My band has a way of instantly endearing some people and instantly pissing off/ terrifying others.

We had been playing a lot at this open mic, but the vast majority of the audience (if you exclude musicians) is Vermont Law School students. They're only interested in hearing lame renditions of the same tired Grateful Dead tunes we've all heard so many times, but ony if it's played by a fellow law school student. Well after several weeks of this rather annoying behavior, my band had had enough. We opened with one of our more obnoxious originals, played a few loud tunes, and closed with the Black Sabbath classic NIB. Before we were done the bar was almost cleared of law students, and at one point a party of nine left. On the other had, two of my friends spent the whole time head banging front stage center. After that, my band was banned, we were all still aloud to go and play right up until the open mic was cancelled a few weeks ago (we just weren't allowed to play together).

Also, at our first paying gig about a month ago we had a few people show up (about 15) most of them we knew. Their was a great deal of disorganization on the management's part, so our playing time was cut in half so they would have time for the DJ that was coming in at 10:30, and the regular pool league was playing too. So they pool players had the juke box going all night (and only seemed to enjoy one song we played), due to the DJ at 10:30, our set was all messed up, and none of us loosened up until the last 45 minutes of the show (at which point we did pretty good). To make matters more fun, I had just bought my Active Jazz Bass Deluxe V, and learned on stage that it's signal was significantly hotter than the signal from the EMG's in my four string. So for half the night my five string was making cackling sounds (until I figured out that if I rolled all of the active EQ down to neutral the amp could handle the load). But of the 15 or so people who showed, 9 signed the mailing list and they all seemed to enjoy the show (even if they had to be seriously egged into hitting the floor).

~And we were asked back by the management =)

[Edited by Raskolnikov on 02-10-2001 at 10:15 AM]