FREEBIRD!

[MuzikTeechur]

Played a packed show last night. Large, hip, new restaurant that morphs into a dance club after 10 PM or so. Last set, we're doing Chaka's "Sweet Thing".

This idiot kid sitting at a table with three other guys keeps yelling out "Freebird!" - first in the few moments between songs (we keep it under 15 seconds, and usually much less), and then continued to yell it out during the tune.

Usually we ignore the idiots when they reveal themselves, but I was getting more and more annoyed. After the Chaka tune was over, I said (on the mic): "We used to do 'Freebird', but we found we were attracting too many morons."

Several in the crowd laughed, but I had managed to piss off a table of 4 morons. They were waiting outside when we left. Lucky for me, they were out front, we loaded out through the stage door. There was a pretty good police presence in that part of town - lots of clubs letting out - and my wife and I managed to get out of town unscathed.

This morning she chastised me on losing my cool and directly insulting an audience member. I had to defend myself - one "Freebird!" is ignorable and was mildly funny 20 years ago. To continually do it during a very cool ballad (one to which many couples were dancing, others were clearly enjoying) is beyond rude. Over a dozen "Freebirds" must be addressed.

I'm not a shrinking flower, but as Ron White said "I don't know how many of them it would have taken to kick my ass, but I knew how many they were gonna' use - and that's a good piece of information to have, right there."

What do you do when "that guy" keeps doing something like this and it just gets to the point where you feel you have to shut him/her down?

I know it's bad policy to publicly humiliate a patron, but "Freebird?" We're a Motown/Soul/Funk/Disco band. Even drunk dimwits know when they're just being assholes.

 

[Michael Wright]

http://i.imgur.com/qSM29Jr.jpg

http://s3.thejournal.ie/media/2013/03/freebird.jpg

[CEB]

Don't write checks you can't cash.

[opdigits]

Point out the moron to the staff, let them handle it.

[16251]

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoLPLsQbdt0

[Dana.]

You mean you don't have a Motown/soul/funk/disco version of "Freebird"? Missed opportunity there to shut down the hecklers and elicit laughs from the crowd.

[I-missRichardTee]

Point out the moron to the staff, let them handle it.

 

Ditto

 

What IS freebird all about?

[wmp]

What do you do when "that guy" keeps doing something like this and it just gets to the point where you feel you have to shut him/her down?

Under those circumstances I'd stop playing, stop the band, and really berate the SOB from the stage. I'd give management about thirty seconds to pounce on him before doing so myself. I'm not sure how many of them it'd take to kick my ass, but four ain't enough. No matter how many there are, they usually run like hell when they see what happened to the first one.

 

I'd be pretty ticked off at management for allowing this to happen. I wouldn't play that place again without straightening that out first. If I want somebody removed, you remove them promptly or I'll do it myself.

[George88]

Your logic is flawed:

 

"What do you do when "that guy" keeps doing something like this and it just gets to the point where you feel you have to shut him/her down?

I know it's bad policy to publicly humiliate a patron, but "Freebird?" We're a Motown/Soul/Funk/Disco band. Even drunk dimwits know when they're just being assholes."

 

You don't have to shut him down. You had an opportunity to win over the crowd by either playing it, or ignoring him, but you chose neither. You also seemed to think that he is concerned with 20+ years of hearing the same joke.

 

You must have known that to insult anyone over the microphone was an asshole move too, yet you did it. In doing so, you did what you accused him of doing: acting like an asshole even when you knew better.

[Dana.]

Under those circumstances I'd stop playing, stop the band, and really berate the SOB from the stage. I'd give management about thirty seconds to pounce on him before doing so myself. I'm not sure how many of them it'd take to kick my ass, but four ain't enough. No matter how many there are, they usually run like hell when they see what happened to the first one.

 

I'd be pretty ticked off at management for allowing this to happen. I wouldn't play that place again without straightening that out first. If I want somebody removed, you remove them promptly or I'll do it myself.

