Here's something you might be interested in.
John Bowe / 52nd Street: “I think the most embarrassing thing to happen on stage was one night at Humphrey's. We had been making some changes to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" for a couple of weeks in practice. We were trying out different keys because it just didn't sound right to us. So if you recall the song starts with a drum intro and then a five part harmony beginning. Well on this night we launched into the song and everyone started in a different key. It sounded really awful but it was really funny at the same time so we stopped and all got the giggles and it took us a couple of minutes to get our composure back and start it again. I told the crowd we do that from time to time so they know we are not using any pre-recorded music in our show.”
Jarrod Lucas / The Phantoms, The Dragons: “The Dragons we're playing a 4th of July show at Granny’s. Dave Jass from UJBOD brought roman candles and gave some to our front man, Mario. Not knowing the potential of a roman candle, he then proceeded to light one on stage thinking it would just be a sparkly affair. a nice addition to the festivities. All of a sudden this stick from Hell proceeded to unleash it's ferocity upon an unsuspecting crowd firing into clothes, singeing hair and sending people diving for cover under tables. Mario, not knowing what to do, grabbed the nearest red ‘solo’ cup trying to extinguish the fury by shoving it into the cup, only to have a fireball blow through the other side and into a group under a table. Mario ran it outside and stomped it out. The show was over. There was an eerie silence in the club and a sulfur infused cloud about the place. Then there was a minor count of casualties and an eruption of cheers to end that ill fated Fourth of July.”
Lou Curtiss: “I was playing with a band called The Red Mountain Ramblers back in the mid 60's at a Coffee House out on El Cajon Blvd. called Occam's Razor. We were in the middle of a set when I looked over at the back door and saw the owners cart their espresso machine outside. A few minutes later the cops came in the front door to bust the place for dealing drugs. The owners had skipped town and left my band & the audience to deal with the police. That's pretty weird.”
Louis Brazier / Soundman: “I was working with X at the time. I'm on the stage and all of a sudden surfing the crowd right at me is a paraplegic man in his wheel chair. The crowd is into it and he’s surfing his way towards the stage. The only problem was the barrier leaving me and one female staff guard to lower him and get him through the little space between the barrier and stage.”
Clay Colton / The Clay Colton Band, Damaged Goods: “There are the times when a gig is so awesome, that you begin to think you’re superhuman and can do anything. That's not a good idea when your over 30 and haven't been to the gym in a while. My band was in Catalina playing an amazing show and we had to figure out an awesome way to cap off a 2 1/2 hour set for 2000 people. I decided we'll finish off with a crazy guitar solo and I'll put Sergio on my shoulders. Bad idea. The guy looks light, but he's thick...and he was wearing spurs! I lifted him up and immediately his spurs cut off 3 of my guitar strings, so I was done playing, which was okay, because it took everything I had to balance the guy for 2 minutes. His strap came off, so he's now on my shoulders holding his guitar like a grandpa trying to get through his solo. Joe, the harmonica player is holding his ass in place so I don't drop him onto the cement and bloody up the stage. So there we are.....our big finale...me in amazing pain with a horrible weeping look on my face with broken strings dangling, a terrified Sergio on my shoulders holding his guitar at his neck with no strap, Joe with his hand up Sergio's ass and the rest of the band laughing hysterically at our misery. That was the only time that maneuver will ever be attempted. It definitely was not as I envisioned.”
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/27/46359/
John Bowe / 52nd Street: “I think the most embarrassing thing to happen on stage was one night at Humphrey's. We had been making some changes to Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" for a couple of weeks in practice. We were trying out different keys because it just didn't sound right to us. So if you recall the song starts with a drum intro and then a five part harmony beginning. Well on this night we launched into the song and everyone started in a different key. It sounded really awful but it was really funny at the same time so we stopped and all got the giggles and it took us a couple of minutes to get our composure back and start it again. I told the crowd we do that from time to time so they know we are not using any pre-recorded music in our show.”
Jarrod Lucas / The Phantoms, The Dragons: “The Dragons we're playing a 4th of July show at Granny’s. Dave Jass from UJBOD brought roman candles and gave some to our front man, Mario. Not knowing the potential of a roman candle, he then proceeded to light one on stage thinking it would just be a sparkly affair. a nice addition to the festivities. All of a sudden this stick from Hell proceeded to unleash it's ferocity upon an unsuspecting crowd firing into clothes, singeing hair and sending people diving for cover under tables. Mario, not knowing what to do, grabbed the nearest red ‘solo’ cup trying to extinguish the fury by shoving it into the cup, only to have a fireball blow through the other side and into a group under a table. Mario ran it outside and stomped it out. The show was over. There was an eerie silence in the club and a sulfur infused cloud about the place. Then there was a minor count of casualties and an eruption of cheers to end that ill fated Fourth of July.”
Lou Curtiss: “I was playing with a band called The Red Mountain Ramblers back in the mid 60's at a Coffee House out on El Cajon Blvd. called Occam's Razor. We were in the middle of a set when I looked over at the back door and saw the owners cart their espresso machine outside. A few minutes later the cops came in the front door to bust the place for dealing drugs. The owners had skipped town and left my band & the audience to deal with the police. That's pretty weird.”
Louis Brazier / Soundman: “I was working with X at the time. I'm on the stage and all of a sudden surfing the crowd right at me is a paraplegic man in his wheel chair. The crowd is into it and he’s surfing his way towards the stage. The only problem was the barrier leaving me and one female staff guard to lower him and get him through the little space between the barrier and stage.”
Clay Colton / The Clay Colton Band, Damaged Goods: “There are the times when a gig is so awesome, that you begin to think you’re superhuman and can do anything. That's not a good idea when your over 30 and haven't been to the gym in a while. My band was in Catalina playing an amazing show and we had to figure out an awesome way to cap off a 2 1/2 hour set for 2000 people. I decided we'll finish off with a crazy guitar solo and I'll put Sergio on my shoulders. Bad idea. The guy looks light, but he's thick...and he was wearing spurs! I lifted him up and immediately his spurs cut off 3 of my guitar strings, so I was done playing, which was okay, because it took everything I had to balance the guy for 2 minutes. His strap came off, so he's now on my shoulders holding his guitar like a grandpa trying to get through his solo. Joe, the harmonica player is holding his ass in place so I don't drop him onto the cement and bloody up the stage. So there we are.....our big finale...me in amazing pain with a horrible weeping look on my face with broken strings dangling, a terrified Sergio on my shoulders holding his guitar at his neck with no strap, Joe with his hand up Sergio's ass and the rest of the band laughing hysterically at our misery. That was the only time that maneuver will ever be attempted. It definitely was not as I envisioned.”
http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/may/27/46359/