big shambles
Monday, August 20 2012 @ 11:28 AM CDT

I would have just walked off stage !

Re:big shambles
Monday, August 20 2012 @ 02:20 PM CDT

Quote by: kingbee I would have just walked off stage !

LOL He "didn't give up".

Re:big shambles
Monday, August 20 2012 @ 02:54 PM CDT

given the obvious unpreparedness by all involved its actually quite amazing that they got it to sound even like this

Re:big shambles
Tuesday, August 21 2012 @ 03:50 AM CDT

After 2 minutes I was wishing somebody would announce they were over time, annoying the neighbours and pull the plug.

They probably though it was a good idea beforehand but either a lack of rehearsal, poor monitors, drugs or disinterest really took its toll.

Peter Gabriel looked like a rabbit in a headlight and Sinead O'Connor probably wishes she'd stayed at home.

Re:big shambles
Tuesday, August 21 2012 @ 04:20 AM CDT

I have always loved the single with Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush doing this song. Just goes to show that even the best need a bit of rehearsal...

Re:big shambles
Tuesday, August 21 2012 @ 01:56 PM CDT

I was always taught not to stop, thus calling attention to your own mistakes (onstage). They called it "breaking character". In acting class they were adamant that we should continue like nothing happened. I doubt they meant ALWAYS, as I have seen a time or two where it was impossible to continue. I have had it happen where I started on the "up" instead of "downbeat", and I usually corrected fairly quickly. I was always taught that it is a sign of a true professional to make the best of these situations. It was awkward to say the least but I thought they did what we are taught.

I've been onstage where so and so was in the wrong key and it totally threw the whole thing off to the point where there was no other way than to stop and re-start. The leader of the band stopped, told a joke and then re-started us. Guess it helped that night that we were playing for a bunch of drunk people. Some even danced right through the stop. LOL

I used to work with a close friend on stage illusions, and I tried and tried to get him to stop calling attention to his own mistakes. He was famoust for shouting "FUC*!!" into the live mic at the boyscouts show. And only he and I really knew why he yelled it.

Of course there were times when we ALL yelled that. Like the time he was into imitating KISS, and getting a mouthful of lighter fluid in his mouth, and spitting it out while he lit it with a lighter... Even if it was eating the enamle off his teeth. We only tried this out in his driveway. He didn't consider it might catch the freakin wood stage on fire, because it didn't consume all of the fuel before hitting the stage. Yep at that time everyone in the place was yelling that. We put it out, but a lot was yelled before then.


One time I was helping him with an illusion, and I was hidden in the bottom behind a mirror which was supposed to make the bottom look smaller than it was. The mirror fell down and I was laying there looking at the audience grinning. I didn't yell that. I did good at keeping it together.... Like we were taught.


Yes PG's song was a cluster FU** but I think they did pretty good at holding it together, and not just giving up. I would think every artist out there has had times like this. Hopefully they handle it with grace.

Re:big shambles
Tuesday, August 21 2012 @ 02:20 PM CDT

There's times I've been on stage and everyone has started at a different time and you know it's never going to come together in the next few bars so it's just better to stop, let the audience have a laugh with you while you say ' well, we cocked that up!' and then start again.

To be fair it is quite a difficult song and maybe the person who transcribed it for Stings' backing band gave the wrong sheets to the wrong musicians.
They all seem to be struggling with it and this is a band of top class musicians.

Re:big shambles
Tuesday, August 21 2012 @ 03:15 PM CDT

I wish I had his voice.