My First Big Gig... reflection

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Freeleance Producer/Engineer/Gtr
Member Since: Aug 11, 2002

Hey guys... another post inspired me to ask you all this: When and with whom was your 1st'Big Gig'? How did it feel? And how did it turn out?



I'll go first. I was in a band that incorporated hip-hop and rock and we were offered the slot before Vanilla Ice in 1999 at the Mason Jar. Of course, he was all washed up and in that band at that time, but he drew a HUGE crowd. My Emcee/DJ in our band was pulled up on stage to battle him... funny stuff. VI is such a chump. But it was a good time. He kept screamin "Word to your mother!"... no lying!

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002

Mar 19, 2004 03:37 pm

My little story cracks every one that hears it, and looking back I am quite proud of what I help accomplish.

I was edumicated in Christian schools since 5th grade. My High School was very anti-rock music (it was before Christian rock had the support it does now) and anti-dancing and basically anti-anything fun. Me and 4 of my friends formed a band, we were not that great but we had fun doing it and got better as time went on. We practiced in the basement of the bassist's moms house. Our first "gig" was playing a little high school talent show. Word got out that we were gonna play rock music and many parent protested, got angry at the faculty and caused quite the uproar. The show ent on we played two or three songs, the student body, most of the faculty and a fewof the parents loved it. The rest of the parent and some faculty showed obvious disgust.

We became an underground hit cuz we bucked the system, later that year at the prom we played again to slightly less protest, a few people danced and didn't get yelled at. In the years that followed more and more bands were hired for proms and such, dancing has been more common and rock music is not nearly as frowned upon.

And we were the first ones to take on the school system of the fiercely conservative regime that ran the place.

To this day I crack up when I think what five kids did for classes of the future at my old high school...

That was the short version...

I am not a crook's head
Member
Since: Mar 14, 2003

Mar 19, 2004 03:41 pm

My first real show was my 9th grade talent show. We worked up "Crazy Train" and had it down pat. I just watched the video of that day for the first time in about 14 years, and I'd forgotten how excited the audience was. 1,000 9th and 10th graders all cheering for us! And after the guitar solo, everybody stood up! It was great, and is still a defining moment in my life. From then until the end of my high school career, I wasn't just a nobody anymore...I was a nobody that everybody knew played the guitar :)

At that point in my life, I played A LOT...like 2 or 3 hours every day. Listening to myself back then, I was actually impressed at how that 14 year old kid played! I certainly can't play like that anymore.

BTW, we won 2nd place in the talent show, losing out to a 15-year-old that played an embellished version of the drum solo from YYZ...I still have not seen anybody play the drums like that kid to this day.

Good times, good times.

Contributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002

Mar 19, 2004 08:27 pm

Biggest gig for me was when we opened up for Funeral for a Friend on the first part of their UK tour back in Nov '03.

We played the Wolverhampton Civic Hall to about 2,000 kids, the place was sold out and it was the craziest experience ever. Being on that stage and seeing the crowd spread all the way to the back of this massive hall!

Our singer was white just before we started :D suffice to say that he rose to the occasion tho and it was easily the best gig we've ever played!

rock on.

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Member
Since: May 10, 2002

Mar 20, 2004 08:50 pm

Wow, that's a good question. It makes me think. I guess I would have to say either a gig for the Henry Ford Foundation which was a combination MDA fundraiser and birthday for Ms. Ford or a U of M (michigan) medical alumni convention must have been the biggest. Both were real stuffed shirt affairs however. All who's who and snif the right bum for monitary gain action. The most fun gigs where medium sized no nozed nothing gigs where folks just really wanted to have fun.. and dance. Ohh... almost forgot..hands down most fun was my daughter's wedding. I rented a huge retired train loading dock. Both the Big band and a fun rock band played. I played in both and just had a ball. So did the audiance. The fun band we called the YpsiTuckey slightly polish hillbilly band. We all dressed up like hicks. My oldest daughter flew in and played flute and washboard. My younger daughter got up with her brides maids and sang a cover of Crazy little thing called love. Wedding gowns and floppy straw hats. It was a stich! Right down to the keyboards seguaying from the typical wedding exit march into the lynus rag. Our lead singer even got out there and led the whole crowd in a version of the chicken dance. Hot little red head wearing a hankie basicly. My wife is still POed about me iorning it for her. Good grief...time to quite. See what happens when an old fart starts thinkin!

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2003

Mar 21, 2004 01:24 pm

I agree Walt that is a good question. It's made for some iteresting reading.

