Concerts by the Butthole Surfers were never known for the pristine quality of their sound. For onstage antics - sure! For brain-buzzing psychedelics – of course! And certainly for volume. But when the seminal band returned to New York this week, frontman Gibby Haynes clearly had sound on the brain. The gig ended in chaos as Haynes assaulted the soundman and was escorted offstage by security.
Everything started happily enough. The Butthole Surfers were in fine form at Webster Hall on Tuesday night, crashing through fan favourites like Cowboy Bob, Cherub and Moving to Florida. It was the closing gig of a 14-date reunion tour that boasted the Buttholes' classic 80s lineup.
Nevertheless, something was up. Throughout the proceedings, Haynes was motioning to the soundman to turn up the volume in his monitor. Finally, about 50 minutes into the show, Haynes sauntered over to the monitor technician to have a word. If fans were expecting a fight, they would have been disappointed – Haynes merely high-fived the soundman and returned, smiling, to his mic.
Unfortunately, things got worse. The monitor began to feed back, Haynes showed the soundman his middle finger, the soundman reciprocated, and lickety split, Haynes was over at the soundman's desk, pinging him in the head with a beer bottle.
As the crowd roared its approval – or, to put it less kindly, sang its bloodlust - security guards grabbed Haynes and hustled him from the stage. Guitarist Paul Leary took over vocals for the set's closing tune, The Shah Sleeps in Lee Harvey's Grave – a "defiant, caustic rendition," according to Billboard - with the Buttholes fleeing the stage when they were done.
Though the audience hooted and hollered for an encore, chanting Haynes's name, it soon became clear that their efforts were in vain. The concert-goers' cheers then turned to boos. It is never a good sign when a member of Throbbing Gristle is the one who's trying to pacify a crowd – but this is what Genesis P-Orridge did, at least before he too was escorted from the stage.
Though the audience gradually calmed down – mostly thanks to the security filing in and glowering at them - the Buttholes never returned to the stage.
Haynes did, however, turn up at the Beauty Bar after-party, according to Prefix, putting rest to fears that he had been arrested. Presumably, the after-party sound met his lofty standards.
