Have you ever closed a bar?

[HeartachesNhangovers]

My user name suggests I've had my share of heartaches and hangovers, which is true, but really no more than most people. Mostly, the name has to do with my love of country music. Recently, I discovered Mike Stinson and his excellent song “I Will Live to Drink Again”. Great voice, great song, which is about the pain of being kicked out of the bar at closing time:

If you like this one, "The Jukebox in Your Heart" is just as good.

Anyways, when I'm in a bar, it's usually daytime, and in 57 years I have never been in a bar at closing time. I asked my wife and she said that when she lived in San Francisco, before we met, she frequently hung out with her cousin, and regularly closed down a couple of karaoke bars.

How about you?

[htuttle]

1. Yes, but I used to play in a bar band, so I could say I was 'working'

Of course, we usually finished our set by at least 1 AM, so the time left over after we loaded the van up and before bar time at 2 AM was really free time.

I've opened them at 6 AM, too.

In my defense, I was working 3rd shift.

[RKP5637]

5. I used to play in a little group that did a lot of VFW bars/parties, etc. ... and free drinks.

It always sounded good on the last set, I wonder how it really sounded??? LOL!

[htuttle]

14. We used to play a lot of parties, too

They usually got way crazier than playing in a bar, in terms of things like people dumping pitchers of beer over their heads, or plunging their faces into large warming table vats of sloppy joe meat.

Did I mention I'm from Wisconsin?

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, many times! n/t

[Shrike47]

3. Yes. I was in law school at the time.

[aka-chmeee]

4. Yep, Opened "The Draco Tavern" in 1994

closed it in 2005.

[Arkansas Granny]

8. Ah, yes. An interesting place.

[aka-chmeee]

18. Sounds like you are acquainted with Larry Niven! nt

[hibbing]

6. Too many times

Then when go to a friend's and drink even later. I'm glad that friend moved away.

Peace

[Arkansas Granny]

7. Oh, yes. Many times. 🍺🍸🍹🍷

And then go have breakfast.

[we can do it]

15. Same here.

[democratisphere]

9. Way more than I am willing to admit under oath.

Can't get away with that anymore, so I don't!
I love country music's song themes about drinking, women (or men ) and cheating.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Yes, about 4 or 5 decades ago.

[lapfog_1]

11. yes, hundreds of times

but then I owned the establishment so... doesn't count.

[Brother Buzz]

12. Back in the day, I worked the swing shift and closed the bar most every night

And let me tell you, Mickey Gilley was full of shit: The girls don't look prettier at closing time.

[left-of-center2012]

13. I rarely drink & don't like bars

Too many drunks and too much noise.

The more they drink, the louder they get.

[Delmette2.0]

16. Twice in one night.

First at my son's wedding reception, then at the hotel's bar. Whew, what a fun night!

[dameatball]

17. Yep. Gainesville in the 70's. Everything was free after closing and the occasional trip to Crescent

Beach to catch the sunrise and crash. I was an idiot.

[Hotler]

19. Shit!

I can remember doing lines of coke of the tops of pinball machines at 3:30-4:00 am in a dive bar on Broadway in Denver.........

[Stallion]

20. I Love Live Country Music and They Don't Really Start until About 10:30

so yes-quite often. I don't go out to about 11:00 though to compensate. I'm a professional napper before I go out

[retread]

21. Honky Tonkin

[Raven]

22. Yes, in Dublin Ireland after a "hooley," :-)

[tonekat]

23. The Closing Song

Many places have this song ready to play as closing time approaches:

[Iggo]

24. Hundreds and hundreds of times. (n/t)

[steve2470]

25. several times nt

[dchill]

26. I used to play in bands. We ALWAYS closed the bar down.

And got paid for it. Usually.

[appalachiablue]

27. Antoine's, est. 1840 in the French Quarter, New Orleans.

https://www.usmenuguide.com/antoines.htm

[Kali]

28. oh hell yes.

now we are old and we go to bed about the time the band starts

[James48]

29. Closing time

[Mike Nelson]

30. All the time...

… in college. They had a difficult time getting us out... but I'd be way to tired and haven't been to any bars lately.

[blogslut]

31. Closed em down, cashed out, wiped down the tables and stacked the chairs.

Then the real partying would begin