I’m glad I hadn’t seen it before I started gigging (I was about 22 y.o.); I imagine I was quite annoying for some people as piano was out of tune (perhaps can be called honky tonk) but back than the audience was quite supportive and even slightly drunk people were rather nice to me. Members of the stuff were also very supportive. Can’t say the same about my recent attempts, they were not that stable I also I had a feeling that I need to change something.

Playing not too loud became my priority quite soon, I held a “quiet” pedal with my left foot through the whole evening (perhaps in English it would be correct to say “whole night”, but it creates quite a different picture).

What I want to say is that maybe we should be careful about stereotyping this sort of work. After all, each occupation can be called unrewarding; but there’s no job which fits everyone.

Judging by YouTube I can say that people do want to watch and listen to all sorts of musicians playing all sorts of music. Somehow, studio recordings ate not enough.

I read somewhere about photography. One man in the industry explained that first someone tries to work as a part-time photographer for small money, then he tells everyone how little it pays. While there are pros who make quite a good living doing the same, but with different quality. Certainly, you can always find people who would say “who do we need photographers when we have iPhones?”.

The difficulty is, which, by the way, people on SynthZone helped me to realize, is that musician has to treat it as a private business and to be ready to work a lot a lot.

It also makes sense to combine gigging with other occupations, of it works out better.

The video is nice; I just realized that I totally think of the characters shown as different persons, while it’s obviously the same guy.

Very true, its happened to all of us.
I think the most annoying is "can you turn down, we want to talk"
I actually had someone ask me to turn down and I wasn't even playing, just sitting there with my hands off the keys. It was a DJ in the next room
And the topper, yelling in your ear while your singing.

I am sure there are many more scenarios to tell from
pro gigging musicians for sure.

Funny video and so true!

I once performed at a golf course country club, a job that was obtained for me by an agent. I knew things would not go well from the minute I pushed my rock and roller cart through the front door and was stopped my the club manager who in no uncertain terms told me this door was for members ONLY, and I must bring my gear in through the kitchen/delivery entrance in the back. Ironically, he had me set my gear up just inside the main entrance, 100 feet away from the diners.

I was required to wear a tuxedo the entire time, including while setting up the equipment. Then I was told I have to remove my rock and roller filled with the empty cases and put it back in my van. Now, I was already sweating like crazy when I rolled the cart to the van in the nearly 100 degree f July heat with matching humidity. I had to wait about 20 minutes before I would play live music, so therefore, I put on a light-jazz midi file that I obtained from DNJ a few months earlier. With seconds of firing up the midi file, the manager came to me and said "You will have to either turn than down, or turn it off." Things went downhill from there.

I turned the midi down to the point where I could barely hear it over the AC unit that was cooling the huge room, which measured 150 X 200 feet. I got up to check the volume level and began walking through the room. When I was about 50 feet from the keyboard, I could barely hear the midi playing at all. At this point the club manager came up to me and said,"Sir, this area is strictly off limits to anyone other than members. When I told him that I was just performing a sound level check, he scowled at me with a somewhat menacing look and said, the music it much too loud, turn it down as I asked you to do"

With that I walked slowly back to the keyboard, turned everything off, went outside to my van and got the rock and roller cart, took off my tux jacket and bow tie, returned to the club and loaded up my gear and walked out the front door.

Early the next morning, the agent asked what happened and I explained it to her. She said she fully understood, and she was not going to take bookings from the country club again - this was the third time it had happened in a month. All of the other players walked out as well.

The only other annoying thing I can think of was when audience members, some very drunk, walked up and began talking to me as if I were not singing or playing, despite the fact they could see my fingers on the keyboard and my lips moving. More often than not, they wanted to request a song. I solved this problem by carrying a sheet of paper with me that contained a bunch of songs. I scribbled the titles of the songs on the paper, some in black ink, some in blue, a few in red, and several in pencil. In large print at the top of the page, I typed, place your request at the bottom and when I get through the others on the list I will get to it. Worked like a charm. Sometimes, I actually looked at the song they requested and played, but most of the time, I just never bothered.

