Members senorblues Posted February 21, 2016 Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 So the owner comes up to me in the middle of the set and asks if I could play "Happy Birthday". Being new to solo gigs, this was a first. The room is good sized, seats about 80, and the table in question appears to be at the other end of the room. I hesitated, in part because if you're supposed to keep the volume down to conversational levels, wouldn't it be a dramatic change to the dynamics of the room to crank it up to reach the back corner, and even then, you're not exactly making the kind of personal connection that you'd get with an at-the-table presentation. She sensed my hesitation and said "That's OK, you don't have to" and I didn't bother to explain why I was hesitant. So she comes out with a cake of some sort in the middle of a song. I stopped. The table sang. I continued where I left off. There must be a better way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve mac Posted February 21, 2016 Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 I get asked this many times, usually I am told before I start my set that there is a cake presentation in the offing, sometimes it's sprung on me, like you describe. Without exception I just play and sing it. However I am never employed to be background music so there is no volume changes and I would look and feel an arse if I didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted February 21, 2016 Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 if the owner of the club asks for a tune i generally give it a shot if its anything i can reasonably pull out of my bag of tricks. i see it as im hired to entertain as a musician or singer, and the balance between "entertainer" and "musician" is not a fixed point. this can change throughout the gig and its necessary to engage your audience non musically when required. but then if we all had the same approach, it would be a rather boring world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 I don't see myself as an entertainer in this room. My job is to provide ambiance; it's a wallpaper gig. I checked out the guys who preceded me and nobody paid much attention to them either. Most importantly, they never said anything on mic between songs. I think they were right; no one would have heard a word. People are there primarily for dinner and conversation. If some guy had started playing "Happy Birthday" at a volume everyone could hear, it would have interrupted their conversations. If the whole room had joined in to sing when the cake came out, I would have felt like a fool, but I was quite sure the celebration was going to be limited to one table in the back of the room. It was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted February 21, 2016 Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 ahhh,,ok, in that case id pick up my banjo or guitar, walk to the table and give a private performance for a few moments... or ask the owner how he or she would prefer it be handled? there are almost always options to explore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 I suppose if I had a keytar . . . . or an accordion . . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted February 21, 2016 Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 My rule of thumb is to wail on it like a demented Liberace with the Beatles birthday song riff tacked on the end. Might be over thinking things, Senor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 LOL . . . . There are times and places where that would be the thang to do. But they hired me because I play "classy" chords. . . . in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted February 21, 2016 Moderators Share Posted February 21, 2016 Since the management requested it, it would have been worth asking 'when do you plan on doing this?'. Had you agreed, I 'm sure they would not have interrupted your song, but since you blew the manager off, they blew you off. Bottom line: ALWAYS CONSIDER A 'REQUEST' BY THE MANAGEMENT AS AN 'ORDER'!Look at it this way: you are there to play music, and as such, you are 'the entertainment', even if you are 'background'. As the source of 'controllable music' in the venue, when the management tells you to turn down, you turn down, right? When they ask you to stop playing, you stop playing, yes? So when they ask you to play 'Happy Birthday', 'Hava Nagila', 'Le Marseilleuse', 'God Save the Queen', or the 'Chicken Dance Song', you play it. Next thing to consider: you observed previous 'entertainment' in the venue. Think about why you were hired to replace them. Ask the manager why. It may be because, like you just did, they failed to execute an order. It may be because they were reticent about saying anything between songs. Just because the guy they fired to hire you did things a certain way does not mean that was what the management wanted. Something to think about... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 21, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2016 Let's clarify a few things. I didn't replace the previous group. They are still in a regular more or less monthly rotation, just as I am. I'm not upset about them interrupting my song. It just seemed odd that they didn't give me a heads up. No big deal. I did not "blow off management." I hesitated, and they said, "It's OK, you do't have to", and I know she meant it. I don't know how often she's dealt with this issue. She just bought the place recently. Really?! Do you think playing "God save the Queen" is part of your job description? That's fodder for a separate thread. I went to another venue in another town where management had expressed an interest in hiring me. I wanted to check out the talent, but also get a sense of how at least one guy related to the room. He did talk to the "audience" between songs, but in reality, he was talking to a friend at the bar just a couple feet away. No one else was paying any attention to his patter. At all. As I see it, gigs like this are wallpaper . . . unless someone in the back of the room all of a sudden hears a song that they recognize that's a personal favorite, and they tell you so by their (infrequent) applause or a comment at the break or as they are leaving. Not all rooms are alike, of course. Correctly or not, I've determined that so far, it's a good idea to keep a low profile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the_big_e Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 I suppose if I had a keytar . . . . or an accordion . . . . I've got a keytar.. AND an accordion..! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 I always play management requests if I can. And I'll ask if there is a cake coming. If there is, I ask them to wait until a song is over, then give me a sigh, so I can start it as the cake comes out. On a wallpaper gig, that's about all I'll do. If it's an entertainment gig, I'll go into one of our routines designed to amuse or playfully rib the birthday person.We just did "87 Candles" to the tune of "16 Candles" and the line "Your only 16" turned into "Your only 87" followed by "Glad your not yet in heaven". Stuff like that is just fun. