Members sventvkg Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 I'm pretty beat up..Shoulders, neck, hand, voice is a bit rough but holding up pretty darn good considering 5 sets a day, most weekends have been six, and one day I did 8!! I told them no danm way was I going to do that again....Anyway, the gig is just too rough to enjoy and working for Danes sucks complete ass! However when it's all said and done I'll be getting a FAT amount of $$ deposited in my account so it will be worth it..JUST barely..... I'm about to do 18 days in Copenhagen and I'll probably do doubles on the weekends cause my gig is early on Fri/Sat. However the 2nd gig is a duo so it's not as tough..Alas, here are some of my thoughts. This gig is noticebly more difficult that it was 3 1/2 years ago the last time I did it. It could be due to age or it could be because I'm retired from playing pub/cover gigs or maybe a combination of the 2..5 sets a night min. , no days off for 32 days is a lot for anyone and you all probably know My hand has been throbbing, my shoulders and neck notted up etc... I still DO NOT MISS PLAYING BAR GIGS...Just don't miss it at all. I DO miss making money playing though and I would go back to at least weekend work were there gigs near where I live. That said, I'm working on doing some outta town stuff every couple months in FL and some local, albiet crappy paying gigs around my home AO. JPaul knows what i'm talking about..Just gotta make some money. The gigs in the US are a lot easier on average than these over here for sure. The Danes don't tip worth a darn but I've made a few bucks from them, The vast majority of the almost $1000 in tips I've made this month have been from the Norwegians. They are INTO american Country/Roots based rock!..If you ever play over here however here's some tips for tunes...You can't play enough Creedance of Johnny Cash..Seriously..I could play those all night and it would be great...Country Roads, Irish Tunes like Whiskey in The Jar, Elvis, and Sweet Home Alabama are big as well.... Anyway, I'm glad to be getting off the ship in a few days. It's been one hell of a rough month of gigs...Oslo is a nice city...most expensive place I'ver every been to give you an example...a Burger at TGI Friday's downtown is the equivilent of $34 American and even a Burger King 1/4'er with cheese was something like $13...Crazy crazy expensive..Copenhagen is expensive as well but I'm more used to it. A burger at the Hard Rock Cafe Downtown is only $25 USD equiv.!!!! LOL... I'm ready to get back to my own country where I'm not the foreigner anymore and I'm understood culturally speaking. My wife and I decided to nix the Italy Vacation because it's over 100 degrees there now and we're going to do tropical beach in the US because I need the relaxation and so does she..Plus it will be 1/2 the $$...I'm planning a charter fishing trip, snorkeling, lots of swimming, relaxing, hot tubs good food, maybe a couple new tatoos for us Who knows!!...Can't wait to get home to my beloved USA! See ya soon America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 Awesome post dude! It sounds like it was any other tour--tiring! I was seriously going to ask you how to go about doing this. I was thinking next summer when I graduate school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sick boy78 Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 Yeah, how does one land a cruise tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SusieP Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 Hope you have earned enough money to now take some time off to rest up. Sounds like a heck of an adventure. xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members toober Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 Sounds like you've got some lifetime memories from that adventure. What category/size stateroom do you get? Do you have to share? Do you have to store your equipment in your room? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted June 25, 2013 Members Share Posted June 25, 2013 Just yesterday, I was chatting to some of my musician friends about cruising. One of them did a three year stint but others of us, like myself, could only manage a couple of weeks before we started going crazy.Most of the guys I know that are still cruising have serious alcohol problems. It definitely takes intestinal fortitude (sometimes literally) to work on the ships. More power to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted June 26, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 Potts, when I get home, ill get you my agents info. Beware it's a really tough gig and the Danes are difficult to work for but it's probably worse for my Rebel ass!!! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted June 26, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 Toober...it's a regular small cabin and I don't share. The only gear I have to bring back and forth to the pub is my guitar, TC pedal and mic. Also, I've done this gig a bunch of times and after this I know it's absolutely the last time I do it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted June 26, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 Shaster...absolutely no Alcohol allowed on this ship for us..This is very strict run by Gestapo Danes...This Ain't Carnival Cruise Lines which I did for 3 months in the 90's!!! You're right about going crazy..I've been counting the days with the band since we all go here!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted June 26, 2013 Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 No alcohol for the band! I remember having staff parties on the Princess line, and drinking more beer in a night than I normally did in a week, or maybe a month. And we always drank in the club - if we felt like it. Times might have changed but that's pretty strict in your situation.Still you're lucky you've got a cabin all to yourself. I've heard horror stories of loud snorers, weird people, and so on. And speaking of alcohol, I know of someone that after a long night of self medicating, went backed to the shared cabin, and then had difficulty remembering or identifying where the toilet was. It didn't turn out so well for the cabin mate... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted June 26, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 It's basically just these **** European Ferry Lines. The Baltic lines absolutely want you to party and be the life of the room! Drinking is encouraged! When I was on Carnival we had a crew bar and yes we could drink. It was a debouchery feat! This Danish line, DFDS that I'm working for is like working for the NAZIS. The only advantage is if you can handle it, it's 2X the pay of a "Real" cruise line.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sventvkg Posted June 26, 2013 Author Members Share Posted June 26, 2013 4 gigs left! I found out I have Monday off than 15 dates in Copenhagen which will just cover my airfare total. Also, my tips and overtime pay covered my work visa and travel expense to NYC to get enhanced biometrics done at the Danish Consulate. So all told ill net about $9k after expenses for 47 dates in 50 days. Gonna have 3 days off. Less Copenhagen days than I wanted to gig originally but now I'm happy about it..Tropical Beach vacation comin up upon landing in Miami and meeting my wife, July 19. Much deserved:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Potts Posted June 27, 2013 Members Share Posted June 27, 2013 sventvkg wrote: 4 gigs left! I found out I have Monday off than 15 dates in Copenhagen which will just cover my airfare total. Also, my tips and overtime pay covered my work visa and travel expense to NYC to get enhanced biometrics done at the Danish Consulate. So all told ill net about $9k after expenses for 47 dates in 50 days. Gonna have 3 days off. Less Copenhagen days than I wanted to gig originally but now I'm happy about it..Tropical Beach vacation comin up upon landing in Miami and meeting my wife, July 19. Much deserved:) Awesome job man! Really!!!! Enjoy the vacation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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