Every now and then you end up doing a show where the band are pricks out the gate & there is no resolve . . .
We do about 400 shows a year, so I guess we are lucky we don't get it all of the time. The funny thing is, it’s usually the "lower end bands"
We work with this country singer, she was real famous in the late 70s & thru the 80s. She has fallen (not so gracefully) since. From arenas to Indian casino bingo rooms, relentless bitch from start to finish. You know — she won’t show up to sound check, doesn't tell her band to check her guitar or vocal mic, walks on stage and begins threatening the monitor guy for the rest of the night. Making bitchy digs on the mic all night long . . .
She carries a FOH guy (How she can afford one, I donno — I’ve seen what she gets paid!) but he doesn't even go on stage during the day, he doesn't help the band with monitors, nor does he get her shit together for a starting point. (Maybe he doesn't get paid enough.) Five guys in the band, one sound guy,not one of them will have anything to do with it. Maybe they are all sick of her crap too……….
Another guy from the 50s. A real nice quite easy guy…….BUT!!! His band leader is his brother. I don't freakin know if it’s a "I am pissed your famous, and I’m not" sibling rivalry?” Or if he’s just a natural DICKHEAD? HMMM.
On the stage plot there are four wedges with no indication if its 4 independent mixes, or 2 on the inside and 2 on the outside….Maybe 2 left & 2 right??? Maybe if the guy called us back we would have known??? Maybe?? So the guy comes in for sound check and freaks out on the monitor guy for not reading his mind. He wanted them inside and outside. He jams 110 DB of HIS bass into all four wedges, and then when his brother, the star of the show comes in, the star brother doesn't understand why the bass is so loud!! NICE!
And how about those tribute bands??? All WAY more serious about their "copy gig" than the artist they portray… Don't get me wrong, I love tribute bands, some are covering acts you will never get a chance to see, others are covering groups that should have quit a decade ago, so you get a "fake version" of the real band’s hay day. There are always several issues with riders that seem to follow all but one tribute act I know of. (The one tribute act I wrote the rider for). There are always these……ISSUES!
So a few weeks ago I am doing a couple tribute acts together. Their agent/manager makes the (ill-fated, but nice) gesture to share drums. Both bands agree. On show day the audio crew is finalizing monitor placement, one of the band leaders comes in. As I am setting the drums up he states, “Those are for the other band, dont put them on the riser, we won’t be using them. I said,"Well dude your agent said he made you aware of this so, you should speak with him. This kit is for both bands."
Then the 10 minute version with the 45 reasons his drummer can’t and won’t use the drums. His final reason was the ONLY valid one he had. His drummer is left-handed,and the kit would basically need to be rebuilt in between bands. But not without 20 minutes of this guy being an asshole and claiming the agent NEVER said anything. Then? The agent actually showed up for soundcheck!! Oh yeah, game on. Bunch of back tracking crybaby shit hit the fan then!!
So the BIG kick in the ass????? Yes, his drummer was left handed — BUT HE PLAYED RIGHT HANDED!! Nice band leader. This guy also leaves his mic stand at the gig, we bring it back to the shop so it won’t get stolen…..He freaks out he cant get it the Sunday after the gig, goes to Guitar Center and buys a new one. He then forwards the invoice to the owner of the sound company with a little demand of payment. The owner responds,"Though I can see the inconvenience of your mic stand being missing from 2 a.m. Sunday until 10 a.m. Monday, my staff took it as a courtesy. You are more than welcome to pick it up Monday-Friday during normal business hours." His response?? "Keep it, you piece of shit"
I guess some of these guys didn't get the memo that being rude to the roadies is no longer cool, and hasn't been since the 80s.
The audio company I work for has a "no tolerance policy" for their staff being rude to bands or entertainers. We also have the same policy in regards to taking shit, too. Some people seem offended by this. All I know is from man to man, man to woman, woman to man… Well you get the picture. There is only so much anyone should have to put with in regards to "The costumer is always right" or “You can’t argue with the talent."