I been asked to do a 3 hour restaurant gig.

Thing is I never play restaurants. This gig is all instrumentals

on midi accordion and a BK7.

I need advice on the breaks, 3 hours is a long gig.

Frank

I would do one hour than take a 15 min. break, than play two 45 min. sets with 1 min. breaks.

Believe it or not on a 3 "background music" hour gig, sometimes I don't even take a break or just one short break. Good luck.

Sometimes I play for 50 minutes, then take a 10 minute break, but like montunoman, I've seen me play most nights with only one short break (10 minutes), around the middle of the gig.

Time goes quick when you're having fun.

Ian

I try to play as much of the 3 hrs as possible to maximize your tips,....15 minute breaks during dinner is way too long IMO...
I usually play 1 1/2 hrs straight, then take a 5 min break...
and then play the rest of the gig straight thru..... I sing 99% of my songs also.
For a 3 or 4 hr Dinner & Dance that's a different story.

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

Thanks guys for the advice,all taken in.

I will use my G70 as well as accordion on the gig.

They dont want any vocals.

Frank

My first set is usually pretty long ... at least an hour to an hour and a half ... then a fairly short break ... I've also gone straight through if the crowd is good ... heck, I do that at home, why not when I'm getting paid?!? ... I feel I get paid for 'setting up' and 'breaking down' ... I would rather be playing than standing around ...
but I know guys who work regularly and it's like 45 min on 15 to 20 min off ... that's not for me ...

I usually can see when the peak hits and I go into my 'money set' and then I don't look at the clock. But generally, I usually plan to go for about an hour then 10 or 15 min potty break.
Ciao,
Jerry

Sure glad I no longer do the restaurant/club scene. I've done all instrumental jobs in the past and after two hours without singing I was ready for the rubber room. When I perform at a local Italian restaurant in Cockeysville, MD it's nearly all vocals, and I don't take a break. I think this varies from venue to venue, and I guess that all instrumentals would require some sort of break for both the performer and the audience.

Gary

I've actually been having a lot of fun at the restaurant gigs I've been playing lately, and looking forward to this Saturday night when I get to play one with a sax/flute/guitar/banjo/harmonica player I've worked with before ... and he plays them all WELL!!! ...and we're BOTH singing ... however, I don't know how much I would enjoy a FULL 3-4 hour instrumental only gig ...
Frank (Mockie), I don't know what your repertoire consists of, but depending on the venue, when you take a break you might want to put on a CD of music quite the opposite of what you are playing ... for example, I have this CD which I often play when (if ) I take a break
http://www.amazon.com/The-Beatles-Guitar-Jack-Jezzro/dp/B000040OUE



Have fun ...