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 22, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 I like the Notes_Norton and PinkFloydCramer's ideas about giving the moment a humorous flavor. . . if you're the evening's "entertainment". I have to wrap my head around the idea that suddenly management wants me to be the focus of attention, rather than background. I'm assuming management has thought this through . . . . But I wish I had a photo from my perspective of how far away their table was . . . . . So I'll ask a serious question: Do you all expect the whole room to join in? Because you can't direct the song to just that one table. It goes out to the whole room. Strong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 i never expect anything... lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 Well Senor, it directs the attention of everyone in the room to the birthday person. Isn't that the point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 22, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 That's the question, isn't it? I've seen rooms where that happened, but many more where it didn't. Was that the way the celebrants preferred it? I honestly don't know. A lot of rooms you get the feeling that everyone knows everyone else. Others, not so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gigmeister-8YMGf Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 I am happy to do so. I ask when they want me to do so and always play the Beatles tune "Birthday" immediately afterwards. It makes the audience pleased and gives me an excuse to encourage the crowd to sing along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 it's complicated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shaster Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 From my perspective playing Happy Birthday at a restaurant is the same as playing Here Comes the Bride at a wedding - it's just something you do, no questions asked. If I'm lucky I do a half dozen wallpaper gigs a month, sometimes more when times are good. In some ways I prefer them to the zoo, party gigs like the ones I did last weekend. However, no matter how quiet the gig is, or how little attention people are paying to me (sometimes none) I will always work with management or directly with the customers to sing Happy Birthday. It's the easiest way in the world to get people on your side. If the table is far away, I've been known to unplug my guitar, or even put it down and go right up to the table to sing the song. People love it, if they've requested the attention. Oddly enough, even in a wallpaper gig, if you suddenly make an intrusion for a birthday song, folks will sing it with you or clap or whatever. Why do they do that - because everyone in attendance has had a birthday! At a zoo gig, I usually get the person up on the dance floor, prompt their table to buy them a shot and generally go all out to make a fuss. Did that last Friday for a 65th BD party - they were major party folks and drinkers, and danced all night Even if I haven't had a request I will cut my song or alter the volume, or start playing the Happy Birthday melody if I hear a birthday song being sung. In a restaurant or bar, birthdays are a large part of why people attend. If you took proposals, anniversaries, stags and birthdays out of the occasion, business would be way down. I'm very happy to help anyone celebrate that. That's why I will often ask if anyone is celebrating a birthday, a promotion a lottery win (weak humour) and so on. You can create a lot of good will, repeat business and sometimes tips from making someone's birthday special. Anyway, I didn't mean to write a book, but man, birthdays are like bread from Heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 Management is always right, even when they are wrong. If you want to disagree with management; 1) don't do it on stage 2) be very, very tactful about it. This of course depends on the manager and your association with him or her. Some people you can just blurt out "I think this is better" others you have to be very very careful about how you approach it. 2a) You first want to acknowledge that their approach was one of the right ways to do it 2b) You might suggest a different way to approach it that might be as good or better. Put yourself in management's shoes. They are trying to run a business where help often calls in sick, ice machines break, suppliers deliver the wrong goods, and a zillion other problems arise. Don't be one of the problems, You have to let them know you are there to support them, you are on their team, you are not the authority, but you might have some suggestions that might help them do their job easier. Always remember, what is good for your customer us good for you. Insights and incites by Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Notes_Norton Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 Here's another shtick we do if the birthday person isn't old enough to tease about age or if it just feels right. After Happy Birthday get their attention. Let's say the birthday person is Jim. Jim, Jim oh Jim - pay attention [This must be done boldly enough to get the majority of the clubs' attention] There has been a long standing, never broken, tradition that has gone on every since the late 1920s when Leilani and I formed The Sophisticats [our duo's name, and of course we aren't that old] And we would like to involve you in that long standing, never broken birthday tradition right now. That long standing, never broken tradition states that he [short pause] or she who has a birthday wherever The Sophisticats are playing has the distinct right [pause] honor [pause] and privilege [pause] of buying the house a round of drinks!!!! Let's hear it for Jim!!! [crowd usually laughs and claps] Leilani will often say "Bartender, a big glass of water and a few dozen straws please" or "We only do this to the young ones. ------- I got the idea a many years ago when Leilani took me out to a comedy club on my birthday. The comic got me on stage and teased me a while. I'm comfortable on stage so I played along. Then at the end of the razzing he told me that in the club (I forget the name) birthday people are expected to buy a round of drinks for the house. So I took the mic and told the bartender in my 'front man' voice,"Bartender, water for everyone" and I actually cracked up the comedian who patted me on the shoulder for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 22, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 I'm convinced I did the right thing by not playing "Happy Birthday". There was simply too great a separation between where I was and where they were. Maybe they would have followed me from a distance, but I would have really had to crank it up to improve the odds. But I am open to the idea of being flexible on the concept of the dynamics of the room. The turnout for day #2 last Thursday was noticeably better than day#1 two weeks prior, and it felt like you could reach out more. As several have suggested, the ideal solution to the birthday request would have been to go over to the table with my accordion. But I can't play the accordion. . . . or the guitar. How about a melodica? Lots of interesting observations . . . . thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted February 22, 2016 Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 senor, if i may? ive seen kazoos played with panache! im not being facetious... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senorblues Posted February 22, 2016 Author Members Share Posted February 22, 2016 I agree. My drums/keys duo played this song when it first came out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOB5vw7aNGc He brought out a kazoo for the horn part. Sounded great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted February 22, 2016 Moderators Share Posted February 22, 2016 Exactly, and frankly, all Senor had to do was play the melody while they brought out the cake. Assuming the cake had lit candles on it, that would have drawn some people's attention to the 'festivities'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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