FortWayneMusic.com

Just wondering how everyone handles this certain situation. At our last show, there were a few drunk guys that relentlessly tried to get on stage to sing a song. They would not stop asking. In fact I got so irritated that I handled the situation completely wrong and insulted them over the mic. I get that when people get drunk they want to sing but we're not on stage to have karaoke time for anyone who decides they should have a mic in their hand. Maybe this makes me a total b*tch but I really feel like my band and I work our asses off to put on a good show and in the past allowing people to come on stage to sing has been a complete train wreck. How do you guys deal with people coming up and asking to sing while your playing? Just curious. Like I said I really handled it wrong and would like to figure out how to deal with it when it happens again.

Thanks for your help. Really looking for serious replies here if possible.

I always like saying "Karaoke night was last night, but thanks for asking!"

The more they insist, the more the audience sees it and realizes the people asking are idiots. If you insult them, unfortunately, that's what many people will remember from the show...that the band was making rude comments to the audience.

It's never fun when some dumbass thinks he should be on stage, but that's what we get for playing in bars for a bunch of drunk people.

i'm sorry jen... just smack me on the nose and say "bad anderson" next time.

Yeah...I was gonna say give Anderson and Danny dead mics and just keep out of their way...

Chris

Honestly, I've had this happen a hundred times, and always end up wondering if I handled things correctly. Probably no matter what you do, you'll wind up questioning it later, but it's never a good idea to insult anyone in the crowd (even when the crazy drunk bastard really deserves it).

I love the "Karaoke night was yesterday" reply. I may try that one out sometime. The approach that has worked best for me in the past is to just ignore the guy. It becomes increasingly difficult, as these people get more emboldened with each drink, but it's usually the best way. Sometimes if there's a set break coming up I'll go down and talk to the guy then. It helps alleviate any hard feelings for not letting him come up. Eventually if you continue ignoring the guy long enough, he'll give up and go away.

Just try not to let it rattle you too much if you're stressing about it, your audience will know.

Good luck with all this.

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. Anderson...you're totally cool (Although I like you're mom better Sorry, Had to throw that in. We know you and like you so we love having you come up to sing Humpty Dance with us. The bad experiences have come more from people who are so drunk they start knocking stuff over and really suck at singing. Normally, this kind of stuff doesn't get to me but last night for some reason a combo of exhaustion and shear irritation really just caused me to lose it. Most times guys like this will just go away, but for some reason at this particular bar it seems to be the same crap...guys keep asking to sing when I'm in the middle of trying to perform, they go to every member of the band and eventually try to get my attention by grabbing my tamborine or hitting my conga's. It was just very frustrating and bothered me the way I handled it.

I like the Karaoke was last night comment. I'll have to try that one. Am I wrong that it bothers me that people are that presumptuous to ask to sing with the band? I mean I look at it as this is my job. It's how I pay my bills and I would never think of going to where someone works and trying to take over their job. Maybe alcohol really does turn people into complete idiots but there has to be a line. I was partly bothered too that this particular bar wasn't stepping it up and pulling these guys back. It had to be obvious that they were interupting our show and we had people there that had driven 2 hours to see us play so it was frustrating that these guys were interupping what we were trying to do.

Okay I've bitched enough. I do welcome your thoughts though. I think it will help me to know next time what I will say if the situation comes up (which is likely since we will be back in the same town again).

Thanks for your help!
jen

Every time someone has done this, my response is always the same...."absolutely not." I would not show up at their job and try to take their position bagging groceries, and I expect them not to try and interfere with my job. There is nothing wrong with being upfront and stern with some drunk butthead.

We have also had several people just grab the mic away from Joe, and start babbling. I typically grab the mic back, tell them to sit the f**k down, and mind their own buisness. The people witnessing such behavior are typically entertained by seeing some drunken jackass get what was coming to them. We have never suffered any repercussions from being rude to someone interfering with our set.

beck wrote:Every time someone has done this, my response is always the same...."absolutely not." I would not show up at their job and try to take their position bagging groceries, and I expect them not to try and interfere with my job. There is nothing wrong with being upfront and stern with some drunk assh*le.

We have also had several people just grab the mic away from Joe, and start babbling. I typically grab the mic back, tell them to sit the f#ck down, and mind their own buisness. The people witnessing such behavior are typically entertained by seeing some drunken jackass get what was coming to them. We have never suffered any repercussions from being rude to someone interfering with our set.

Awesome, I couldn't agree more.

I tell them they can come sing, but they have to beat me up first That usually solves the problem. Of course, I have more "intimidation factor" than you do...

On a serious note, don't worry too much about being rude. Try turning the rest of the audience against them next time. Just don't pull a Kramer.

From a fan's standpoint...I say insult and/or be rude all the way. We (the fans) know just as well as the bandmembers do when someone is acting like a fool.

I love seeing Drunken Superman Guy humbled in front of the same audience he's trying to impress. He usually doesn't stick around much longer after that...

I watched a band completely stop playing and stood there silently staring at a drunken moron trying to push his way onto the stage to sing.

No one said anything and he had no backing music to sing to.

They just let him embarrass himself, and the patrons were pissed at him for stopping the band.

Once he left the stage they picked up the song right where they left off without comment.

Never happened again.

bassjones wrote:Just don't pull a Kramer.

that struck me as really funny--I don't know jen that well but she's so damn nice, thinking of her going off on some crazy tirade and picturing the audience's faces made me giggle

Now that would be cool. I'll have to tell the guys we should try that next time. Just stop playing until they go away. Has anyone ever had the bar step up and keep these guys away from you or do they even care? I kinda think there should be some responsibility on the part of the bar to make sure guys like this don't get in the bands way of putting on a show. I don't think that will happen though.

Oh well, I'm glad I'm not the only one this happens too. It sounds like drunk people everywhere have delusions of being on stage with a band.

Long live karaoke night so these idiots have something to satisfy their appetite for stardom!

Thanks for the feedback guys. I really appreciate it!

Hand them an old "Radio Shack" microphone, let them
stand off stage,... turn the volume off... and let em
hang emself!

MynameisJenn wrote:

bassjones wrote:Just don't pull a Kramer.

that struck me as really funny--I don't know jen that well but she's so damn nice, thinking of her going off on some crazy tirade and picturing the audience's faces made me giggle

Jen going off on somebody is a humorous thought. Cale too for that matter.