My first big gig was in 1985. We opened for a band called Kix. They were a regonal band that went on to have the number one video on MTV, but never really had a claim to fame. We had our own dressing room and were escorted to the stage by security. The house lights went down and we were introduced by a popular radio d.j. My heart was pounding. I had never played in front of more than a couple of hundred people before that gig. We took the stage and started rockin' We were having a great time. When we finished the first song the crowd roared so loud it made me weak in the knees. As I stepped up to the mic to sing the second songs I couldn't stop my legs from shaking. By the time we hit the third song I had managed to calm down and deal with the massive amounts of adrenaline that had been pump into my veins. That's when it started getting really fun. I walked up to the front of the stage and this pack of girls leaped for me. It startled me at first, I didn't know if they were going to pull me off the stage or what they had in mind. But, they all just starting rubbing my leg.... much to my disbelief and delight. I was thinking this kind of thing doesn't happen to guys in local bands. Obviously I was wrong. We finished the last song and with a "thank you, goodnight" the crowd screammed. It was an incredible rush. Like none I've ever felt since. After the show some little cutie gave me her cross neclace. We were signing autograuphs, the whole thing was just insane! I've probably played somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 to 1,000 gigs, and that one is still the best time I ever had at a gig. We've played a lot bigger gigs since that time, but that one will always be a very fond memory.

Member
Since: Nov 21, 2002

Mar 21, 2004 01:34 pm

hah. well my biggest gig so far was last night, but takin into consideration that im only 17 and this is only our 4th show with this particular band, it wasnt bad. anyway we had a good time, had 180 people there, for the size of that god-awful place, thats pretty good. the place is a total dump, but it was fun.

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 21, 2004 03:59 pm

I am torn between two choices.

The first one and probly the most memorable was in 1977. A large group of peeps form the cities used to through a giant party in a rock quarry that coverd about 150 acres of land up north of the cities. We had been invited twice but could never make it. Thinking we would not be invited again that third year, low and behold they invited us. And to beat all we wer to headline the show which ran for three nights. Not expecting much but a large outdoor party, what a surpise when we are escorted in by sherrifs vehicles. Anyway, long story short the stage was enough to hold several bands at once, the biggest I had ever been on. By the time we went on on Friday night there were estimating there were over 4000 people there. They introduced us and the crowd went nuts, having been a barband for so long this was a shock. Looking out over a crowd I couldnt see the end of was a very big rush and that first night will stick in my head for a long time to come. We played 4 encores as well, all original.

I hate to say it comes in second but my first big arena show after only 6 weeks of heavy radio play in 1979 to an almost packed house on the east coast. A then unknown Billy Thorpe opened for us, to a very unwelcoming audiance. The thought of that many people was racing through my head along with what if I make a mistake. Power pop had not yet been fully accepted or so I thought. We had two massive synth rigs on each end of the stage. The radio jock announced us and the roar was louder then anything I had ever heard before. It didnt take but 30 seconds into the first song and I was in heavin. It was easier then I expected to relax and just have fun. The rest of the tour was great as we made our way accross the US. But none of the nights that followed were as exiting as that very first night, scared absolutly shitless for those first thirty seconds. And then the realization that it was all good from there.

My next stints on national tours never compared to that first 4 months. I dont think even to this day I would get as much of a thrill as I did back then.

Member
Since: Dec 23, 2003

Mar 21, 2004 06:20 pm

That was a good read Noize... what was the name of the band you were playing in back in that time period?

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002

Mar 21, 2004 07:12 pm

The first was Tantrum, directly followed by Spider.

Banned


Mar 22, 2004 01:22 pm

im too young to gig with big bands. im sure in a few years in wont be a problem.

my dad. his first bigger gig was with weather report. but he played with alot of other bands. joe walsh, yes, the guess who, can, and tons of others.

my brothers first big gig was with a band called me without you in feb 2002 and hes been playing with some pretty big bands since then. hes going to be touring with coheed and chambria in the beginning of may i think. i dont know if anyones heard of these bands, he plays in a band called Jah. they play around nyc/philly alot.

Ignorance Is Strength
Member
Since: Nov 10, 2002

Apr 09, 2004 05:03 pm

WOW! Hey Kenndel the Grey!
Your dad played with Joe Walsh! I'm a big fan of Joes. If he played with Joe in the early days theres a good chance that I saw him play. I used to go see Joe every chance I got.

Your dad must be one heck of a musician and your brother too. You are from good stock.

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