Yeah, brilliant solution.

[wmp]

Yeah, brilliant solution.

It might not be particularly elegant, but I don't get heckled much.

 

The situation Lonny describes is outrageous. I might try a different, friendlier approach first, but after the ballad, those folks would be removed or the gig would be over.

 

I have a very low threshold of excrement ingestion.

[miden]

Point out the moron to the staff, let them handle it.

 

Ditto

 

What IS freebird all about?

 

Yeah - I agree. It's a pretty ordinary song imo! We used to get calls ALL the time for Sweet Home Alabama - and even though well and truly tired of it, we kept on playing it as though it was the first time.

 

TBH, and no offence, but I think the OP's handling of this situation was a pretty big over-reaction. Just yell out "it's the next song" (if you know it) and move on with it! Taking on punters with witticisms is just asking for trouble these days. Sad to say!

[The Real MC]

The first rule of being an entertainer is never to insult a member of the audience. If they are disrupting the show, then let the establishment handle it.

[Dave Bryce]

We're happy to play Free Bird as long as the person requesting it put $20 in the tip jar...for the short single version. Long version costs $50.

 

So far, only one person has ever taken us up on it, and it always shuts the people yelling for it up right away.

 

dB

[I-missRichardTee]

Point out the moron to the staff, let them handle it.

 

Ditto

 

What IS freebird all about?

 

Yeah - I agree. It's a pretty ordinary song imo! We used to get calls ALL the time for Sweet Home Alabama - and even though well and truly tired of it, we kept on playing it as though it was the first time.

 

TBH, and no offence, but I think the OP's handling of this situation was a pretty big over-reaction. Just yell out "it's the next song" (if you know it) and move on with it! Taking on punters with witticisms is just asking for trouble these days. Sad to say!

 

You observed... "THESE DAYS". I am wondering why you believe that? Do you think that there is an escalation of hostility in audiences, or society in general or? i am quite interested in this.

I just saw the Michael RIchards original video, where his Italian side ( He is of Italian and British ancestry according to Wikipedia - and as of 2007, wiki claims, he and his fiance are going to Cambodia to visit a Hindu Temple for spiritual healing ! ) got the "upper hand" over his Brit side!

That is my observation about Italian versus Brit tendencies. I mean all humans have aggression but I am assuming old stereotypes still apply. And on that note, I ask, why do you say, "these days", one cannot speak insultingly to the audience? Ironically, in Michael Richards outburst, he commented to heckler- 50 years ago, things were so to speak much worse ( for African Americans ).

I have no dog in this "fight", in racial or any other terms; I am interested in peoples observations about their "neighbors" behaviors.. including old generalizations.

[miden]

.....You observed... "THESE DAYS". I am wondering why you believe that? Do you think that there is an escalation of hostility in audiences, or society in general or? i am quite interested in this........

 

Yeah that's what I believe, as would a lot of others (I think?) who have played through the late 60's and 70's (yeah I started performing when I was 12 - and these comments are based more on observations). People back then seemed to still retain the ability to not take themselves too seriously, and had a lot more respect for those around them. There was always the exception of course! But nowadays, those exceptions seem to be the rule!

 

But folks, even those heckling, would/could see the funny side of it and end up laughing as well. And even if they didn't, all that happened mostly was some minor grumbling.

 

These days it seems every other person has some grudge or other and is so self-centric that EVERYTHING has to be on their terms and suit their order of things, with no respect for others. If it isn't then you get the aggressive attitude of the punters mentioned in the OP. They (in their minds) were severely slighted and so vengeance is paramount and only violence will serve.

 

 

 

 

[Brettymike]

Your logic is flawed:

 

"What do you do when "that guy" keeps doing something like this and it just gets to the point where you feel you have to shut him/her down?

I know it's bad policy to publicly humiliate a patron, but "Freebird?" We're a Motown/Soul/Funk/Disco band. Even drunk dimwits know when they're just being assholes."