Great topic,

Gary

So what's your real Job? What do you do for a living?

YEP!

For the past 30 years, my real job was as an musician/singer/entertainer - best job I ever had! Prior to then, it was just a part-time job, weekends only (Have guitar will travel). At the same time, I was working in many other fields, cardio-pulmonary medicine, sporting goods store owner, state police, freelance outdoor writer, NASA Project Mercury, and other jobs I would rather forget about. I tried to cram as much life into my 80 years on the planet as I could without killing myself in the process. And, I damned near accomplished the killing myself part a couple times. Got broadsided on I-95 at 70 MPH while driving my full size Chevy van to a job. Also jumped off a 700-foot high sand dune at Kitty Hawk, NC hanging onto a hang glider - I was the second oldest guy in the nation to obtain his Hang Gliding Certificate at Kitty Hawk Kites. I later found out that several people in California lost their lives doing this. Scary!

Just another fun day in Paradise,

Gary

Gary
Love the hand written song list idea. And walking out of the CC Bravo !!!
I had a CC manger go off on me once and I just ignored it because he went off on everyone. I was very temped to turn and walk but it was nothing out of the ordinary for him. It was becasue I recommended a band to him for a date I couldn't cover. He only wanted two pieces (cheap) so choices were limited. Not knowing the place they brought a big PA that he didn't like the look of and he went off on them. As they say no good deed goes unpunished.

Played a wedding once at a fancy country club. Prior to coming into the reception hall, all the guests were having drinks in the adjoining lounge.
The Maitre D' (a real showman) told me he wanted music to start the second he opened the grand double doors to let everyone in. He opened the doors. We started playing...guests swarmed in, put down their drinks and began dancing.

I guess the Maitre D' had expected the guests to come in and sit at their tables. But, most were on the dance floor. He came up to me and made this request: "Can't you play something they can't dance to?"

I felt like asking him if he could serve them something they couldn't eat.

Eddie ... happened many times ... guests drinking at the cocktail hour as if there wasn't going to be an open bar for the next 5 hours ... even when we were playing bossa novas as the guests came into the reception room, they would be on the dance floor doing any Latin style dance they could ... even if they couldn't ...

Great line about serving something they couldn't eat ...

I had my share of the same annoying people. As the years went by I matured and learned what they were trying to do. Some just wanted to be important. I always had a second occupation, I selected the fun places, and avoided the annoying ones.
John C.

My friend from Russia has the best idea. “It also makes sense to combine gigging with other occupations, of it works out better”.

Yes, I'm sure we've all had to deal with annoying people, especially those that interrupt you to talk to you while you're playing/singing. As much as I hate it when people do that, I accept that i's going to happen, and I tend to think it just a way that some people actually show their appreciation and acknowledgement of your music.

On another somewhat related point, that's one reason I prefer style play over pre recorded/sequenced tracks when performing live. When someone has the need to speak to you while you are performing, you can at least just kind of vamp and stop singing if necessary.

Actually to most your a DJ in their eyes so coming up and talking no matter what your doing is normal to the majority of audiences in small gigs as you are on the floor at their level for easy access.......you'd have to be on a stage or in a concert venue to alleviate that...otherwise it's requests, chit chat, questions,drunks, drink spills, bumps, & annoyance all night long.

Instant law suit comes to mind...

Nah! I use a Havahart electric fence to keep the squirrels off my bird feeder. It puts out about 800 volts, but very low current and in one second bursts. I rigged it my stapling four strips of brazing rod on my railing just beneath the feeder. The zap sends the critters about 5 feet in the air, they land on their feet and wonder what hit them. They only do this once of twice, then never approach the feeder again. You can always tell when there's a new guy in town - WHAM! I've had people inadvertently touch the wires, they said it was more scary than hurtful. No problems.

All the best,

Gary

Nigel that is so funny

thanx

So true Donny. Not much you can do about it and I just kind of roll with it the best I can. I even played at very professional venues places with stages and people will still come up on stage to make request and chit chat...

Lately I've been thinking about putting some kind of rope like they use in the lines at movie theaters around the "stage" area. I don't like people getting in my face breathing on me these days!

