A New Show, an Old Show, and a Wedding

Yesterday ended up being a smooth, easy show...almost. The show was the Gaithers at the East KY Expo Center. We have done this show a few times and it has always went well. This time it was even easier it seemed. We had a pretty small crew, and the production wasn't too crazy, so it made for an easier day.

Remember my last blog where I mentioned for the first time in the history of me being in the business we finished and was let go after three hours? Well...It happened again! I was speechless and kept asking the stage manager, "Are you sure?"

So the show was ready and went on as scheduled.

Load out started great. We had everything down, off the stage, and in the loading area in less than 45 minutes.

This is where if fell apart. Don't get me wrong, this crew was great to work with and were wonderful all day. But at this point they decided they wanted to pack the truck different because they would only need about half of the stuff for the show the next day. So things where loaded, unloaded, discussed, discussed some more...FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF!! This load out  should of only taken a total of an hour and and half. But things could have been worse...a lot worse as a matter of fact.


Ok so the first two shows I wrote about have been pretty calm. So I figured I would tell you a little story from one of the worst shows I have worked. Actually it may have been the worst. The show was Motley Crue. It was the first show in the Corbin Arena that pyrotechnics were used. At the first blast of fire the fire alarm went off, which caused the house lights to come on. Here was the band rocking Dr Feelgood and boom...lights on!! I was freaking out, the building staff was freaking out, and the crew and promoter was freaking out on me. We couldn't override the system so we ended up flipping breakers off. The show continued. At that point I told the operations manager (who is no longer with the building) that I would radio him when the lights needed to be turned on. He would stand by the breakers and flip them on at my command. So I took a deep breath and told myself  "OK I got this. The lights are back off, the show is going, and I have a plan in action that will fix everything." You can see in the this pic where the house lights are on above the stage.

At the end of the show, I have my crew ready to start tearing it down, and I was standing on the ramp to the stage waiting for the show to end. I was instructed that the band would step to the back of the stage for a moment but then go back out and do one more song for an encore. At that point they would leave the stage and I could signal for the lights to come on.

Sounds like a good plan right? Right? Well, as soon as the band does their fake good night and steps to the back of the stage the houselights came on. Yep, Mr Operations Manager took it on himself to turn the lights on because he thought the show was over. Of course people began to leave...while all the time I not only had the promoter and the production manager screaming at me to get the lights off, I also had Tommy Lee screaming at me from the stage, and I quote, "Get the F****NG Lights off!" And of course Mr Operations Manager couldn't hear me because we was back out in the crowd. At that point I really thought I was on some kind of punked or hidden camera show.

There ya go..one of my worst shows ever!


On that note I want to leave you with a little fun. My niece Allie turned 6 yesterday. I had seen a Barbie cruise ship online a few months ago and knew I just had to get her one when her birthday came. So tonight Ken and Barbie had my dream cruise ship wedding.

Thanks again for being part of The Life and Times of the Boss Lady.