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New Years Eve Gig Rant


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So it starts of great. Band set up and sound checked early in the afternoon. We show up around 9 to start playing at 10. Band all dressed sharp with ties and all (very unusual and we got quite a few comments on we should do this in the future). The room was set up funnny in that there were only 4 smal 2 person tables with chairs in a room that would seat 70 people. First set the crowd is loving the band, folks are coming from anothe room where a DJ was set up to party with us. They began asking the staff for chairs. The staff replies no, they can not have chairs. When people protested they were told , "thats the way it is , if you dont like it , leave". HUH? That led one patron to get a little loud and the band was told to make her leave of the cops would be called. Is that our job/ anyway she left and then.... The band was told we were to stop at 12:30. we would be paid but we will never be back there again. So somehow this is our fault? its not like they pay all that well anyway, but how does the band take the hit for this? The room was packed, people were drinking, dancing and having fun. they didnt want to stop. How is this a good business?

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Bad management and you are right not good business. Seen many bars that are more interested in shutting down early or at end of night than making money for the business sake which in the end comes down to bad owners having bad management that just don't give a **** about customers needs. I would do a follow up with whoever booked the gig to try to get the bands name off the rap sheet on this deal. From the details provided I see nothing the band did wrong.

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Bad management and you are right not good business. Seen many bars that are more interested in shutting down early or at end of night than making money for the business sake which in the end comes down to bad owners having bad management that just don't give a **** about customers needs. I would do a follow up with whoever booked the gig to try to get the bands name off the rap sheet on this deal. From the details provided I see nothing the band did wrong.

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Was the patron with the band??? If not ..I would have told the management you were not hired as a bouncer, so they need to take care of it. Sounds like the management was having a bad day. Seems there should be more to this for someone to tell the band to pack it up.

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Was the patron with the band??? If not ..I would have told the management you were not hired as a bouncer, so they need to take care of it. Sounds like the management was having a bad day. Seems there should be more to this for someone to tell the band to pack it up.

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Quote Originally Posted by race81 View Post
Was the patron with the band???
In the projects that I work with - there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - unless they're actually in the band and on-stage.

We accept zero responsibility for the behavior of anybody in the room other than our own. We also make it clear that we fully support whatever management does in terms of enforcing the "house rules" with any member of the audience.

We're responsible for the behavior of the clowns on stage - whatever goes on in the house is the house's problem. Regardless of what happens - my answer is always the same, "I didn't even know there was a problem - I was busy on stage playing piano".
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Quote Originally Posted by race81 View Post
Was the patron with the band???
In the projects that I work with - there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - unless they're actually in the band and on-stage.

We accept zero responsibility for the behavior of anybody in the room other than our own. We also make it clear that we fully support whatever management does in terms of enforcing the "house rules" with any member of the audience.

We're responsible for the behavior of the clowns on stage - whatever goes on in the house is the house's problem. Regardless of what happens - my answer is always the same, "I didn't even know there was a problem - I was busy on stage playing piano".
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exactly....just cant figure out why they thought it was the bands issue to resolve.

Quote Originally Posted by SpaceNorman View Post
In the projects that I work with - there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - unless they're actually in the band and on-stage.

We accept zero responsibility for the behavior of anybody in the room other than our own. We also make it clear that we fully support whatever management does in terms of enforcing the "house rules" with any member of the audience.

We're responsible for the behavior of the clowns on stage - whatever goes on in the house is the house's problem. Regardless of what happens - my answer is always the same, "I didn't even know there was a problem - I was busy on stage playing piano".
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exactly....just cant figure out why they thought it was the bands issue to resolve.

Quote Originally Posted by SpaceNorman View Post
In the projects that I work with - there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - unless they're actually in the band and on-stage.

We accept zero responsibility for the behavior of anybody in the room other than our own. We also make it clear that we fully support whatever management does in terms of enforcing the "house rules" with any member of the audience.

We're responsible for the behavior of the clowns on stage - whatever goes on in the house is the house's problem. Regardless of what happens - my answer is always the same, "I didn't even know there was a problem - I was busy on stage playing piano".
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Quote Originally Posted by SpaceNorman View Post
In the projects that I work with - there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - unless they're actually in the band and on-stage.

