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Strange Stage Stories from San Diego Musicians: Joel Kmak (The Farmers), Aquile, Tony Tonite (Sara Groban Band) and more...

Strange Stage Stories from San Diego Musicians: Aquile, Jan Tonnesen (of 1960's local heroes, The Contrasts), Tony Tonite (The Sara Groban Band), Joel Kmak (The Farmers, The Hitmakers) and Jarrod Lucas (The Phantoms, The Dragons) relate odd and interesting moments that have happened while performing...

Jan Tonnesen / The Contrasts: “In the mid-1960s my band was playing a New Years Eve gig at a Naval enlisted men's club at Ream Field. The place was packed with sailors and their girlfriends. We were in the middle of our four hour show when a fight broke loose on the dance floor. There were several people involved. We stopped playing. Our singer, Skinny Bolan, began singing the National Anthem. After a few bars the fight ended and the audience stood at attention. Skinny sang it to the end. The fight did not resume.”

Aquile: “I watched a robbery from the rooftop of Prospect Grill in La Jolla. Looking down on the street I witnessed one lady chase down another lady and tackle her. The lady held down the robber while the criminal screamed bloody murder. I just kept singing.”

Tony Tonite / Sara Groban Band: “I was playing at the Bacchanal and I was going commando at this show. I heard a voice from the crowd say, "Dude your fly is down." I almost panicked, but I had to play it cool, so I turn around by my bass stack. Unfortunately, I was wearing chains around my boots, so, as I zipped up my zipper, the chain of my boot snagged a guitar pedal on the floor. I tripped and knocked over a Marshall full stack amp. The amp was coming thru the PA system and everyone heard the reverb screaming. I was so embarrassed!”

Joel Kmak / The Farmers: “Two years ago at the annual Country Dick/Buddy Blue fest at the Belly Up during sound check Mojo Nixon says to me....."We gotta practice the Helicopter.” I say, “Whats that?” He says "It's where I pick you up and spin you around as I hold you over my head. Country Dick and I used to do it and even though I'm older, you’re smaller and weigh less than he did, so we should be fine." I say "no way!" But on stage in the middle of a song he calls me out so what else could I do? I lived to tell the tale. It's even on YouTube somewhere.”

Jarrod Lucas / The Phantoms, The Dragons: “I remember once, many years ago at the "old" Casbah, The Dragons were on stage and it happened to be my birthday. there was no mention of it and the show was running smoothly when all of a sudden, the crowd separated to make way for a topless woman who appeared with a birthday cake and a lit match on each nipple waiting for the song to end so I could blow out the "candles..."

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Jan Tonnesen / The Contrasts: “In the mid-1960s my band was playing a New Years Eve gig at a Naval enlisted men's club at Ream Field. The place was packed with sailors and their girlfriends. We were in the middle of our four hour show when a fight broke loose on the dance floor. There were several people involved. We stopped playing. Our singer, Skinny Bolan, began singing the National Anthem. After a few bars the fight ended and the audience stood at attention. Skinny sang it to the end. The fight did not resume.”

Aquile: “I watched a robbery from the rooftop of Prospect Grill in La Jolla. Looking down on the street I witnessed one lady chase down another lady and tackle her. The lady held down the robber while the criminal screamed bloody murder. I just kept singing.”

Tony Tonite / Sara Groban Band: “I was playing at the Bacchanal and I was going commando at this show. I heard a voice from the crowd say, "Dude your fly is down." I almost panicked, but I had to play it cool, so I turn around by my bass stack. Unfortunately, I was wearing chains around my boots, so, as I zipped up my zipper, the chain of my boot snagged a guitar pedal on the floor. I tripped and knocked over a Marshall full stack amp. The amp was coming thru the PA system and everyone heard the reverb screaming. I was so embarrassed!”

Joel Kmak / The Farmers: “Two years ago at the annual Country Dick/Buddy Blue fest at the Belly Up during sound check Mojo Nixon says to me....."We gotta practice the Helicopter.” I say, “Whats that?” He says "It's where I pick you up and spin you around as I hold you over my head. Country Dick and I used to do it and even though I'm older, you’re smaller and weigh less than he did, so we should be fine." I say "no way!" But on stage in the middle of a song he calls me out so what else could I do? I lived to tell the tale. It's even on YouTube somewhere.”

Jarrod Lucas / The Phantoms, The Dragons: “I remember once, many years ago at the "old" Casbah, The Dragons were on stage and it happened to be my birthday. there was no mention of it and the show was running smoothly when all of a sudden, the crowd separated to make way for a topless woman who appeared with a birthday cake and a lit match on each nipple waiting for the song to end so I could blow out the "candles..."

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