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#332029 - 09/28/11 04:05 PM
Regular job or "one nighters"?
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7285
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
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It used to be easy...5 or 6 nights...no equipment to move...usually free food and a room (if the job was at a hotel).
I did it for years. Now, there aren't that many "house" jobs, and if you take one, after 6 months or so, you've lost all your "one nighters". Plus, per night, the money isn't that good.
I left a 14 year summer (patio) job two years ago that was almost perfect (except for nightly set-up, carry in-out, weather and obnoxious regulars). I started in May and had my entire "off" season....7 months) booked at almost twice the money as the house job paid within 45 days...most of the work was repeat. .
The first year I was gone held up pretty good, but the second year was a little light on the party side. Regulars would run into me at a party and tell me that they called the old establishment, but the cashier didn't even know me.
I've been offered the premo house job in town. The catch is, it's 5 nights a week-8:00 PM till 11, with subs frowned upon.
And, you guessed it, the money is $150.00 plus food and a room.
Same old challenge...different place and time.
What to do....?
Russ
It's an "all eggs in one basket" deal.
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#332039 - 09/29/11 04:18 AM
Re: Regular job or "one nighters"?
[Re: captain Russ]
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/30/06
Posts: 3944
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It used to be easy...5 or 6 nights...no equipment to move...usually free food and a room (if the job was at a hotel).
I did it for years. Now, there aren't that many "house" jobs, and if you take one, after 6 months or so, you've lost all your "one nighters". Plus, per night, the money isn't that good.
I left a 14 year summer (patio) job two years ago that was almost perfect (except for nightly set-up, carry in-out, weather and obnoxious regulars). I started in May and had my entire "off" season....7 months) booked at almost twice the money as the house job paid within 45 days...most of the work was repeat. .
The first year I was gone held up pretty good, but the second year was a little light on the party side. Regulars would run into me at a party and tell me that they called the old establishment, but the cashier didn't even know me.
I've been offered the premo house job in town. The catch is, it's 5 nights a week-8:00 PM till 11, with subs frowned upon.
And, you guessed it, the money is $150.00 plus food and a room.
Same old challenge...different place and time.
What to do....?
Russ
It's an "all eggs in one basket" deal. Russ, A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, this can't be too hard a decision to make. But do keep us posted about what you do, nothing like feedback, not the mic type! Good Luck Tony
_________________________
Tyros 4/Pair SR 350/ PC with a i8 intel chip, XENYX 802, Ford Focus 2 litre/Tascam DR07/Brother printer/Designjet 500/ our Doris/5 Grandchildren/ white boxers short Kymart shipped over and Typhoo Tea Earl Grey
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#332044 - 09/29/11 07:24 AM
Re: Regular job or "one nighters"?
[Re: captain Russ]
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Senior Member
Registered: 11/12/08
Posts: 2442
Loc: Bluffton/Hilton Head SC USA
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Russ
Nice problem to have. A friend of mine has an open gig at a restaurant. Any weekend night he's not doing a party he can play there. He also has some good subs, myself included, who they trust him to send in. Perfect situation.
The part about them not liking subs is what bothers me. If you had a quality fill in person it could be a plus for both of you. You get a break and get to do a $$$ party and they get a break from you, in a good way. Jobs like that can get stale for both sides. I remember a great organist/keyboarist who did 6 nights in a restaurant. At 11PM the waitresses would all try to be in the kitchen because thats the time he always did Chatannoga Choo Choo with LOUD train noises on his Mini Moog HA!
Anyway its pretty simple. Where are you in your playing career? Trying to make a living or doing it for fun/part time/ extra cash. Doing it for a living you gotta go with the sure thing. I myself wouldn't want to be that tied down anymore, its more "beer money" for me so I just do the parties for good $$$.
Either way good luck, its good to hear that real music lives!
