Security work demands clear instructions.

So when a longtime bouncer for a live music venue was told that no one could enter through a side entrance, he took it very seriously — even if it meant turning the main act away.

Read on for the full story!

No one enters

25 years ago I worked as a bouncer in RI at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel.

Lupo’s was an amazing live music venue.

He shares more about where he was stationed that night.

I was working the side door to the establishment; the door was only used to let in members of the bands playing that night or employees.

The band playing that night was George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic.

The opening band had already come in and all the employees working as well. George and the band were still in their tour bus.

Then his boss gave him a set of very puzzling instructions.

This is when the head bouncer walks over to me and says that “no one else is to come through the side door.”

To this day I have no idea why; he had never said this before.

With a confused look on my face I asked, “Nobody?”

“Nobody,” he repeated.

He clarifies it over and over, but the boss persists.

Still perplexed I asked again, “Nobody? No matter who they are or who they are with?”

“Nobody!” he practically screamed at me.

“Okay,” I conceded.

Soon came someone who really needed to be let in that very entrance.

Not five minutes later one of the band’s roadies came to the door and told me they were ready to come in.

So the bouncer complied with his boss’ ill-advised orders.

I told him that they would have to go to the main entrance.

And this made the main act mad.

He looked confused as he had already been back and forth through the door multiple times while setting up.

I told him my boss just told me that nobody, no matter who they were, could come in this way.

Visibly ticked, he turned and went around to the main entrance.

It didn’t take long for the boss to change his mind on these instructions.

One minute later my boss came storming over to me, looking both ticked and sheepish at the same time, and tells me to let in anyone with the band.

I just smiled at him and nodded my head.

The boss couldn’t believe what happened next.

One minute later the band and the band’s hang-arounds and groupies and random fans that were on the bus all come strolling in.

All told, about thirty people.

I could see my boss seething up by the main entrance as they all came in.

Bet the boss wishes he would have been more clear now.

What did Reddit have to say?

This commenter claims they were there that very night.

Sometimes it’s important to ask follow-up questions.

Some touring acts are larger than others.

This bouncer hadn’t broken any rules — in fact, he followed them perfectly.

The boss learned that night that unclear orders can lead to very clear consequences.

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.