Worst Gig Ever With Geoff Garlock And Mike Pace

After one hundred (give or take) episodes, a seven-part web series, and innumerable references to “the promise of the West,” WORST GIG EVER has come to an end.  A heartfelt thanks to all of our guests, listeners, sponsors, and everyone who shared stories or made them happen; we got a lot out of this and we hope you did, too.  Check out some of our parting thoughts in this brief epilogue ep.  We shall be seeing you in other projects soon, so please GET HOME SAFE!  

We celebrate our 100th episode much the way we did our 1st, by bringing a member of one of our own bands on to talk about life and how to live it.  This time it's Dan Fetherston, Oxford Collapse drummer extraordinare, steamed cheeseburger enthusiast and caretaker of the oldest haus in Brukelyn, who reminds us of the time the Collapse decided to "jam" onstage in front of a paying audience instead of playing their songs.  We also talk about the demise of the OC and our most annoying habits, debate the merits of Guns 'N Roses, touring in your thirties, and stealing drum hardware from your local elementary school.  Hordes of heady times on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

Limbs fly when Chris Norris jumps out of the back of the van and into "the studio" to bring forth the epic tale of Reversal of Man's ill-fated 2000 European tour.  This one's a checklist of wondrous worsts, from towed vans and missed merch to suspicious squats and gross grub.  We also discuss Chris' transition from the "sexless" world of self-righteous hardcore to behind-the-scenes in the hardcore world of BDSM and the art therein.  Lots of fear and self-loathing on this week's WORST GIG EVER!    

  There’s gonna be “more keys in the monitor” when journeyman musico Jared Van Fleet “sustains” a trip to the studio to debate house sound guys vs. bringing your own, giving up music to become a “businessman,” how start-ups are like bands, lifestyles vs. deathstyles, and ultimately balancing a 9 to 5 with the touring life.  More than a couple fifteen minute smoke breaks on this week’s WORST GIG EVER!  

Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight when Black Anvil/None More Black bassist Paul Delaney shows up in the alley behind "the studio" armed with a sock full of quarters and a bunch of bone-crushing, slap-happy worst gig tales.  From European skinhead madness to Floridian "Pantera skin" malevolence - with a few internet-related threats and stops in Queens in between - Paul takes us on a tour of some tuff turf, as only a man who plays in two bands with the word "black" in their names can (Black Anvil's new record, Hail Death, comes out on Relapse Records on May 27th).  Gallons of goats' blood on this week's WORST GIG EVER!  

There's going to be a "Youth Attack" when a couple of dudes in their mid 30's get together very far from Tony Victory's house to kibitz with the awesome Mark McCoy about some of the lowlights from his time in seminal bands like Charles Bronson and Das Oath.  Scary European squats, coping with onstage injuries, playing with bandmates you've never met, being influenced by MAD Magazine, and performing in shorts are just a few of the pathways we'll go down.  Bundles of buttflaps on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

It's a belly to belly suplex of bone-crushingly brutal baddies when Rob Blatt (aka "Bobby Phobia") joins us in the squared circle for a no-holds barred talk about pro wrestling, music, and sideshow performing.  From a makeshift, disastrous tour with his college band, to wrestling in a dog-collar match, to the ins and outs of transporting a homemade bed of nails, Rob covers a lot of interdisciplinary crummy gigs with the bravura of a seasoned color commentator.  Gaggles of grappling on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

Get a glimpse into the "Brotherhood of Session Bassists" when ace-rhythm man Matt Rubano pops 'n slaps his way through a bushel of blatant bad ones, from performing with children on The View, to performing for children at Tommy Hilfiger's son's birthday party, to a very bizarre audition for 30 Seconds to Mars.  Matt also divulges his love for improv and stretches his comedic chops like a new pair of heavy gauge D'addarios on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

We're halfway to a minyan when comic Noah Gardenswartz shows up with a tale of terrible stand-up tour, bookended by two very similar (and very bad) gigs at synagogues.  Among other things, Noah's got a unique approach to Jewish humor and is equally informed by his upbringing in Denver and Atlanta and coming up in "urban" rooms (don't worry, plenty of bar mitzvah discussion in there, too).  Lots of l'chaim on this week's WORST GIG EVER!  

We head "down to the crossroads" with amazing guitarist/songwriter/person Kaki King, who delivers worst gig tale goods with the classic trifecta of accidents, innapropriate venues, and food poisoning.  We also delve into Kaki's appreciation of new age music, her drumming skills, performing with the Foo Fighters, how she deals with press, and performing at school graduations.  Fonts of fingerpicking on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

Funny lady Emmy Blotnick takes a break from applying lipstick and joins us “in the Belly Room" to share stories of performing stand-up in warehouses, working for an old hag, writing for Nikki and Sara Live,meditating, and generally flying by the seat of her pants.  We’re all eating it on this week’s WORST GIG EVER!

