GIG REPORT - SAT JUN 11th @ The Hook...Gig of Murphy's Law

[Rick Hoffman]

Here's a review of my last gig-what a strange night...

 

I drove in to the band's studio in my van with my friend/roadie Tom, and we loaded up. I was already running an hour late because I forgot my sansamp and a few speaker cables at home, so I had to turn around halfway there. Maybe I was nervous, who knows.It was a big gig for us, at a good sized club, and we had some new material and we were headlining, etc etc. I hit a huge pothole on the way in to the studio...right front tire. It was ok for the rest of the trip in so I paid it no mind. And this is significant later on...

 

We avoid traffic on the BQE by taking sideroads from Maspeth to Red Hook. The ride there through sidestreets was very interesting to say the least. We get to the club around 630 pm, an hour later then we wanted. Then we load in to the empty club through a side door in an alley. A very attractive bartender named Marissa quickly became our best friend.

 

After some beers during set up, we do a quick sound check, then the bus from Baltimore arrives with Choptank and their guests. Drinking begins early on and more people continue to trickle in, each and everyone complaining about the traffic.

 

The first two bands show up 2 hours late, holds up the whole show for an hour and a half. Again the reason is BQE traffic. My gf didn't get there until 1130 pm and when I told her we were pushed back till 130am or 2am, she decided to leave because she was tired. She also insisted she pay at the door, as well. I don't understand women...

 

ALL the bands before us played really well, but the first 2 bands didn't draw for anything, and kind of screwed us by being late. They were both bands from Long Island so I could have expected this.

 

By the time we started it was around 130am, and there were about 75-100 people in the place. We did an abbreviated setlist because our singer was in the bag, drunk as a skunk, by 12. We did a great show, though! Everyone played well, our drummer had a stomach virus but he fought through it.

 

I was very tired throughout the night and drank 3 redbulls 15 mins before our set to try to get a quick boost. I had been up since 6am and I was really lagging, people kept asking me what was wrong. I hate that...anyhow when I hit the stage I got lots of energy and I feel I had a great show, from beginning to end, save for a few mistakes here and there.

 

At the end of our set, the other guys started breaking down and I began playing "Pulling Teeth, Anesthesia" for the few metal followers who were there. In the end there was about 15 people in the 400+ capacity club. I played about half the solo because the drummer already had his hardware packed up and I wouldn't play the 2nd part without the drums. It was cool, people chanted "Cliffffffff!!!"

 

We loaded up and got out of there around 4am or so. We took a long time to break down because we have a stage set-up with banners, all our equipment, and we were all shot.

 

So now, I'm driving the van with my passed out friend, on the BQE following the rest of the band, headed back to our studio to unload. and I hit a bump and lose my tie rod on the front right tire of the van(same one that hit the pothole), while it's loaded up with gear, doing about 65mph. No steering, no control at all. The van went out of control behind my band mates, there's some traffic behind me and they almost hit me, meanwhile my friend is passed out drunk in the front seat completely unaware of what is going on.

 

I was in God's hands, because for a second there I thought I was gonna flip the van and send me, my friend, and all of our gear, along the BQE. I made it off the nearest exit though, limping, the van hopping wildly any time I tried to do more than 5 mph.

 

So then my bandmates turned around and got me, we tried a quick fix to make it back to the studio, which was about a mile away...but no good. So they go and get their SUV's and come back and we unload right there, at like 430am or whatever time it was. I was livid. It took them 2 trips to get it all. I was planning on leaving it there, but instead chose to have it towed at the advice of NY's Finest, who stopped by to see what was wrong.

 

The tow back to Huntington, LI to drop off the van cost me 280 bux. ZING! I'm joining AAA. 3 free tows per year from anywhere I heard.

 

And my friend was so drunk, he wouldn't wake when the tow truck arrived. He slept in the van through the entire trip from point A to B!! I literally picked him out of the van when we were back, and put him in the car, brought him back home, carried him in his house, and then he wakes up...wondering how he ended up home. He asked me what happened and I said, "you don't want to know."

 

I filled him in later and he couldn't believe it.

[Danzilla]

Rick- I was going to check with you- I just saw an ad from the Baltimore band, Choptank, listing that gig. Be spy and let me know how they are, so I know whether or not to try and see them back in town. And Baltimore isn't THAT strange a city (aside from having me); plus we've got the league-leading Orioles!

Have a great gig!

[Tom Capasso]

Rick,

 

I can't make it (which is good, because that is past my usual bedtime) - have a great gig

 

To All NYC Denizens,

 

A solid band worth seeing - take Rick's advice about the earplugs. worth the trip to meet the man.

 

Tom

[Rick Hoffman]

EDIT/BUMP

[Danzilla]

Wow- sorry to hear about all the troubles, damage, and expenses. Thank God you are alright after that bump. And losing a crowd after the openers bush you back an hour and a half stinks, too. At least you pressed on and rocked like you were supposed to do. Makes my gig problems Friday seem like nothing (we were opening, and then told, "oh, yeah, I forgot you were opening [even though it's been on the venue website for months and all their printed material] and told someone else he could open. Well, you'll both get to do a few songs" and had to cut our set.)

As long as it all works out in the end, we all get booked back there again, and we're safe, right?

[EddiePlaysBass]

You got the right attitude alright Count your blessings though, that must've been one helluva ride ...