Filed by L. Wren after the third band in a row had a show go sideways under suspiciously similar conditions.

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It started in 1992 — depending on who you ask.

Downvent and Draught Bucket were co-headlining a basement set near the freight yard.
Dirk was mid-solo.
Derek hit the snare like he meant it.
The impact cracked one of Draught Bucket’s toms — a borrowed kit, patched together with duct tape and desperation.

Nobody blamed anyone.
But since that night?

Bad things tend to happen to bands that share a bill with Draught Bucket.

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📼 Known “Bucket” Incidents

• Static Visitor (drummer walked off mid-bridge, never returned to music)
• Empty Courier (bassist lost a string, then his temper, then his van keys)
• Felt Delay (guitarist swore he saw a ghost in the amp hiss)
• Chainmailed (vocalist coughed up a flyer — don’t ask)
• Downvent (Dirk broke a string five shows in a row on their next tour)

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🎙️ Scene Usage

“They broke the bucket.”
Means any of the following:

• The gear failed and maybe so did the band
• Someone combusted emotionally mid-set
• There’s feedback that doesn’t sound technical

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🧷 Cultural Notes

• No one in Draught Bucket has ever acknowledged the phrase
• Derek refuses to use it — says “I don’t joke about percussion”
• Stan denies being there, but several bootlegs suggest otherwise
• Luna has a sticker on her clipboard that just says: “⚠️ Bucket Watch”

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“If you crack a drum and the power flickers, maybe skip your encore.”
— overheard at The Spill, 1997

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