After tonight's gig I won't be quitting my day job for a full time one in music. I had the worst experience I've had in the 3 plus years I've been playing gigs. Tonight's gig really put into prospective the respect I have for those of you who do this full time.

Here's what happened, a friend of mine and OMB, booking agent and sometimes leader of a big band set up me for a great paying gig for 4 hours. (not a member of SZ). He has done this gig for years but had another one so he was nice enough to ask me to play it.

Here's where the trouble started. The gig was in what use to be a very large funeral home, but converted into a restaurant. It's a beautiful old historic building and in it's day I'm sure it was a considered a mansion. There are power problems in the building because the waiter tells me not all the outlets work. Anyway I plug my equipment in, then fire up the Bose and there's a POP. Gotta be a fuse, but I don't have any fuses with me. No problem I live about 15 minutes away and have plenty of time to get the Barbetta. 30 minutes later I'm back and plug in the Barbetta OUCH!!!! There goes the Barbetta, it blows a fuse. No problem there' a Radio Shack 8 blocks away. I get a 4 pack of fuses for the Bose, but not the Barbetta

I attempt to mount the new fuse into the Bose, when I finally get it in it still doesn't power up. But seems I've screwed up the plastic housing where the fuse sits. DAM I'm not having a good night and I'm now in the middle of " "Nightmare on Broadway" Another trip to Radio Shack, get the fuses, get the Barbetta fired up. It's now 8:30 PM I was scheduled to play from 6:30 to 10:30 PM. Started on the wrong foot, but got the crowd doing some Christmas sing alongs, played some dance music, the laptop wasn't necessary it was an older crowd, but had the laptop to do a DJ role just in case. The pay for the job was renegotiated, I ask the customer were you happy she said no, "I was not happy, you didn't fire up the crowd enough for the Christmas singalong. Oh it's not your fault your friend usually plays this and we really like him. OK, thanks lady, now I'll crawl back into my hole and disappear

As I say I have new found respect for people like Mikey Maestro, Gary D., DNJ, Don M. Bill from Dayton and Joe Avayla( not sure of the spelling Joe) and any of you who gig full time. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, now time to call it a day 5:30 AM is just 4 hours away. The good news is next week I'm playing gigs that are repeat business for me, so I won't have to crawl into a hole after playing them Yes there were lessons learned tonight for sure!!

[This message has been edited by Stephenm52 (edited 12-11-2008).]