 

You don't have to shut him down. You had an opportunity to win over the crowd by either playing it, or ignoring him, but you chose neither. You also seemed to think that he is concerned with 20+ years of hearing the same joke.

 

You must have known that to insult anyone over the microphone was an asshole move too, yet you did it. In doing so, you did what you accused him of doing: acting like an asshole even when you knew better. [/quot

[Brettymike]

Under those circumstances I'd stop playing, stop the band, and really berate the SOB from the stage. I'd give management about thirty seconds to pounce on him before doing so myself. I'm not sure how many of them it'd take to kick my ass, but four ain't enough. No matter how many there are, they usually run like hell when they see what happened to the first one.

 

I'd be pretty ticked off at management for allowing this to happen. I wouldn't play that place again without straightening that out first. If I want somebody removed, you remove them promptly or I'll do it myself.

Yeah, brilliant solution.

 

+1 .

These days too many bad buggers carry knives Pal.

 

Brett

[Brettymike]

Point out the moron to the staff, let them handle it.

 

Ditto

 

What IS freebird all about?

 

Yeah - I agree. It's a pretty ordinary song imo! We used to get calls ALL the time for Sweet Home Alabama - and even though well and truly tired of it, we kept on playing it as though it was the first time.

 

TBH, and no offence, but I think the OP's handling of this situation was a pretty big over-reaction. Just yell out "it's the next song" (if you know it) and move on with it! Taking on punters with witticisms is just asking for trouble these days. Sad to say!

 

You observed... "THESE DAYS". I am wondering why you believe that? Do you think that there is an escalation of hostility in audiences, or society in general or? i am quite interested in this.

I just saw the Michael RIchards original video, where his Italian side ( He is of Italian and British ancestry according to Wikipedia - and as of 2007, wiki claims, he and his fiance are going to Cambodia to visit a Hindu Temple for spiritual healing ! ) got the "upper hand" over his Brit side!

That is my observation about Italian versus Brit tendencies. I mean all humans have aggression but I am assuming old stereotypes still apply. And on that note, I ask, why do you say, "these days", one cannot speak insultingly to the audience? Ironically, in Michael Richards outburst, he commented to heckler- 50 years ago, things were so to speak much worse ( for African Americans ).

I have no dog in this "fight", in racial or any other terms; I am interested in peoples observations about their "neighbors" behaviors.. including old generalizations.

 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .>

 

> LOL , these days , there are a lot more people with some drug (very scary at times) in their system.

And it's not alcohol.

Why I stopped playing pubs and booze clubs years ago.

 

Brett

[TommyS]

Oh yeah. Did the Paris to Moscow bar circuit and kept getting rude requests for "Firebird"......, so, yep . Been there......

[Jazzmammal]

I would have simply said over the mic nicely, "I would love to do that song for you but we don't know it and as for me personally I've never played it. We don't want to try to fake it and then mess it up for you". Shrug your shoulders, give some hand gestures signifying "what can I do?", smile then announce the next song. You could try to lightly joke but in a positive way like pointing to a hot waitress and saying "If you looked like her I might be inclined to do Mary Had A Little Lamb and call it Freebird" and laugh. There's lots of fun things to say but I would never do what you did. Calling them morons? That's never going to work.

 

I remember one time someone like that was giving us a hard time about something or other so on the next break I went over to them and schmoozed them. Sorry we couldn't do that one tune for you but how do you like the band? Sherri is a great singer isn't she? Whatever you can come up with. Another suggestion could be if you know they guy is going to keep doing that then don't do a ballad for the rest of the set. Keep it up tempo and loud until the break then try to talk to him and if that doesn't work, talk to the manager.

 

And it's true btw, I've never done Freebird and wouldn't have a clue where to start.

 

Bob

[drawback]

Assuming management would have you back after insulting a patron over the PA system, try this next time.

 

Take a minute, look around the room and consider 1)where you are; 2) who you're working for; 3)who you're working with, and lastly: 4)why, if you're so awesome and amazing, you have degraded yourself by stooping to work here, for whom, and with these no-talent amateurs in the first place.

