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[allison]

I was at the Air Canada Centre, waiting for the doors to open for a show, when I met one of the promoters (he called himself Salad). We talked a bit, and long story short I ended up on one of the tour buses, with 2 of the bands watching, as I was about to get my nose pierced with a safety pin. Salad thought this was awesome and well, being 15 and hanging out with some really cool famous guys, I thought it was awesome too!

However, one of the managers burst in, saying "What the hell am I hearing about someone getting their face mutilated?" Anyway, he decided it was stupid and they didn't have consent from my parents (my being under the age of majority) and there could be a lawsuit if it got infected and whatnot. My friend and I did get to hang out backstage though!


Also, I blame parents for kids not knowing about Zappa. It's despicable.

[Thrillho]

It's not like Zappa's easy to get into even if you WANT to get into him. The brother's got dozens and dozens of records.

[MadassAlex]

This wasn't exactly strange, but it is a tad noteworthy.

Last night, some friends and I attended a local charity gig with four or more bands playing. I don't know. I left during the fourth.

The first band was this doom metal outfit with super-low tuning, super-loud amps and a really tribal, stoner vibe. They were really rockin', I thought. The second band was a band from my school, who were good at what they did. What they did, however, was bland guitar-pop.

The third band took the cake. The Choice Cuts, I think they were called. Every member of the band, including the drummer, had this amazingly relaxed, yet intense stage presence that made the whole gig so much better. The drummer, for instance, was almost constantly wearing an expression of blistering despair during the fast parts of songs. The bass player and guitarist traded off unkind words rather frequently to humorous effect. There was even a hard-rock cover of Johnny B. Goode.
That's not even the best bit, though. Three awesome things that happened were:

- The guitarist walking into the crowd and playing right in front of me as I mimic'd his playing on my air-guitar.

- My best friend having a flirt-off with the guitarist/singer during a song about picking up chicks. Both are guys.

- Getting a bit of a mosh going during one song. Nothing violent, just a fair bit of shoving and good fun. This is notable because the majority of the audience were stuck on their feet. I may have looked like a dickhead, but I was the only one constantly moving, headbanging and generally ROKKING THE FUKK OUT. And the band appreciated it.

The guy's guitar playing is actually very notable. Very, very smooth and natural, with a fill style like Hendrix. Actually, the whole band reminded me of the Jimi Hendrix experience with a bit more energy and a punkier vibe. Really, really great. Inspiring, too, seeing a guitarist no older than myself playing to a level beyond professional with ease and finesse.

[TheFuriousWombat]

If you want a strange performance, go to a Deerhunter show. That guy, Brandon Cox, is fucking bizarre and terrifying, especially when, in a sequined butterfly dress that doesn't really cover his balls, he drops to the floor whilst fellating his microphone and screaming into it, crawls over to one of the guitarists, wraps his arms around the guys knees, and proceeds to slam the mic into the guitar strings while the guitarist, partially turned away from the audience, remains stone cold stoic. And that was only about 30 seconds of the whole set, none of which was any more normal. Yeah, it really is that awesome.

Also, I once saw a band where a guy turned over a large hand drum, picked up a cello, flipped it upside down, stuck the neck of the cello into the body of the drum, and proceeded to bang and strum the cello strings with a conch shell.

[Inlander]

Did that actually make a noise worthy of the effort, or was he just being pretentious?

[Statik]

I don't know that mine are necessarily weird, but I think they are interesting...  anyway

My second concert ever, Metallica when I was sixteen, it was an open air place, stage is under an awning, lots of seats, and behind the seats is the lawn, anyway, I was in the seats.  I got up to go get a water or something, and while I am heading over, there's a dude yelling at one of the security guys.  I stand back, as there are other security guards moving towards the guy, and, I wanna see what happens.  Anyway, the (obviously) drunk dude, just hauls off and punches one of the security guards.  People had already backed up away from him, and the next thing I saw is a different security guards vault the fence and flying tackle the dude.  It took four big ass guards to drag his ass out, which, in retrospect, means he was probably a bit more than just liquored up.

More recently, I saw something similar, at a GWAR concert in Washington DC, and I don't know what happened prior, but this chick was being thrown out, and while the security dude is walking behind her, she turns around and fucking decks him.  Again, not the best thing in that type of situation, as that quickly brings other security guards to the spot, who are surprisingly gentle with her, and basically hold her put with her arms at her sides right in place, facing away from the stage until the cops show up like 5 or so minutes later.

