I’ve written several blogs over the past year about local musicians who’ve had beloved instruments and amplifiers stolen.
This time it hits close to home. The Hell Cats (I sing and play guitar in the band) played a gig Saturday night at The Grotto. The place was packed and so was the parking lot. Hell Cat bassist Randall Christopher parked his pickup in the overflow parking area on the other side of 5th Street. It’s paved, well lit, and in view of passing cars on University Drive.
The Hell Cats played first, and when we were done we had to remove our equipment to make room for the next band. Most of us put our instruments in a van next to the Grotto’s side door, but Christopher put his bass inside his pickup.
Then we all hung around to listen to the other bands and have a few beers.
At closing time, Christopher discovered his truck window was broken and the bass was gone.
“Somebody probably saw me put it in the truck and then they stole it,” he said.
Of all the stories I’ve written about musicians who lost musical equipment, none have had happy endings — nobody’s actually recovered their missing items. So Christopher is out a bass.
And some jerkwad thief is probably snorting crack with the proceeds from the ill-gotten gain. Hopefully the dealer cuts his product with salt peter.
Man, that truly blows. Very sorry to hear that Randall is now sans electric bass.
And the thief is now sans an erection.