Dangerous performances/jams

[mandodebbie]

Well, my elderly mother was worried the other day about a music video in which a shakin-rockin-roller was playing his electric guitar in his fancy swimming pool. "Isn't that dangerous? I wouldn't want your bother's kids to see this! They might want to try it out some day!...etc." she said. This got me to thinking. Has any mando players, say, been hit by lightning at an outdoor jam/performance? I was reading about the virtues of playing barefooted, at least in the summer and it has been raining quite a lot this year. Would this make a difference in the safety factor?

[Frankmc]

I'm always careful any gig where I did not personally set up the P.A. I've had my lips blistered from bad grounds and that is getting away easy. It starts to rain on a stage just say no.

[JimRichter]

Not quite the same thing, but back when I was a wannabe Southern Rock guitarist (ask me how many times I've played "Gimme Three Steps" or "Can't You See"), my brother and I were playing a junkyard biker hog roast. #By the end of the night, I enjoyed in the festivities a little too much and fell off the flat-bed trailer I was performing on.

Get struck by lightning? probably not. #Do something stupid and get hurt while inebriated? most definitely.

Jim

[messagemando1]

When I was younger, I played a show at Dollywood with my family. We had been in the hotel room the night before watching karote kid. So while we're on stage, one of my brothers decides to poke me in the shoulder with his banjo headpiece. I, being not so inconspicous, decide to kick him like the dude on tv. He grabs my foot and holds on until I go hopping across the stage and fall on my butt. The crowd thought it was great.

Other than brawls like this, I would just say to be careful with the PA when it's overcast.

[grant_eversoll]

hea, JimRichte I bet I can match your "Gimme Three Steps" or "Can't You See" and raise you a "Free Bird"

[John Flynn]

We had a great, great fiddler/banjo player around these parts named Steve Mote, who was the lynchpin of the Boney Goat Band. Thier CDs are some great old-time music, BTW. Steve was on break at a gig, went to get something to eat and was returning to the stage with a plate of food in one hand and a drink in the other. He tried to jump up on the stage, slipped and ripped a gash in his leg. He tried to treat it himself and not go to the doctor. He got cellulitis in his leg, complications of which led to heart failure some weeks later.

[dtb]

back in my gigging days............it was fairly dangerous every time I strapped the mando on.......

[bjc]

playing a gay biker bar when you didn't know it was a gay biker bar dangerous?

[glauber]

I'm sure you've seen this thread.

[thistle3585]

I got hit by lightning, aboard a sailboat, a couple years ago but a mandolin wasn't involved. Luckily the mast was properly grounded. I was watching fireworks and listening to a band while anchored in Chicago.

[JimRichter]

hea, JimRichte I bet I can match your "Gimme Three Steps" or "Can't You See" and raise you a "Free Bird" #

I'll see your "Free Bird" and raise you a "Flirtin' with Disaster"

Jim

[Ken Sager]

I'm always careful any gig where I did not personally set up the P.A. I've had my lips blistered from bad grounds and that is getting away easy. It starts to rain on a stage just say no.

Been there... I once lost a good portion of a goatee that way, plus I got to watch two strings on my Strat unwind and melt (molten orange strings) after I bumped the mic with the guitar. I saw stars but stayed upright that time.

I've never had a problem playing acoustic instruments into mics, but if it's wet I'm not touching anything and I won't stand in a puddle.

[Wesley]

I heard that rocker Dave Mason from Traffic saw a pile of speakers fall over and convert a collection of Martin guitars into some very expensive toothpicks. After that he started touring with Ovation guitars.

As for myself - I know I've lost some of the hearing in my right ear due to an amp. I was picking up a guitar pick when our lead guitar player cranked it up to 11. That was back in my rock and roll days however.

[Spruce]

Well then, there's this...