a very sore throat. it was two hours of pain! in the interval i had to lie down off stage for 20 minutes but thanks to redball we kept the energy up and the crowd loved it so all was OK. now i am under my blanket on the sofa trying to get better for my gig tomorrow.
"On a mission from snot"

I know exactly what you're going through, brother. We did a gig in Olympia, WA and on the day of the gig I started coming down with a cold and allergies. Sore throat, headache, nose, the works. It all seemed to kinda subside when the show began but after it was like hell. Slept terribly that night in the hotel they put us up in. For the show the next day show I improved a little but all I had for therapy was a hot shower, Vitamin C supplement and some Advil. I still remember that gig as the worst as far as my health went. Everything before and after has been great, hope the same for you ya!

[mrentertainment]

I can verify Rune31's illness! I had to room with him! He was in bed the entire trip in Washington except for when we were on stage. He did a fantastic job on stage!!!

[mrentertainment]

What about tantrums on stage? Or yelling at the sound guys? Anyone ever have a "non-professional" who thinks that they are all pro?

We had one. I think for now, I will not go into great details. This ex-member had no idea that the tantrums, and the yelling could have a direct affect to the future of this band! Fortunately for us, the only thing that happened was that the band member was removed from the band!

On to the next performance with the new band member! Good times!

[djpauly]

Hey Don't feel bad I think we all have had someone like that at one time or another in the band.... mmmm and if your saying to yourself you haven't had someone like that in your band.............. then it's you lol!

[mrentertainment]

Not feeling bad at all! Just trying to keep the thread going!