1st gig-non paying-1977, My high school band played at a dance marathon...no money

1st gig-paying-1977, Played w/same band above outside for a summer picnic for our guitar players Dad's American Legion in Monroeville, PA. Pretty sure we each made $25.

1st song-Can't get enough of your love-Bad Company

Worst gig-1999, my drummer fed me a strong lead to a lounge in Dayton, OH. This club was known for mostly 70's rock but in talking to the owner, they assured me they really wanted to bring in some new kinds of music for their patrons. (I WAS UP FRIKKIN' FRONT ABOUT THE KIND OF STUFF WE PLAYED!!!) They booked us for the full weekend (Fri/Sat)

By the 4th or 5th song I realized we were in trouble...Apparently all those people that "wanted" something different stayed home or something. On the 2nd set, realizing this was not going well at all, I approached the owner and offered knock $100 off that night's wages and we'd stop now. They could find someone else for Saturday night. She looked at me kinda funny and said, "F*ck those clowns-I think you're great and I work tomorrow night so I want you back anyway..."

Ugh...

Its worth mentioning that whole weekend was just weird. My sax player's dad passed away early on Friday and while he insisted on playing the gig, his mind-understandably-was elsewhere...My bass player (who I would wind up firing)lectured me that I couldn't add a female singer or a guitar player...we had to stay a quartet and not under any circumstances become a 5 piece. His rationale? "I have no right to reduce his pay..."

Best gig-One that comes to mind is when another band I was in performed at the Three Rivers Arts Festival at Point State Park in Pittsburgh. The estimates from the people running the event put the crowd that night around 30 thousand. We had one of those "Live Aid" size PA's and the weather was perfect. My family was in the front row and they seemed to take me & my music a little more seriously after that, lol...

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Bill in Dayton

[This message has been edited by Bill in Dayton (edited 11-27-2008).]