Bill in NJ
_________________________
Bill in SC --- Roland BK9 (2) Roland BK7M, Roland PK5 Pedals, Roland FP90, Roland CM30 (2), JBL Eon Ones (2) JBL 610 Monitor, Behringer Sub, EV mics, Apple iPad (2) Behringer DJ mixer
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#332088 - 09/30/11 11:12 AM
Re: Regular job or "one nighters"?
[Re: Tony Hughes]
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7285
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
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I guess the problem for me is, the low paying but very public jobs are where I book not only my higher paying private parties but a lot of my "day work". I do communications research, retail packaging, web sites and other electronic communications projects and lots of video based work requiring sound scores. A good day client is worth at least $100,000.00 a year.
The place is frequented by money people and Lexington is a s "one horse" town, with a very distinct line between social groups.
I'm now the "go to" piano guy for society jobs...not because of talent but because I've outlived everyone else.
My last house job was summers on a patio. It started in May and ended in October. By the middle of June, I had my 200 plus winter jobs booked.
This is a year-round job, which means I will have to give up lots of my one-nighters. One "one-nighter" is actually several trips of two weeks duration overseas. A week overseas pays the same as a year in the restaurant.
It's an "eggs in one basket" situation. I want to do it all, and that just can't happen.
To maintain the contact with the public, I need part-time exposure thru this type of restaurant. This is a full-time job.
It's a problem, but a good problem to have, I guess.
Thanks,
Russ
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#332094 - 09/30/11 12:11 PM
Re: Regular job or "one nighters"?
[Re: captain Russ]
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Senior Member
Registered: 05/26/99
Posts: 9673
Loc: Levittown, Pa, USA
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I guess the problem for me is, the low paying but very public jobs are where I book not only my higher paying private parties but a lot of my "day work". I do communications research, retail packaging, web sites and other electronic communications projects and lots of video based work requiring sound scores. A good day client is worth at least $100,000.00 a year.
The place is frequented by money people and Lexington is a s "one horse" town, with a very distinct line between social groups.
I'm now the "go to" piano guy for society jobs...not because of talent but because I've outlived everyone else.
My last house job was summers on a patio. It started in May and ended in October. By the middle of June, I had my 200 plus winter jobs booked.
This is a year-round job, which means I will have to give up lots of my one-nighters. One "one-nighter" is actually several trips of two weeks duration overseas. A week overseas pays the same as a year in the restaurant.
It's an "eggs in one basket" situation. I want to do it all, and that just can't happen.
To maintain the contact with the public, I need part-time exposure thru this type of restaurant. This is a full-time job.
It's a problem, but a good problem to have, I guess.
Thanks,
Russ Hey Russ, to me, it looks like you answered your own question...Column A ...and Column B...it adds up to a strong decline of this "long" term job..It would interfere with your exsisiting schedule..and could bring harm to your pricing polocies with your higher financial gain jobs....."Just say NO"..refer it to another....
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#332096 - 09/30/11 12:59 PM
Re: Regular job or "one nighters"?
[Re: Fran Carango]
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Senior Member
Registered: 01/02/04
Posts: 7285
Loc: Lexington, Ky, USA
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Looks that way, Fran, but I NEED the restaurant job to keep getting the others.
That's the problem. I left my last public house job two years ago. Last year there was a big drop in the number of holiday corporate parties. People told me that they went to the other house job to arrange for the party with me, but the new staff members didn't know where I went.
Actually, I went to a "house" job at a private club...the problem is, only members could use the facility.
I'm working on another angle....a really popular little restaurant with an early crowd. I would take $100.00, plus food and play 5PM to 7:00, giving me enough time to get to the city, state, government and corporate jobs that pay so well and lead into other day work projects.
The owner's a friend and a local horseman. He'll let me have some flexibility as far as getting off a little early, if the 2nd job is in a nearby town, and during the week, I'll stay a little longer if there is a crowd. He actually has a little party room which could be easily converted to a cool little jazz lounge.
He would call it RC's
Cool!
I'll let you know what happens.
Russ
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