I've found that the higher priced the venue is, the more strict the requirements are. It's not a case of snobbery, because you can run into crabby people in any venue, but it seems the "higher ups" seem to have a more regulated lifestyle than many of us are used to. Every stage is different, and every region (location) as well. As a person in the service industry (and that's what show biz IS) we need to be ever mindful of the fact that we are actually servants. It's not demeaning in any way, in fact it's a privilege to serve others, and as soon as we forget that, we loose some connection to our clients.
Most musicians seem to think that the customers owe us something because we're "so talented", or that "we don't NEED this gig". I remind myself at each show that my clients are ALLOWING me to pursue my dream, engage in my passion, and earn a living at the same time ... all while (hopefully) bringing joy to them along the way.
We all had a pretty loud wake up call this year as we found out that we are NOT ESSENTIAL to the workforce, but we ARE essential to the well being of the soul, and the growth of the spirit. We need to be ever mindful of the role of the artist.
We put our heart and soul on the line and ask ... "Please accept this?" ... when that offer is accepted, it's a thing of beauty.

Don't let the small percentage of crabby patrons spoil your mission. Bring the music to the masses, check your ego at the door and cash the check when you're done. Music Business 101.

Here's one that's really different it involved a family member. For a few years I had a regular gig an upscale assisted living facility, it's the same one my late mother was living in when she passed away. At the time about 10 years ago she was not living there during my monthly gigs. This particular facility had quite a few people who knew my mother from growing up in our old neighborhood that was just a few miles away. When one of the residents discovered who I was and who my mother was they asked next time you come to play have your mother come along, I'd like to see her.

So a month later I told my mother if you want come to Pocassett on Thursday night at 7, I'm playing there and your friend Josephine was asking to see you. She did show up and sat with her friend, they talked before I started playing.................and after 2 tunes they started talking and talking and talking to the point I could see the residents who wanted to listen to me were getting annoyed. When I finished the tune I was playing I said to my mother and her friend "if you 2 ladies don't mind there are folks here to want to listen so please stop talking so loudly." And with that said my mother yelled out "I'm your mother never mind me being quiet." Say what?? LOL!! I think most of the people who heard it looked and gave her a dirty look and she pretty much didn't say another word until the gig was over. I never did invite her to another gig.

I agree and I've said before that playing music professionally has to be almost a calling of sorts. That's why I finally got out-dealing with the "crabby patrons" (who in my case were nursing home ADs that looked like 12 years old girls) began to overcome my desire to do the job. When I was playing bass in bars with a band, the other band members acted as a sort of "buffer zone" between me and the audience. They were there to take part of the heat off of me. In nursing homes it's you and them and that's it. You get all of the money, but you also get all of the problems.

There's no "ALMOST" in my definition.

This business of show is HARD. ("it's the hard that makes it great", to quote Tom Hanks) The hours suck, it strains even the strongest of personal relationships, it makes having a traditional "social life" (what's THAT?) impossible, and you're always proving yourself. You're only as good as your last song. It's a calling ... a quest ... and you need to LOVE it - because mark my words: "It won't love you back".

You need to get all your jollies on your own. Make your own happy place, and remember the whole "service angle" - we're artists, but also servants. We serve up the good feels ... and most times - that feels pretty great.

It is funny because it is so true I am sure you have had audience members just like that.

Nigel you got that right.....50+ years on stage and I was in every situation that could occur involving audiences. I found that how you handle it works the best for you and them. Only years of experience can put you in the right mind frame to handle each occurrence.
People are people.

I am sure this topic has been around before, but some of the recent replies are more than very interesting.
I always remember the time when playing at a Christmas gathering, of being asked if I would like some finger food,(cheese, cabanosi,crackers, etc), (maybe to improve my dexterity) ???
Thankful, that I was not singing at the time!!!!!
I would like to hear more.
The rope idea has merit, but I am fortunate where I locate, which is behind an information desk, which gives me "some protection".
Ray

Lately I've been thinking about putting some kind of rope like they use in the lines at movie theaters around the "stage" area. I don't like people getting in my face breathing on me these days!

