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Dealing with drunk or just plain dumb people at gigs


DarkHorseJ27

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I often sit on the balcony at my apartment and just practice for a bit on one of my acoustics. The apartment complex I live in is across the street from a college, so a lot of college students live in the apartments, and there are a fair share of parties.

 

On several occasions drunk or just plain dumb people (usually guys) will see me playing and "ask" for me to play something, usually a song I don't know. I respectfully tell them I don't know that song, and then they get rather belligerent. At that point I just go back in my apartment and let them pound on my door for five minutes until the get bored.

 

In a gigging situation I simply won't be able to walk away. How do some of you that gig handle similar situations?

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I always smile and say "I'll do ya one better", and play as close to the request as I can (same artist, genre, subject matter)...

 

Fortunately, drunks have remarkably short attention spans. :lol:

 

As for *ssholes, you need a few stock answers, like:

 

"Say. bro...I don't hassle you at your job down at the sewer"

 

Look out at audience and say "Yeah, I remember my 1st beer...(wink)"

 

Stuff like that. :cool:

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I played in a Ben Folds cover band for years and we did this one show at Harvard- the slightly inebriated audience members were the best because they were the ones dancing in the front. When the sober folks saw them dancing, they decided to come up and dance too. Bottom line: everyone had a good time.

 

Of course, if anyone is more than slightly inebriated and is actually bothering you/other people, that can be a serious risk. Which is why venues with liquor licenses have insurance.

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Like TAH, I usually just say something positive about the song/band they are requesting ("yeah, that's an awesome song" or "I need to learn that one") and then offer up something similar.

 

I once heard a band get a request and then simply say "we don't play that" loudly over the mic.

 

I have more of a problem with drunks wanting to either play my guitar, sing backup, sing lead, do a duet, etc. Unless it's a hot chick or the person who hired me, I usually just tell them that I don't do that because I don't want my gig to turn into karaoke night.

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They should not be kicking at your door. That's definitely a no..no. You have a right to privacy and silence. Call the cops next time.:thu:

 

Going on to your point about nuisance behaviour, you do tend to get all types in gig situations. My worst fear is that they want to play my guitar or my banjo while on their stands during a break. Now I have a Taylor 514 which I don't want ANYONE messing with. You just have to keep your wits about you.

 

Remember......kicking your door is not an option!!!:thu:

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I can't remember who to attribute this to, but after being asked to play an unknown request says, "I don't know that one but this one probably has a lot of the same notes in it" then launches into their next song.

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Yea, inappropriate drunken behavior is not an alibi in Drug Court these days. These new, breed, of judges are losing their sense of humor over it, as it is somewhat costly to the local municipality. Somebody is going to pay, people need to realize it is nothing personal, it is all about the Money.

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I often sit on the balcony at my apartment and just practice for a bit on one of my acoustics. The apartment complex I live in is across the street from a college, so a lot of college students live in the apartments, and there are a fair share of parties.


On several occasions drunk or just plain dumb people (usually guys) will see me playing and "ask" for me to play something, usually a song I don't know. I respectfully tell them I don't know that song, and then they get rather belligerent. At that point I just go back in my apartment and let them pound on my door for five minutes until the get bored.


In a gigging situation I simply won't be able to walk away. How do some of you that gig handle similar situations?

 

 

 

 

Tell them u need a volunteer to find out if your Taser has a full charge.

Tell them its a free test.

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If the person is sober and polite about making a request for a song I don't know I can usually find a song they do know. Now...if the person is drunk and belligerent my response usually is "Hey I don't come to your job and tell you what to do" or my fave..."If I want any {censored} outta you I'll squeeze your head". ;)

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I am
so
glad I only play in church.

 

I can't even escape them at church! My church in Boston is right near a couple of really big streets and we occasionally (maybe two Sundays a month or so) will get some belligerent wanderers. Our priest is the master of appeasing them just so much that they'll quiet down a little. It certainly makes things interesting from time to time. :rolleyes:

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Always play
100 Bottles of Beer
for drunks. They go crazy and sing till about 94 and then wander away at 92.

 

 

 

This...a very vibrant tune for drunken souls.

 

It's funny, the ones who are the drunest usually make it down to about 87.!!

 

LOL.!!

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