The black leather driving gloves come off when We Are Scientists bassman/resident jokester Chris Cain enters "the band area" with KO-kaliber tales of slagging off in the U.K. press, fighting other bands, hosting awards shows, and being a "rock star dad.  We also get into WAS's patented brand of comedy "behind the music," and celebrate the release of their brand spankin' new album, TV en Francais.  "Bass in your face say peace see ya later" on this week's WORST GIG EVER!  

It most definitely doesn't "smell like Sao Paolo" when actor/comic/playwright/songwriter Taylor Negron "delivers a pizza" in the form of some incredible stories from his thirty-plus years in the business.  From attempting to do stand-up in Alaska to playing multiple deliverymen in some of the most beloved comedies of the 1980s to his uneasy relationship with Rodney Dangerfield on the set of Easy Money to "smelling crack" while shooting Nothing But Trouble, Taylor dispenses equal doses of mystic wisdom, goofy jokes, and quick-witted asides.  Follow a flock of fantastic film-biz fables on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

Take a peek behind The Nylon Curtain when Liberty DeVitto - the man behind the backbeat to some of the most beloved songs of the 20th century - grants us exclusive access to his vast reservoir of worst gigs from his thirty years playing drums with Billy Joel.  From crew members hilariously sabotaging songs and Spinal Tap-esque drum riser malfunctions at huge arena shows to loading their own gear in the early days while driving around in rental cars and throwing McDonalds shakes at one another, it's an awesome look into life playing music at a level alien to most of us.  Liberty talks about everything from living at this parents' house to doing session work for Rick Wakeman to why he hates his drumming on "My Life" to Attila.  Tons of tales from the attic on this week's WORST GIG EVER!    

It's a Coal Miner's Glove Steel Cage Tuxedo Street Fight when the very funny Mike Lawrence "hits a spot" on the "Spanish announcers' table" and slings his own bag o' tricks into the ring.  From working and eating at McDonalds, to listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to what changes when you start earning a living from comedy, Mike's got an anecdote for 'em all.  Also we talk pro wrestling.  Lots and lots of pro wrestling.  Tons of Typhoons and Earthquakes on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

It's a "Misty Mt. Mombaccus Hop" when the very talented, very funny Eleanor Friedberger drops in with a baker's dozen of fantastic bad gigs.  From playing festivals with the Fiery Furnances at 10:20am to smashing bottles over the head of the singer of Jet to violent "European-style" diarrhea attacks to "that time of the month" happening onstage, Eleanor lets it all hang hilariously out.  We also talk of sibling rivalry and how her music has brought her parents back together, as well as her thoughts on what it would be like to play rhythm guitar for the Black Crowes.  There's definitely a "remedy" for the winter blues on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

Hilarity ensues as jack-of-all-comedic-trades Arthur Meyer "does panel" with the guys; sharing awful anecdotes about improvising at the New York International Auto Show on behalf of the 2013 Ford Taurus, farting in the theater during Bad Teacher, touring with the "bad boys of sketch" Pangea 3000, and the ins and outs of writing for Jimmy Fallon.  Arthur also gives a couple of "rock recommendations" and attempts to figure out if he could fit everyone he's ever met in one stadium.  Bellowsfull of belly laughs on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

"The kids will have their say" when Jason Hamacher (drummer of Frodus/Decahedron/Combatwoundedveteran/Regents/Battery) shows up "at the Wilson Center" with a literal suitcase full of super-memorable worst gigs.  From infiltrating Latino biker gangs in Montana to playing high school graduations in Nebraska to gutting skinheads in DC to what lead to the break-up of Frodus, Jason delivers the goods.  Not content with a buttload of killer 90's punk/hc tales?  We also discuss Jason's time in Syria and his work documentating ancient religious prayers and songs.  If you're not now you never were on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

Loveable stand-up Joyelle Nicole breaks bread with the boys "outside the perimeter" and shares a slew of great gnarly gigs including performing for redneck racist bar regulars named Kermit, her first ill-fated headlining show in Georgia, and dealing with shady promoters.  In addition, there's plenty of real talk about accomplishments, self-image, jealously, the inevitable comparisons to peers, strip clubs, and advice from Dave Chappelle.  Heaps of healthy humanity on this week's WORST GIG EVER!

There's no bench fee when former Parts & Labor noisenik Dan Friel stops by "customer service" to chat about disastrous van breakdowns en route to SXSW, communal eating in crazy punk houses, coming up in New York during the heady days of the mid-aughts, the eventual "extreme hiatus" of P&L, and the benefits of touring as a solo artist.  It's a gaggle of grumpy old men on this week's WORST GIG EVER!