One time, I sang a George Strait song (All My Ex's Live In Texas) and changed a line to include the local town name. The song went well and then it was break time. I was talking to my girlfriend and two cowboys come up and proceeded to tell me what an a-hole I was, that I had insulted the King. George. Because I had changed a line in his song.

Friends and the bouncer took care of them before it got ugly but it was headed for trouble.

I just thought that was silly. Of course, some guys just like to fight. Back in the old days, fights were quite common. It seems to have mellowed.

I grew up with some pretty rough characters. Man, they'd fight just to fight. Start fights just for the hell of it. A little bitty guy, friend of mine, he'd do stuff like tell our hoodlum friend, "Man, you see that guy over there with the baseball cap? He said you're cowboy hat makes you look like a wannabe cowboy." The fight was on. Just stupid stuff he'd make up.

Just curious if it's ever happened to you. And why? What did you do (as a musician) to incur the redneck rath?

I had a good friend, now departed, that once told me he never worried about getting cut up in a redneck bar. He never went to them.
Raise your sights, Bill. You are better than that place in Plain Dealing!
I was booked into a bar in Shreveport a few years ago, filling in for a friend. I packed up and left after the second fight broke out. I should have left after the first one.
DonM

That's one of the many reasons I no longer play at the Blood & Guts Saloon in Havre de Grace, Maryland. Can't stand the drunks and cigarette smoke. Besides, I've always prided myself as being smart enough to be a lover instead of a fighter.

Find another place to play Bill--you just might manage to save yourself from serious injuries or something worse.

Good Luck,

Gary

Haha, the bar with the George Strait worshipper was in the big city!

My biggest problem with seedier places is not fighting, it's cig smoke. God, it's awful. These people CHAIN SMOKE, damn near every one of them.

EDIT: Haha, I posted about cig smoke and then read again and you said same thing, Gary. Yuck.

Yeah, I did a private party last weekend. Ah, fresh air. No fights. People listened and applauded. I got paid. How refreshing.

EDIT: I also found another thread on fights:
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum35/HTML/000276.html

[This message has been edited by SemiLiveMusic (edited 05-17-2005).]

I know a great way to avoid smoke and fights... Play in churchs! I do it all the time! Plus you get many early nights.. On at 6:00 ot 7:00 off by 10:00.! Kids come too! It's always great to see some kids in the back of the room playing. It sure beats the heck out of drunks wanting to "throw down" all the time.

Bob
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Happens all the time, and not just at redneck bars. One of the worst customers I have who always wants to fight is the coach of a nationally rated college basketball team (not UK). After two drinks, he's ready to fight, verbally abusive and actually takes swings at people. Another is a frequent guest...a great big country singer- guy who has won multiple grammys in the last few years.

This is all at the most upscale restaurnat in town (I know, you'll say...it's in Kentucky). It's alcohol in a patio environment.Rednecks don't have a lock on
showing their *ss!

The help in this place is mostly female college students. As a non-drinker, I watch out for them and diffuse problems. Occasionally, there's a confrontation, but, sadly, wherever you are, even in upscale places, it's gonna happen.


Russ

I know some old churchs here in Germany which have a very good accoustic and, the very best of all, a great pipe organ!!!

I promise you...J.S.Bach's Tokata still sounds absolutely gigantic, haunting, igneous, spirited...PERFECT in those old churchs!!!

I would really like to play a rock concert in a church with a big pipe organ. I would tend to take choice of smaller power amps because the room isn't as big as in a concert hall...

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Greetings from Frankfurt (Germany),
Sheriff ;-)