"Big" bands you've opened for that turned out to be penises

One band we played with... their guitarist got all fucking bitchy because I took longer than 2 minutes to get my shit off the stage during soundcheck. So I thought okay, better make this twat happy, I'll put it all behind my amp on the stage. Turns out his amp was behind my amp, and so he just started throwing my stuff off the stage. What a cunt. I get that change overs need to be quick, but shit... no need for that.

I really hate it when guitarists start to load all their shit onto the stage when you're packing up. ffs...

THAT is some bullshit. One thing that's nice about Chicago's music scene right now (at least with regards to the music I play, which is like heavy rock/borderline metal and a lot of heavier stuff too) is that the GOOD bands in the city here generally have a lot of respect and love for each other. As soon as we finish a set, the next band usually helps us unload and we help them put their shit up, and it just goes on until the show's over. Instead if watching 4 guys take down an entire stage full of gear and waiting so another 5 guys can put their shit up, you have like 10 people all trying to make things easier and faster for everyone.
 
I really hate it when guitarists start to load all their shit onto the stage when you're packing up. ffs...

the flip side of that being I really hate it when the 1st band is done and the guitarist jumps off to go talk with everyone before getting his shit off the stage. It takes all of a few minutes to get your gear off stage, especially knowing the guy whose show it actually is would be more than happy to help you out
 
the flip side of that being I really hate it when the 1st band is done and the guitarist jumps off to go talk with everyone before getting his shit off the stage. It takes all of a few minutes to get your gear off stage, especially knowing the guy whose show it actually is would be more than happy to help you out

Oh yeah totally. I'm not one of those guys generally speaking, unless we're headlining and at the end of the night there is a bit of time for some carousing. But usually I'm the one who's getting on at the others to get their shit together so we look professional. I have a pet peeve about slacker bands.
 
In my experience the best musicians have been the nicest people, maybe just coincidence but a lot of the wannabe rockstars seem to have the bigger 'tudes. Also I've found people being totally different than the stories you hear so I always take that with a grain of salt, I mean everybody has bad days etc.
 
Played with some cool bands over the years and only one (well. 2 individuals) were dickheads.

Skinlab - Cool guys, very down to earth.
Hatebreed - Ditto, Jamie Jasta gave us cd's and loads of beers, an absolute legend and deserves all his success, very hard working band.
Stone Sour - Super cool guys, they were in town the night before the show and we brought Corey to a punk gig and got completely wasted. Himself and Jim are really down to earth.
Dismember - Crazy swedish alcoholic lunatics, good times.
Entombed - Ditto
Decapitated - Super cool, very humble and crazy Polish alcoholic lunatics. Very supportive of our music.
Anthrax - WCFYA era, John Bush, Rob and Frank Bello were cool, Scott and Charlie were dicks. Very reluctant to sign stuff and very unapproachable.
 
See, I know Charlie from Anthrax through another band here in Chicago he's friends with and fills in for every now and then, and he's always been super cordial and nice (although a little cocky). Maybe it's one of those things that changes depending who he's playing with, haha..
 
I'm sure lots of us have had some decent opening slots before, and likewise met some cool, down-to-earth musicians in the process.

But, you've also probably dealt with some real boners too.

One that came to mind for me was a show we played with Days of the New last year, the guy (Travis, I think is his name) was just so, just, weird (drugged out?) out and cocky, it was awful. They spent HOURS setting their stuff up, delaying the show by like 2+ hours and were completely unapologetic, had no interest in speaking to anyone or anything...

To top if off, they kinda cleared the place out. People stuck around and watched us & the other openers, all of which were a much better than they ended up being. I'd say half of the crowd was gone by their 3rd song.

Played with Seven Mary Three once and they were at least cordial, although it was a garbage show with ZERO promotion so the crowd was SUPER weak, I'm sure they had a reason to be a little salty, lol.

Inn Cinema are a bunch of assholes, that I know.:wave:



...Sorry, dude. We can't go to a Chicago show without running into each other, and now we're all up in each other's business on tis damn forum.

You owe me a shot, sucka.

In all seriousness:

Sevendust (And the Dark New Day guys for that matter) - Famously awesome, respectful, humble dudes. Didn't play with them, but roadied/basically hung out with em for a day. Cool dudes.
Lacuna Coil - Very nice group of people, very accommodating, and them and their screw were willing to shift their backline around to fit us on stage better. Every time I played with them, they were great.
Bury Your Dead - Much like Sevendust, just great guys who are really supportive.
Suicide Silence -.....Kinda dicks.
Spineshank - Kinda dicky.
Disturbed - Depends on the guy/day. Moyer and Donnegan have always been cool to me, so that's good. When I worked at Washburn Custom Shop, Dan was really cool when he'd come in for a tour. When I worked there, I also met Scott Ian, who was really awesome, and Paul Stanely, who was a penisface. Paul wouldn't let you look him in the eye or he'd start screaming at you. Weird.
Nonpoint - All very cool, except their old guitarist Adam, who was a douchebag.