The Zappa story reminded me of something a friend related to me recently (She works as a local stagehand / lighting tech / etc), and for the life of me, I cannot remember what band it was, someone with an expensive upright bass IIRC.  Someone threw a half-full beer up on stage, which splashed all over the expensive instrument.  The band quickly stopped, and brought up the house lights.  The singer asked the crowd "Who threw that?"  and apparently some drunk guy took total credit, jumping up and down and such.  Guess where he went shortly thereafter?

The weirder things I see are going to things like Ozzfest, and seeing girls walk around in teeny tiny bikinis.... who shouldn't be.  Why is it all the cute girls at metal shows are the ones in like, a long skirt and loose t-shirt, but the ugly, lumpy, missing half their teeth 40 year olds are the ones who walk around damn near naked attempting to make my eyes bleed out?

[Leinad]

Why is it all the cute girls at metal shows are the ones in like, a long skirt and loose t-shirt, but the ugly, lumpy, missing half their teeth 40 year olds are the ones who walk around damn near naked attempting to make my eyes bleed out?

Which is why I hate metal shows and Renaissance fairs.

[TheFuriousWombat]

Did that actually make a noise worthy of the effort, or was he just being pretentious?

Pretty much the latter.

[Chorbalan]

 Back when Megadeth came to my town they played in a big seated venue and the floor seats were sold out. Me and a friend of mine snuck down and made friends with some douche bags who decided to hop the fence and take their chances with security to get on the floor (that's not why they were douchebags we measured their douchebaggery by other standards.) Anyway they jump security bolts after them leaving the fence unattended. me and my friend just walk in unobstructed and later see the other guys being carried out by security.

[MobyDickhole]

I was at the Download Festival in Los Angeles, which was strange on it's own because the place was a fucking ghost town the whole show. The festival lasted like 9 hours...

Anyways, The Gibson Amphitheater sits right behind Universal Citywalk.
I work at citywalk.

So, I had explored around the venue on my breaks when there was literally nobody there.
Anyways, after the show, I walk out of the venue and come back to the backlot as an employee.
It will be a little difficult to explain the specifics, but I walked down to the artists entrance, and nobody was guarding it.

I walk in and find that The Jesus and Mary Chain are having a party in the room.
I usually would have said hey or something, but between being pretty fucking tired from 9 hours of festival and the fact that I was totally taken aback by the whole thing, I didn't.

I really wish I had done something though, because no matter what might have happened, the story would have been FANTASTIC.

although.. knowing that I could have hung out with The JAMC is still pretty fuckin' cool.

[Orbert]

Stories remind me of other stories...

My girlfriend and I and another couple went to this big open-air festival in Grand Haven, Michigan in a big field mostly surrounded by sand dunes and trees.  I've been going to Grand Haven since I was eight years old, long before it became the obscene tourist trap that it is today, and looking at a map of the place, we realize that traffic and parking will be nothing less than 100% Hell for everybody if we follow the directions.  On the other hand, this empty area *here* is a cemetary (it's not marked on the map) and it's like two blocks the other side.  So we drive around to the cemetary, park the car under some trees, and walk a few blocks carrying the cooler.  We come down into the place from out of the hills where they obviously never thought anyone would come, because all the security and tickets and concessions are way on the other side, all set up with temporary fencing. 

We find a nice spot, and spread our blanket.  The music was great, much fun was had, and it occurred to me later that not only did we totally bypass security and ticket people, but anyone else could have done the same thing.  But whatever.  We'd only paid like $13 for each ticket, and now we have un-ripped tickets as souveniers.

[np96]

I wouldn't say these were particulary strange expereinces but they made me smile. At an Iron Maiden gig, I was talking to this 10-year old who had come with his dad. He stopped talked to me then leapt into a mosh pit. I think he lived.

[Durin]

I wouldn't say these were particulary strange expereinces but they made me smile. At an Iron Maiden gig, I was talking to this 10-year old who had come with his dad. He stopped talked to me then leapt into a mosh pit. I think he lived.

I just have this funny scene playing in my head based on your experience.

[exomni]

Being the only person at a Kode 9 concert.

It was like... hey, wanna just sit down and get a beer or something?

[Nodaisho]

Why is it all the cute girls at metal shows are the ones in like, a long skirt and loose t-shirt

That, I don't mind.

but the ugly, lumpy, missing half their teeth 40 year olds are the ones who walk around damn near naked attempting to make my eyes bleed out?

That, I do. Not that I have much experience, as whenever a band I want to see comes near, I am either out of money or can't get there.

[brandon_ha]

whenever a band I want to see comes near, I am either out of money or can't get there.

Quoted for truth.