Try this!!

That is funny and true. It has happened to me at the end of the night but more often in the middle of a set and you can'tend the conversation to ge back to the music. and when you do the request its amazing how many times the person is in the bathroom, outside, etc. Too funny.

I had a "Danger - High Voltage" sign like that on my Bose towers to stop people from leaning against them as if they were a post to lean on. It was a great deterrent. But didn't stop everyone, especially the drunks.

Gary

Ahh yes the downside of line array speakers lol

Dave
I agree and have said many times the nicer the place the worse you are viewed and treated.
However I find it insulting to call myself a "servant" I'm not going to skulk around with my tail between my legs and take disrespecful behavior from anyone be it customer, club owner, CC manager ( biggest idiots by far closely followed by banquet managers ). I'll do whatever you want within reason but you gotta ask me nice.
Years ago with my trio we were regulars in a club in NJ. Owner was a "tough guy" with a lousy attitude who treated the bands there really bad. One day he started barking orders at us and he and my singer got into a screaming match in the middle of the dance floor ( you know in NJ mother is only half a word ) while me and the drummer were setting up. We reversed and started packing up thinking this is the end ! Well the singer made his point and from then on we were treated totally different, even being invited into the private back room to have some dinner with he and the "Boys"
I don't have an attitude but a pride in what I do and it has taken a lot of work to be able to do it. Someone says, "see that guy, he's a brain surgeon" and immdiatly he gets respect for his talents. Would you call him a servant of sick people ?
All anyone in any position wants is some respect and there's nothing wrong with expecting it.

Yeah, that was pretty much my attitude as well. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't but I lived with it.

Well, I never encourage "skulking", and being a servant does not infer disrespect, nor should anyone have to endure that behavior. Generalizing or categorizing people is what has our nation in such an uproar right now. Now, more than ever it's paramount the we treat everyone with respect ... including servants, like myself. I prefer to just breathe, do my job, and be as nice as possible to everyone I meet. You don't have to receive respect to give it. It's better to just give it, whether you get it back, or not. That's a core teaching from the school I taught in for 10 years. They called it the "Jester's Jewel".

Of course I didn't mean to lump all CC managers or Banquet managers together. But thats where I had the most "uncomfortable" situations. Stories could fill a book. Back to rule #1, the nicer the place the the worse you will be treated. Again, not always but enough that it made you keep your guard up when going there. One Banquet Hall I worked a lot over many years had the nicest considerate owners and it filtered down thru the staff. You could always tell the attitude at the top from the people who worked in a venue.
I too always try to do my best and act like a professional. The point of my little story was that sometimes , wheather proper or not, you have to stand up for yourself.

Absolutely. I worked for one owner who said "the customer's always right ... until they're wrong, and then they're DEAD friggin wrong!" Made me chuckle.

Actually, I view myself as an independent contractor, no different than the guy I hired to redo our bathroom. I was not a servant to anyone, and never will be, well maybe other than my wife of 57 years. I'm the boss of my family and I have my wife's permission to say so!

I was hired as an independent contractor to do a job - to entertain the audiences in front of me, I did the job, here's your invoice, thank you very much and I hope to see you again next month.

Gary

Right - an independent contractor SERVING your clients. Providing them a SERVICE ... just like me.

I remember one incident that sums up my method of dealing with troublemakers for better or worse. At the end of the night a guy came up to me and I thought he was going to say "I enjoyed the music" or something. Instead, the guy said something like "you guys don't know a C chord from F." After I got done telling him off (he was smaller than me), he apologized and left. My friend in the band, whose philosophy of life is like Uncle Dave's, was mortified.

The guy unknowingly got his revenge when he returned the following week. He was seated with three or four bigger guys. I was convinced that he had brought back some friends to inflict a beating on me at the end of the night. I was looking over my shoulder the whole time I was packing up but the expected problem never materialized. I realized that the guy was probably drunk when he insulted me and likely had forgotten the whole thing.

