“Smile and keep going. That’s my message”: Watch the moment Kiko Loureiro’s strap falls off mid-solo – in front of Guthrie Govan

Kiko Loueiro has been keeping himself busy since leaving Megadeth last year, but his recent cameo appearance jamming live with Guthrie Govan didn't quite go to plan.  

It reads like something from a nightmare: you’ve been invited up on stage to jam with one of the best guitarists in the world, you play a big, soul-stirring bend... and then your guitar falls from its strap and slams on the floor. 

Luckily, the Brazilian shredder took the faux pas in his stride, and used it as an important lesson to all of his Instagram followers: “Things don’t always go as planned,” he says. “Smile and keep going. That’s my message.” 

Having been invited to jam with Guthrie Govan, Loueiro says he hurried on to the stage with his electric guitar, “only to realize the strap lock wasn’t properly attached.” 

You can see a look of shock – mixed with a dash of embarrassment – as his red Ibanez KIKO100 signature guitar falls, escapes his clutches and crunches onto the stage floor. He's then seen re-strapping the guitar before nonchalantly continuing with the jam, like a true professional.

While the video is a great advertisement for the value of strap locks, it also showcases his guitar's tuning stability, with its tuning seemingly untouched despite the impact.

“Despite the rush,” he adds, “the guitar is alive and well, better than ever.” That's good news indeed. It could have been a lot worse for that poor Ibanez.

Since stepping down from Megadeth, Loureiro teamed up with Plini and Neural DSP for a new song, Out of the Void.

He’s also recently listed his Megadeth gear on Reverb, offering a slice of thrash metal history to fans with dollars to spare.