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"Blood,
Bottles and Chicken Wire" by John Taglieri
We had just gotten finished playing the Iowa State Fair for about 25,000
or so people the week before, so that was fresh in our minds. The place
held maybe 200 or so, but it looked cool on the outside. We were set
to play this place for four days. So we go in to check the place out
before set up and we notice that the stage is wrapped from end to end
in chicken wire. Our first thought was, "HUH??" The manager comes over
and we asked what was with the chicken wire around the stage. He said
it was for our own good and trust him, we'd be glad it was there, but
he wouldn't tell us any more! All he would say was that no matter what,
just keep playing.
This happened the first two nights we played, but the third night was
the funniest. The usual fight broke out and we just kept playing. But
this time the guys fighting wound up near the stage. One guy grabbed the
other and raked his face across the front of the stage...right across
the chicken wire!! What a site! We stood there, still playing, watching
this poor guy get his face dragged across the wire!! He got all cut up,
and then got his ass totally kicked! We were all wincing and feeling the
pain for him! As sad as it was, it was funny to see...it was like watching
a movie in real life! You just don't get to see that everyday!
When we were done with the 4th night, the manager came up to us, said
he loved the band and asked if we were glad the wire was up! We told
him that we were completely happy that it was there! Outside of getting
very wet, we didn't get hurt and none of our equipment got trashed.
It's the one and only time I've ever experienced that kind of place.
Too funny! I left the band before they ever played there again!
John Taglieri
Hey Tagster, it wasn't too wise to share this story with the Aerosmith
management. They stole the concept for the "What It Takes" video... :-)
Bandi
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I was playing drums and singing in a band named Dr. Max and we were
touring the US doing the fair and festival circuit. At the end of the
summer we started doing some clubs to keep the schedule full. We got a
gig in a club in Duncan, Oklahoma...I don't remember the name of the club
anymore. Anyway, we pull up and it looked like most of the little clubs
we'd been playing in that area. Your standard roadhouse gig.
So we set up and go
back to our hotel to get ready. When we get back to the club, it's already
pretty crowded. We start playing and sure enough, within the first 20
minutes of our show, a fight breaks out in the club. No biggie we thought,
we'd seen a lot of fights...until the bottles started flying! Apparently
this club had brawls on a frequent basis and more then one per night!!
Well, before we knew it, we were soaking wet with beer, but thank god
the chicken wire was up to stop the bottles and mugs from hitting us.
We definitely would have been hit a few times, no question about it! At
one point, a chair even went flying, though not at the stage. We laughed
it off and kept playing. They cleared the fights out and the nights resumed
as if nothing had happened....just good old boys having some redneck fun!