We accept zero responsibility for the behavior of anybody in the room other than our own. We also make it clear that we fully support whatever management does in terms of enforcing the "house rules" with any member of the audience.

We're responsible for the behavior of the clowns on stage - whatever goes on in the house is the house's problem. Regardless of what happens - my answer is always the same, "I didn't even know there was a problem - I was busy on stage playing piano".
This is the way I have always been. Its the venue's responsibly to keep the place safe not ours. - and they should keep it safe! -this is a little off topic I guess but- If I feel the place isn't safe to play at... I don't. I have had my fill of shady bars.
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Quote Originally Posted by SpaceNorman View Post
In the projects that I work with - there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - unless they're actually in the band and on-stage.

We accept zero responsibility for the behavior of anybody in the room other than our own. We also make it clear that we fully support whatever management does in terms of enforcing the "house rules" with any member of the audience.

We're responsible for the behavior of the clowns on stage - whatever goes on in the house is the house's problem. Regardless of what happens - my answer is always the same, "I didn't even know there was a problem - I was busy on stage playing piano".
This is the way I have always been. Its the venue's responsibly to keep the place safe not ours. - and they should keep it safe! -this is a little off topic I guess but- If I feel the place isn't safe to play at... I don't. I have had my fill of shady bars.
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Quote Originally Posted by jeff42 View Post
This is the way I have always been. Its the venue's responsibly to keep the place safe not ours. - and they should keep it safe! -this is a little off topic I guess but- If I feel the place isn't safe to play at... I don't. I have had my fill of shady bars.
It's been a long, long, long time since I had any real concerns about my safety - like you, I've seen a few shady bars over the years, and avoid anything that feels like my personal safety - or the safety of my gear - is in jeopardy. I realize you can't always judge a book by the cover ... and can have great times in place that seems a little seedy - and have {censored} go way South in a place that looks pure as the wind driven snow. However, if I walk into a place when I'm out selling - and get that feeling - I usually don't bother making a sales pitch.

My point about making sure the bar understands that there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - carries through everything associated with our engagement. We don't ask for "guest lists" (even our wives pay cover if the bar has a cover charge), we don't do "band tabs" (most of us pay cash as we go, or occasionally start a personal tab), we don't reserve tables for "friends of the band" (..all the "friends of the band" have phones - they can call and reserve a table if they want one). We "press the flesh" with everybody we can when we're not playing - and discourage anybody we know from trying an "I'm with the band" play to avoid paying cover, grabbing tables, etc.
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Quote Originally Posted by jeff42 View Post
This is the way I have always been. Its the venue's responsibly to keep the place safe not ours. - and they should keep it safe! -this is a little off topic I guess but- If I feel the place isn't safe to play at... I don't. I have had my fill of shady bars.
It's been a long, long, long time since I had any real concerns about my safety - like you, I've seen a few shady bars over the years, and avoid anything that feels like my personal safety - or the safety of my gear - is in jeopardy. I realize you can't always judge a book by the cover ... and can have great times in place that seems a little seedy - and have {censored} go way South in a place that looks pure as the wind driven snow. However, if I walk into a place when I'm out selling - and get that feeling - I usually don't bother making a sales pitch.

My point about making sure the bar understands that there are NO patrons who are "with the band" - carries through everything associated with our engagement. We don't ask for "guest lists" (even our wives pay cover if the bar has a cover charge), we don't do "band tabs" (most of us pay cash as we go, or occasionally start a personal tab), we don't reserve tables for "friends of the band" (..all the "friends of the band" have phones - they can call and reserve a table if they want one). We "press the flesh" with everybody we can when we're not playing - and discourage anybody we know from trying an "I'm with the band" play to avoid paying cover, grabbing tables, etc.
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Need...more... details.

Either something is missing from this story or yeah, whoever was running that bar was totally out of their mind that night. Could be either/ both -- this is the internet. smile.gif

Either way, I'd take Nchangin's advice QUICK and get on the horn with whoever the booker was and rectify the situation. Sounds like a nice place to play, other than that...

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Need...more... details.

Either something is missing from this story or yeah, whoever was running that bar was totally out of their mind that night. Could be either/ both -- this is the internet. smile.gif

Either way, I'd take Nchangin's advice QUICK and get on the horn with whoever the booker was and rectify the situation. Sounds like a nice place to play, other than that...

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