This isn't strictly a "load-in" story, but it's hillarious. A keyboardist friend of mine was extremely proud to STILL be driving a 70's Pinto station wagon up until a couple of years ago. To this day he does not have a cell phone or a decent computer..you get the idea. He's a genius musician who's not into modern technology in general.
As he was driving to a gig he was involved in an accident that not only totalled the car, but his equipment flew out the back and onto the freeway. The keyboard (Casio VZ1?) was fine but the speaker cabinet was busted up. His bandmates had to play an entire set without him which was especially difficult as he plays left-hand bass for the group. They had no idea where he was and whether or not he was every going to show up and they suspecteing that his Pinto had finally given him some car trouble.
He arrived to the gig about an hour and a half late with his Pinto on a flatbed truck. The guys in the band laughed their heads off! He unloaded his gear and he even managed to get his speaker cabinet to work in spite of the severe damage to the cabinet.
He shoulda been a mail man!
