Best Gig You Ever Missed

[Gary Byrum]

In my early twenties, (still the garage band days) my buddies that I played with and I,
sprung for a rental which was a split level house in suburbia Charlotte NC. Nice place with lots of room. We had a pool table in the downstairs den area to boot. As far as we were concerned, we had a pretty cool crib.

Parties were always happening there and seemed to be a focal point for all the circles of friends we were involved with. That being said, we were never lacking company. In your garage band days, you get to know so many people because they are sooo attracted to musical folks. (There’s a bonus factor there that can’t be detailed here) but to say the least, it was a time of very fulfilling events.

My 21st or 22nd birthday was at hand, and I really didn’t have any plans. No date, no roomies around…I was sitting at home totally bummed out that I was sharing the afternoon with one of my roomies brothers, (who btw was there to baby sit me so I didn’t take off somewhere…..epic fail.) So I made the call to one of my reliable resources and made a date to hit the drive-in theater. I was sure to get lucky on that note.

After all that was said and done, we returned to my house where there was a buttload of cars parked all over the place. Hell, I didn’t even have a place to park! My date and I got to the front door and was greeted by my drummer..”WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?! ¾ of the people are already gone!

My house was still packed with people.

Bottom line here, my roomies brother did a very poor job of watching after me on the biggest birthday event I could have ever known. And even though it had thinned out as much as it did, it was still a great party. 250+ was the head count according to my drummer.

I guess it really wasn’t missed, but I was very late for the blastoff of my greatest birthday party ever.

 

[fyrwrxz]

+1 on groupies, +2 on drive-ins, -5 missing your own birthday party...but it's still a great story!
Best gig I ever missed was Sandy (not the hurricane) but I can't tell that here.
One I didn't miss was 6 drummers (!) taking over a slow moving redneck bar in Wa. state and doing a 45 min rendition of Mustang Sally smooshed up with Joe Cocker/Elvin Bishop/Creedence and a CC Rider chorus. We packed the place! Even the cowboys danced.

 

[K'Tesh]

Being able to buy stock in Apple and Microsoft back in the 80's

 

[fyrwrxz]

Oh shut the front door-the guy next desk over dated the 'point' girl for BlockBuster video before the IPO. Her job was to buy out Mom and Pop video stores to eliminate competition. Free insider trading and I blew the gig. And Apple and Chrysler and....I'm going to bed and cry for a little while....

 

[LW Bercini]

Back in 1998, when I was still active in competitive dance, I took part in the World Championships in Nashville TN. It was my first time going to Worlds. My events were early in the week, so after I was done, I headed back to Chicago just to save some vacation time.

Some days later, I got a call from my coach. I was sound asleep at the time and at first, couldn't understand what she was telling me. I had won! I had earned a World championship - but I wasn't there to accept the award!

 

[Rokitman88]

At my age I wish I had missed all of my birthdays. Other than that, I cant think of any big gigs I missed except maybe Pink Floyd doing "The Wall" concert in L.A. back in 1980.

 

[jadebox]

Not me, but a friend of mine was visiting London in the late 1970s. His sister invited him to go to a party and he passed because he was tired.

What she failed to tell him was that it was a party to celebrate the premiere of a film called "The Buddy Holly Story" and that the host was a Buddy Holly fan named Paul McCartney.

-- Roger

 

[JPVegh]

Not my gig but I had tickets to see Led Zeppelin at the Superdome. The show was canceled along with the rest of the tour. I never did get to see them in concert.

 

[shrox]

My 401K came up 404 "wealth not found".

 

[Gary Byrum]

At my age I wish I had missed all of my birthdays. Other than that, I cant think of any big gigs I missed except maybe Pink Floyd doing "The Wall" concert in L.A. back in 1980.

I never got to see Led Zep or the Stones, but I did see a great lot of others. Saw Pink Floyd doing the Dark Side Of The Moon tour, and something I'm glad I didn't miss. Iron Butterfly doing IN A GADDA DA VIDA. My very 1st concert.

 

[RocketGeekInFL]

I missed Pink Floyd, the tour with the pig blimp, biggest bummer ever!!! Also missed Billy Joel/Elton John. But I did get to see Faith No More/Guns and Roses/Metallica at the Citrus bowl stadium. Awesome show. I sold my Boston Market stock when I was a manager there right before it took off like a rocket, but before it dropped like a led zepplin. So I guess that is bad and good. My mom got rid of all my baseball cards I had back in the late 70's. I'd probably be a millionaire now if I still had them. Oh well.

 

[paul.nortness]

It wasn't a gig....but I met Jerry Rice 3 times and didn't get his autograph once.