 

Then take that stick out of your arse and either play the song, or tell the guy you don't know how it goes.

 

 

 

 

[hurricane hugo]

Some idiot yelled "FREEBIRD" at a Dresden Dolls show I saw back in '05. Amanda said, "Here's one," and flipped him off.

 

One more great moment in a great night.

[Piktor]

I don't have a solution to the OP's problem, but I know that it is pointless to try to reason with drunks. At the same time, you might want to consider that the going on the microphone and saying anything that would further agitate a group of drunks could put everyone in the band at risk. Just sayin'...

[wmp]

Yeah, brilliant solution.

 

+1 .

These days too many bad buggers carry knives Pal.

 

Back in those days, those days were these days. Crowds were larger, drugs were much more abundant, and drunk driving was still fashionable. I can't recall any scraps with the audience in recent decades, but there were a few back in the old days. I got hit with a full open beer at one gig and dove off an eight foot stage onto the guy. His friends didn't help him. I've only been stabbed once, not on a gig, and he won't do that again. Yeah, I'm amazed that I'm still alive too. It's a dangerous world.

 

Perhaps Lonnie could have chosen his words more carefully, and I'm probably in no position to criticize anybody for that. But even I might have handled that more elegantly on a good night. If it went downhill like that and they were intent on mayhem, I'd give 'em full frothy can of it.

 

I do fault management for not putting an end to it during the ballad. Perhaps even rag on Lonnie a little for calling a moron a moron. It sounds like they're new at the game and weak on crowd control.

 

 

[S_Gould]

Many years ago in my gigging days, we had a sure fire comeback. Just point at the guy Yelling "Freebird!" and say "Hey, we've got a guy here giving away a parakeet (budgie if you're in Great Britain)". Almost always shut the moron up, got a laugh, and often a bouncer or large audience member would come over and have a talk with the guy.

[CEB]

Yeah, brilliant solution.

 

+1 .

These days too many bad buggers carry knives Pal.

 

Back in those days, those days were these days. Crowds were larger, drugs were much more abundant, and drunk driving was still fashionable. ......

 

+ A whole bunch. Things are a lot tamer than they used to be.

[I-missRichardTee]

I play with an African American from Trinidad originally- he grew up in ghetto stateside. He became a successful respected musician and school teacher. We speak about these situations, because they interest me. And I like to speak with people with experience and wisdom. This fellow fits both criteria!

His wise words to me about how to handle a trouble type situation as a teen "calling him out" in class. Here is his wisdom "Always give them a way out" Don't make them look bad by not giving them a way out....Never make it so they ( esp with the whole world watching ) pretty much have to be violent. Always give them a way out. It is a knack that must be learned. Do not confront too in your face.. dumb.. not street smart.. animals I have been told do not stare directly at one another!! That's what I heard... what do I know!

[JeffLearman]

Many years ago in my gigging days, we had a sure fire comeback. Just point at the guy Yelling "Freebird!" and say "Hey, we've got a guy here giving away a parakeet (budgie if you're in Great Britain)". Almost always shut the moron up, got a laugh, and often a bouncer or large audience member would come over and have a talk with the guy.

I like that one!

 

I disagree with those who say or imply that if you're playing a bar, you have to put up with any kind of shit that people deal out. When people are being terribly rude, it's not "wrong" to call them on it -- though it may be dangerous.

 

I agree with those who say that a better way is to engage the venue's management, or try humor.

[I-missRichardTee]

Assuming management would have you back after insulting a patron over the PA system, try this next time.

 

Take a minute, look around the room and consider 1)where you are; 2) who you're working for; 3)who you're working with, and lastly: 4)why, if you're so awesome and amazing, you have degraded yourself by stooping to work here, for whom, and with these no-talent amateurs in the first place.

 

Then take that stick out of your arse and either play the song, or tell the guy you don't know how it goes.

 

 

 

Ok ok I get it +1