I Actually Thought Something in the PA System Had Blown Up

March 19, 2014 8:15 PM

There are two main options when a sneeze is coming - let it happen, or try to ride it out. The decision often depends on your situation. For one unlucky trombonist, it was while playing in an orchestra at a church in Tiptree, Essex. He tried to ride the sneeze. He failed (SLYT). (via)

"A sneeze, burp or hiccup is inconsequential for a percussionist, while the trombone is probably the worst of all, he says. The instrument is often used to provide an edgy, aggressive sound. 'When you then add a sneeze to the natural tendencies of the instrument, it's a lethal combination.'"

posted by 4ster (21 comments total)

Needs "trom-boner" tag.
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:18 PM on March 19, 2014 [5 favorites]

I was secretly hoping to see the slide launched into the audience.
posted by 445supermag at 8:29 PM on March 19, 2014 [43 favorites]

[sad trombone]
posted by yoink at 8:30 PM on March 19, 2014 [14 favorites]

I started laughing as I read the FPP, continued laughing harder watching the video and then suddenly

HONK

This was beautiful.
posted by griphus at 8:33 PM on March 19, 2014 [4 favorites]

also
posted by griphus at 8:35 PM on March 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

Next up...
Tuba sneezes.
posted by BlueHorse at 8:35 PM on March 19, 2014

BLAAT
posted by mudpuppie at 8:41 PM on March 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

Oh, that is just so perfect. I can't stop replaying it and I keep just killing myself laughing on each replay. A beautiful de-stressing life-is-absurd-and-wonderful laugh. Thank you!
posted by erlking at 8:48 PM on March 19, 2014 [1 favorite]

Yes, this is genuine Laugh Out Loud material here. Sending the link to some 'bone playing friends.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 8:54 PM on March 19, 2014 [2 favorites]

This version with a baby elephant made me wonder if something in my body had blown up.
posted by emptythought at 9:32 PM on March 19, 2014 [11 favorites]

Kind of reminded me of this ...
posted by carter at 11:20 PM on March 19, 2014 [3 favorites]

my heart goes out to this man.
posted by Jon_Evil at 12:08 AM on March 20, 2014

The conductor was on Danny Bakers Radio 5 show last Saturday , podcast ( about 1 hour 14 minutes in ). He said the composer heard the sound and said "if he knew that was possible he would have written it in"
posted by stuartmm at 12:50 AM on March 20, 2014 [9 favorites]

Poor guy, I feel so bad laughing at this and yet, I am still laughing.
posted by viramamunivar at 2:12 AM on March 20, 2014

Curiously, the fact that the actual audience does not appear to react makes this even funnier. It's like Spike Jones wandered into the church by mistake and tried to liven things up, to no avail.
posted by kinnakeet at 5:41 AM on March 20, 2014

I think it's just part of the instrument.

Or not.
posted by plinth at 6:45 AM on March 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

This may be one of the most naturally funny things I've ever encountered. Something about it just gets me. I didn't even have to watch the video and I was in fits. So good.
posted by that's candlepin at 6:46 AM on March 20, 2014 [2 favorites]

Trombones? In church? What will they think of next!
posted by sneebler at 7:49 AM on March 20, 2014

Oh god that is even funnier than I imagined

I have had to make many sneeze / cough decisions on stage, sometimes with painful or hilarious results, but at least THANK GOD I did not have a trombone to help.
posted by KathrynT at 9:01 AM on March 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

There is something intrinsically hilarious about the trombone. I have been laughing until I cried at this, and I was doing so before I even viewed the video.

Just the thought of someone sneezing into a trombone was enough to destroy me.
posted by scrump at 9:11 AM on March 20, 2014 [2 favorites]

Literal tears in my eyes.

I need this as a message alert or something.
posted by one teak forest at 11:27 PM on March 20, 2014 [1 favorite]