Dave do you remember when you were playing the Ball Park (go go bar).. The only time I ever was there , when you played ( even though I knew the owner too)..

You were throwing barbs at me from the stage, and I was sitting at the bar . Sitting next to me was a "biker" not a big guy, but looked like he could mix it up a bit..

The guy jumped up as to defend me for taking your barbs... I thought he was going to kick your butt

My sharp wit has gotten me "almost" into trouble, but my endearing charm wins out every time., Never been in a fight - EVER. You forgot to mention that that place was a GoGo bar, so ... set the scene correctly.

I haven't had a fight since I learned to apologize.

Don Mason ... always the gentleman! I'm more of a coward who's afraid of hurting his fingers. lol

Don's big so he can scare them off. And he has a badge.

I did mention it was a go go bar

missed that

Wait--What !!! what were you doing playing in a Go Go bar? The days of a live band backing Strippers was long gone.

LOL - The owner was a fan of live music, and had several bars that featured bands. This one was a bone he threw to me .... just to see if anything would happen. I didn't play for the dancers - they were not on when I was. It wasn't a total loss, but as you might imagine, it didn't hit a home run either (play on words - the name of the bar was the BALLPARK). Regular patrons were not interested in what I did .... they wanted the girls. Put this in the "paying my dues" column of my career path!

John's Chicken Shack in Manville NJ years ago comes to mind....
big round bar, great greasy fried chicken, and nude topless girls dancing in the middle on stage while you lick your
fingers and get drunk.

Yikes. NONE of that appeals to me.
Maybe the chicken.

Years ago Dave it was THE PLACE TO GO AFTER WORK and there were many factory workers in the area...especially on a Friday when people got paid remember I am talking 1970s pre computer age.....
they would cash your check if you bought a drink....
the rest was all eye candy and oh baby those fried chicken baskets
were soooooooooooo delicious!

Yowza ... I can't even imagine.

big round bar, great greasy fried chicken, and nude topless girls dancing in the middle on stage while you lick your
fingers and get drunk.

[/quote]

Getting drunk's okay, but could be awkward if you end up licking something else instead of your fingers

Getting drunk's okay, but could be awkward if you end up licking something else instead of your fingers [/quote]

What's worse is having to look across the round bar and see a bunch of other guys looking toward you licking their fingers ....

Here in Rhode Island there's a club called the "Foxy Lady." On Friday mornings they used to feature a breakfast buffet while you watched the strippers, it was called "legs and eggs." NO THANKS!

Now that’s class, the man says no thanks,

John C.

Steve IS class ...

I recall it as Frank's Chicken House...thought it was in plainfield?

I don't know about that, things changed from the 1970s.....
there was also the same kind of place in Linden
called the "Lindeneer" Rt1 near the GM plant

Thank you brother Tony!!
‘
Thank you John C!!

What's worse is having to look across the round bar and see a bunch of other guys looking toward you licking their fingers .... [/quote]

Last night, two couples came in. They had choice of table either in the middle of the room, the back of the room or the closest one to me, about six feet. They chose the close one.
I was in the middle of a song when they sat down, and one of the ladies immediately asked the waiter to tell me to turn down.
My normal procedure is to smile, reduce the volume a little, and gradually ease it back up. I know for certain it wasn't too loud because I'm sitting directly in front of the two speakers, with them angled toward my old grey head.
So that's what I did. I finished the song at the reduced volume, then started the next one and turned it back to exactly where it was when they came in. They never said another word and were enthusiastic in their response to the music. Left me a very nice tip about two hours later.
Go figure...you just have to play the game sometimes.

Kenny Rogers said it best "If you're gonna play the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right." You played it right, great job.

Don its pretty much the same scenario as when you are listening to music in your car.....get home shut off the car at tonight ....next morning get in the car start it up and the music is blasting......BUT last night it was fine......it's all how your ears adjust to the volume....just like the couple in from of you at the table ... after a few songs your ears adjust and mentally they think you lowered it for them as when they first walk in it seemed loud .....same thing with air condition when you come in from a hot outside environment into a colder room....very annoying but a professional knows how to handle the situation.