idiot 'band leaders' flipping thru lyric sheets trying to find the song they want to play next.
also REFUSING to make out a set list. "i want to play to the crowd, so we have to be able to play what ever they seem to want."
bullshit. write a set list...play the fucking thing. everyone knows what fucking page they are supposed to be on.
(caused the last band break up)
Yep, that's one that will without exception get me quite pissed off.
If without a set list, one guy will need to be responsible for picking whatever song is next IMMEDIATELY. In most cases that will never work though.
Another thing (well, apart from the clever drunks trying to talk to you mid song while you're wearing in-ear monitors) is the 1 or 2 guys most bands seem to have that never have their shit together equipment wise. You know, the guitar player that refuses to change his strings before a gig and then invariably breaks one in the middle of the first set, or the singer who never brings a cable, strap or batteries for his acoustic. And...what's the thing with bass players who never have a guitar pick, even though they know they'll need one for a few of the songs. Then there's the poor tubes, faulty patch cables and all sorts of other stuff that should have been taken care of well before turning up for the gig. And they've usually had all fucking week to get their shit together.
No idea how many gigs I've salvaged by always bringing spares for pretty much everything.
And then there's the thing with absolutely having to sort out the backdrop and/or adjusting lights and similar stuff when we're about to start soundcheck (usually the singer who's done fuck all when the rest of us have been setting up stuff for the last hour or so). FFS, do that shit after we're done getting the sounds, or be done by that time.
For some odd reason that same bloke tends to suddenly disappear when it's time to tear down stuff after a gig...only to magically reappear right before we're leaving
Just a few I've come across over the years (not all of them in my own bands fwiw).
As you've probably noticed by now, there's one thing I really can't stand: being unprepared. ALWAYS have your shit together well before doing the actual gig.