 

[Kirk G]

When I was in 8th grade, the final grade before leaving Junior High (and transferring to the 4 grade Senior high in our town), there was a final assembly on the last day of class where various awards were handed out...attendance, highest GPA, top 10, etc. Some of the awards were surprises, some were voted upon by teacherS. The administration already knew who had earned what.

Looking back on it now, I can see where my male homeroom teacher made certain that we all filed into the auditorium, (sitting in the permanent theatre seats), but he held me back, and told me to sit on the end. I was puzzled, cause I had caused no problems and was a good kid, but I did as I was told and sat on the end next to the aisle. He sat directly behind me. I wondered why.

As the assembly proceded, we all applauded, and gave the appropriate support to each award winner. When it came time for the most outstanding Math student, the principal read off the name for the award.... "Kirk Collimer". And everyone applauded. I was puzzled cause I recognised that it was a brilliant Math kid from my sisters' class, 4 YEARS AHEAD of us!

No one got up and stepped forward, and the applause died. The principal looked at his paper, and read the name again...and said again, come on up here.... Then he realized he had the name wrong , and ad libbed... "you know who you are...your mom is a substitute teacher, and your sister is valedictorian.... "
I was being poked and proded from behind by my homeroom teacher, who said, "Stand up"... but I wouldn't, and turned puzzled...and looked him square in the face and said, "but that's not my name".... "I'm not him". About that time, the principal who had not seen me pivot in my chair, announced "Not here, huh, okay, we'll move on..." and proceeded to the next award.

Afterwards, the homeroom teacher told me that it had been MY AWARD...that I had earned it...but that the principal had meant me....but an error had been made and the principal remember the sharp kid from 4 years earlier and had written that name down.

My mother was furrious with the Principal. He called her almost every morning to hire her for the day. He KNEW the correct name. To this day, she has never forgiven him, for attempting to ad lib the awards ceremony, and depriving me of my public recognition!

The next year, I was one of the 10 brightest kids admitted to an Advanced Alegra class taught in a private seminar class.

(I never knew that I had truely been the awardee for years until last year when my mom told me of the gaff and why it had gone wrong. ) I had forgotten all about it. How would my life have changed? Would I have gotten more chicks? (Who am I kidding? Would I have ever gotten a chick? Who knows?!)

 

[T-Rex]

While serving on USS Enterprise, they filmed a movie called "Top Gun" Tom Cruise was running in the hanger bay, tripped and skidded on his hands and knees. I was on watch in the engine room, so I missed it.

 

[blackjack2564]

I stood up Morgan Fairchild for a date.

She was filming a movie in town,when we met in a local bar during lunch. Kinda wondered why all the autograph seekers. I didn't care she was just another hot looking blonde. When she told me she was in town "with the movie" folks, I just thought she was a good looking script girl or something. We took turn buying each other drinks & she asked me out for dinner, gave me her room # & phone. She would be ready at 8.00

I did not know who she was, till after she left & all my friends informed me she was famous.

Soon after I met a pair of twins...well what would you do? I went with the sure thing & had a weekend of wild memories.

Sorry about that Morgan.

 

[Kirk G]

I missed Pink Floyd, the tour with the pig blimp, biggest bummer ever!!! Also missed Billy Joel/Elton John. But I did get to see Faith No More/Guns and Roses/Metallica at the Citrus bowl stadium. Awesome show. I sold my Boston Market stock when I was a manager there right before it took off like a rocket, but before it dropped like a led zepplin. So I guess that is bad and good. My mom got rid of all my baseball cards I had back in the late 70's. I'd probably be a millionaire now if I still had them. Oh well.

OMG, I visited London last year, and SAW that power plant that had the pink pig above it on the cover! I recognised it 30 years later! What a landmark!

 

[fyrwrxz]

My 401K came up 404 "wealth not found".

Voted "Most Clever of 2014" LMAO- Thx Shrox!

 

[fyrwrxz]

I stood up Morgan Fairchild for a date.

She was filming a movie in town,when we met in a local bar during lunch. Kinda wondered why all the autograph seekers. I didn't care she was just another hot looking blonde. When she told me she was in town "with the movie" folks, I just thought she was a good looking script girl or something. We took turn buying each other drinks & she asked me out for dinner, gave me her room # & phone. She would be ready at 8.00

I did not know who she was, till after she left & all my friends informed me she was famous.

Soon after I met a pair of twins...well what would you do? I went with the sure thing & had a weekend of wild memories.

Sorry about that Morgan.

And THAT, my fellow TRF'rs is where the moniker "Crazy" started!