This is a long one...
I've seen incidents like that many times. The thing you mentioned that started was the condition of the venue. Each venue is faxed a copy of the technical rider by the booking agency, containing the minimum requirements for the band to play, days if not weeks ahead of the confirmed date.
The rider contains the neccessary equipment, including power output of the PA system, amount of free channels on the club mixer (a certain amount of the channels must be dedicated to EHC, and not for use by opening acts), amount of microphones needed, number of monitors needed, and number of stage hands to assist with load in and load out.
Many promoters will simply ignore this or assume the venue already has said items, resulting in us being really pissed off when we show up and see that the venue has a setup well below our minimum standards to perform. So we are faced with canceling the show at the last moment and not getting paid, or performing (and most likely sucking, because we can't hear ourselves on stage, or because the PA system cuts out), in order to get paid, we've had to kick the crap out of more than one promoter for trying to weasel out of paying us because we couldnt complete a set due to the condition of the venue's PA system.
In addition to this technical rider, the venue is also faxed a copy of the hospitality rider; which contains the items the venue must have on hand for the band. Such as: Drinks, food, changing area, etc. Many promoters will simply discard this rider (even though fulfilling it is in the contract) and try to bribe us with a 2 liter of coke and a pizza (that has actually happened).
So showing up to a substandard venue with no food or drink, combined with the fact that the band has probably been driving numerous hours prior to arrival to make load in on time, only to get stuck debating whether or not to cancel the show can make for a very cranky and abrasive group of people.
As for the gang bang rumor, well like I said it's hard to do that in a van. Its been my first hand experience though that the EHC does not need to make up stories of that nature, as it tends actually happen on a near regular basis while on tour.
The time frame you put it in puts me in the clear, as I had stepped down as Keyboardist in early 1998 and was uninvolved with the band until last year, so I can't tell you for sure what went down. I can however inquire as to whether or not Thomas, Rick, or Sabrina remember the incident, and see what they have to say about it.
OULobo- Not sure quite what to say to you there chief, other than that I'm sure EHC will return to Cleveland again some day.
