Just spent a week in Hilton Head SC ... went into Harbor Town about 4 nights, - we were a 5 minute walk away - the places that had live music all had guitar playing singers ... most were pretty good, but one guy in particular was playing a song (I can't remember the name right now) and played the wrong chords in a certain part of the song ... now maybe the audience didn't hear it, but any musician would ...

The coolest/strangest gig I saw was a guy playing guitar and singing in the waiting area in Savannah/Hilton Head Airport ... it's not a big airport by any means, and most of the shops and eating places are in this area before security ... there is a baby grand piano there, so I guess they have piano players there also ... this guy played and sang quite well ... guitar, vocals, and some light backing tracks going through a small mixer into a BOSE compact ... neat gig ... and no tip jar ?!? ...

Tony.......I was going to start a new topic, but I thought I'd just tag on to this one.

My most lucrative (and my most novel) job was playing the accordion with a tin cup in front up and down the line at the Tower of London while people were waiting to get in. They were pouring so much money into my tin cup I had to use a funnel. And all I had to do was play The Blue Danube and Che Sara over and over again.

If you're a good musician in Europe, the sky is the limit. The are many creative ways to make money with music if you think long and hard about it. Back home here I was even going to go to the airport to play for passengers hanging in the lounge. And then there was the singing telegrams. That shows my age, doesn't it!

M

Mark, if you are a good musician/singer/entertainer in this part of the world, you can find all the work you can handle.

Tony, I'm not at all surprised that you didn't see any keyboard players. We are a rare breed in the entertainment world, which is why there seems to be a high demand for arranger keyboard players who can sing well, especially in the south.

Gary

Overhere in spain...

No keyboards at all...

Its deejays
Or singer/guitar/karaoke

A few years ago, there where still half a dozen one man bands (keyboards) playing in the old town
But i guess times are changing.. Its much lighter to travel with a guitar a mic and a MidJpro

Which seems to be a very popular tool here in spain.. The MidJpro

Yes, the guitar/singer format seems to be by far the most popular. I think people have seen/heard enough karaoke and probably assume a keyboardist is just working some sort of karaoke machine.

I got to visit some very luxurious hotels on the SO CA coast recently, and all of them had very good guitars/singers (no tracks) No Great American Song Book material. 60's to today's hits performed in an all acoustic format went over very well.

Here in the U.S (from my observations) for solo live music acts guitar/singer is by far the most popular, after that it's solo piano (sometimes with vocals but usually instrumental) Occasionally a solo singer singing to tracks on their lap top.
I almost never see anyone performing with an arranger keyboard, expect in Mexico, where it's pretty common.

Yes, the guitar/singer format seems to be by far the most popular. I think people have seen/heard enough karaoke and probably assume a keyboardist is just working some sort of karaoke machine.

I got to visit some very luxurious hotels on the SO CA coast recently, and all of them had very good guitars/singers (no tracks) No Great American Song Book material. 60's to today's hits performed in an all acoustic format went over very well.

Here in the U.S (from my observations) for solo live music acts guitar/singer is by far the most popular, after that it's solo piano (sometimes with vocals but usually instrumental) Occasionally a solo singer singing to tracks on their lap top.
I almost never see anyone performing with an arranger keyboard, expect in Mexico, where it's pretty common.

Solo stage piano, with an arranger module for minimalistic backings and voice effects... Sounds like a very sellable format...

The always piano sound gets boring to my ears all night long.... Variety is the spice of life even in music!

And yet, people will dress up in a tux and spend huge sums of money to attend a classical piano (or even a Keith Jarret) concert featuring only solo piano. Ever see that for an Arranger concert (has there ever even been one?)? Just sayin'.

chas

Tru Dat