I'm trying to remember more bands I've opened for, but my memory is pretty shot these days.
 
The only band I could think of that were total assholes was Otep.

The dudes in Despised Icon and Beneath The Massacre were really cool guys.
 
I haven't had the honour of playing a lot of shows with 'big' bands,
but Devil Sold His Soul and Bury Tomorrow were the biggest I've played with.
Devil Sold His Soul were nice backstage, but they were agitated about the crowd (hardcore moshkids, pretty effing useless when it comes to other genres which they instantly disrespect when there's no beatdown/2step), but who could blame 'm?
The screamer and guitarist/singer from Bury Tomorrow were the chillest lads I've met so far, even chiller than Ajay from Brutality Will Prevail - but I met him when he was playing bass for More Than Life. Seriously they just came up, the screamer said he watched our show and he liked it (he'd been there all day already).
There was this other band called The Valiant and we had the best time with them. Their vocalist was just too fucked up to function after the gig, and they brought in some wodka and handed it out to everyone who bought their stuff.
 
I was really good friends with Dave Mackintosh from Dragonforce for a good couple of years. Went out drinking and went to gigs together a lot, he was an awesome dude. Friendship kinda dwindled when they got signed to Roadrunner and became huge which was a shame. Haven't seen him on a social level for a few years now but I still see him driving through town.



In all my years as a metalhead I've heard such mixed reviews of the dude, from both extremes. Some say he's the nicest most humble dude on earth. Others, such as yourself, say he's a prick. I guess it depends on his mood? :lol:

What was he like, specifically?

I don't really care to elaborate but let's just say he said some VERY disrespectful comments about my venue and my crew
 
I never opened for any big bands, but I have met and hung out with some of their members.

Fabio Lione (From Rhapsody of Fire) was an awesome guy. I had dinner with him and my boss and he had some great stories to tell.

Jason Rullo (From Symphony X) was another great guy. I met him at Denny's after seeing him play a show near Chicago totally at random. He let me get a photo with him and we talked a bit. Really friendly guy.

Rick Allen (From Def Leppard) was an okay guy. He seemed like he was in a hurry when I ran into him at a drug store in Wisconsin. He acted like I was bugging him when I tried talking to him.

I don't really have any stories about guys being total jerks or anything.
 
Years ago, our singers old band played a show with Primer 55, and while they were all backstage, Primers tour manager said some really racist shit to our singer (who is black) and before he even had a chance to respond, he hears someone yell "You can't say that to him!!!" and full-blown punches the tour manager out, all of a sudden like all of Primer's crew rushes in and another bunch of Chicago musicians rush in and it was a complete melee in the backstage area until security finally split everything up, lol..
 
Ryan McCombs from Drowning Pool freaked out on my old band. They had a minute left in the last song and Ryan had the power cut.
 
Ryan McCombs from Drowning Pool freaked out on my old band. They had a minute left in the last song and Ryan had the power cut.

Lol, dude, I would seriously be the biggest ass if that ever happened to me. Rest assured I would NOT be in any hurry to get my gear off the stage.
 
I really hate it when guitarists start to load all their shit onto the stage when you're packing up. ffs...

My god i can't plus 1 this enough.... So fucking irritating! I am VERY quick packing up, so putting your gear where i need to wheel mine to to get it off stage is REALLY not helpful nor is standing around giving me a death stare.

What IS helpful is offering to carry it off stage for other bands... THEN you know it get's off quicker and you're helping people out - Win win.

More or less all the bigger bands I've played with have been pretty damn awesome.

Skindred asked my guitarist where to get weed. lol

another band who shall remain nameless, took forever setting up/sound checking so no-one else got anything bar a line-check; set-up their giant ass kit in the middle of the fucking tiny stage as opposed to putting it at the back; wouldn't lend shells and refused to move it... not even back a little bit so we could fit a tiny 4 piece kit in. so singer had nowhere to stand, drummer had vocal wedges in front of his kick drum.. douche.
 
Cool dudes:

Death Before Dishonor (best guys ever)
Sick Of It All
Settle The Score
All For Nothing

Didn´t talk to them much, but they seemed nice:

Deez Nuts
No Turning Back
Awaken Demons
Evergreen Terrace
Walls Of Jericho
Do Or Die

Dicks:

Hatebreed
 
Been asked by loads of bands if I could get them weed while working doing sound. Thing is they always ask for a little and don't want to spend any money. Dunno about elsewhere but in Ireland you buy 50 euro bags and no one really deals in smaller amounts.
Made it quite akward, pretty sure most of the bands just wanted me to give them enough for a few smokes for free. While I smoke, I never bring it to work with me.