On my long-standing restaurant gigs, I am told to take a break whenever the floor manager wants top turn the crowd. This happens usually on week-ends. People have finished dinner and aren't drinking as much. People with later reservations arrive and their table is not ready.

I take a break until the manager says to go back.

Other than that, I do 1 hour and then take 10-15 minute breaks. Naturally, I adjust that a little. If the set has been devoid of a lot of people and a group shows up in the last 5 minutes, I play longer.

It's all about finding the pulse of the room. And it's also about playing at the correct volume and choosing songs that can be played in a manner that is not to "busy". I call this work playing 2nd fiddle to a ham sandwich (LOL)!


Russ