New Year's Eve/Day

Guitarzan · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 2:55 pm Post subject: New Year's Eve/Day

Well, OK. I guess now I've finally had what I'd call a gig story from hell. I shoulda known it would happen sooner or later. I seriously hope the rest of the year doesn't go this way...

Dec. 31, 2006...we're playing at one of our hot spots, a place we are known and loved, and it seems as if everyone in town has come to see us. Lots of familiar faces, etc., etc. Night goes as planned and we're playing well, sound is great and we are really enjoying ourselves. My gal and I are the front...people(???) in the band, and we're having a great time clowning, messing with the crowd...being corny. Of course, an ex-girlfriend walks in with her new guy...great! Turns out to be a minor annoyance(she did find it necessary to dance right at the front of the stage...whatever) Not an issue at all for me, and my gal was a good sport (I found a good one this time). We stop @ 11:55 to watch the ball drop, mingle, get champagne and what not...Happy New Year!!!

Jan. 1, 2007...12:05am we start playing again. My fairly new, and much loved ADX Strat goes out of tune???? Can't seem to get it right??? WHAT THE??? I pick up senior` Tele, trusty (but very heavy) old friend, and within a few measures, he's out of tune...not to mention, my H R DeVille seems to have developed a fade in volume every now and then, much to the delight of our rhythm player who is a die hard Gibson man. Lucky for him we've been friends for the last 10 years or so, and I can take some ribbing. Set ends, and I spend some time tuning, and tweaking, and get things stabilised and back on track. Now however, it's raining outside, and being Vermont in the winter, in the rain...everything is getting icy. Worse yet, our only way out is uphill...steep and winding...
We see a salt truck go up...we play our next shortened set, and load out. 1/2 way up the hill we see tail lights...flashing four ways, etc. Nobody's moving. A guy comes skating down the hill and grabs our mirror to stop himself and warns us that the road is quite icy, and he's off one side and can't move. The salt starts to work in the middle of the road so everyone starts moving...sloely...up the hill. We have a few interesting moments here and there but the old bus does a fairly good job of stayng straight, with the help of our drummer(former trucker)and his steady nerves. Within 2 miles of home things are looking good but we run into another snag...dirt roads freeze quite solid and turn into skating rinks...we have to detour...no worries. We head the other way into town...way too icy to go down hill there...in the process of turning around, we blow out a brake line...

We found out how comfortable our old bus is(n't) to sleep in that night. For about 4 hours anyway. Finally we hear what we've been waiting for...SALT TRUCK!!! Daylight dawns, Mr. Drummer figures he can get us home using the parking brake, which he does, and within a few minutes,...we're home. About 6 hours worth of...hell, for a 45 minute trip.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Herb · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

Good enough! Your initiation is complete! Laughing

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Yer guitar pickin' friend,
Herb
"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing, 'n stuff!"
Doghouse Jazz

SAguitar · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:29 pm Post subject:

All right, you're in the club! Well, that was the first stage of initiation, anyway. Cool

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teleman77 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 4:52 pm Post subject:

Stage 1 is now complete..............grasshopper. Cool

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...........Ahh, that's better!

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Dangerine49 · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 4:57 pm Post subject:

I was just up in New Hampshire/Vermont for a few days of non-skiing. Guess I left just in time...
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"But I don't want to go among mad people" Alice remarked.
"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat, "We're all mad here 'n stuff."

Kebmel · Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:14 pm Post subject:

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