New Years Eve Gigs?

[Notes_Norton]

Here in South Florida New Years Eve is a big deal. Since I was in high school, I've only had one NYE off, when an agent screwed up and double booked a room. In high school I asked the bandmaster if I could take the gig or he he wanted me to march with the band in the Orange Bowl Parade. He said, "The parade won't miss one sax, take the gig!"

 

It's still big, but not as big as it once was. I used to be able to get $1,000 per man on NYE but since many people started to prefer it on TV, and since Karaoke Jocks started low-balling bands, I can only get about $750 now. Plus, I only had 4 offers this year.

 

But I have a gig for a client I've been working for at least 15 years now, it's about an hour's drive away, but they were the first to ask. So I'll get home late, and on New Year's Day I have a gig at 1:00 PM.

 

Live is good.

 

How 'bout you?

 

Is New Year's Eve a big deal where you work?

 

Notes

[steve mac]

It huge where I live but no gig for me as am on holibobs in UK. All the best to you both for the new year

[daddymack]

I stopped doing NYE gigs decades ago...I grew tired of getting stopped three or more times on the way home. Last time I did one, it took three hours to go 12 miles because of all the sobriety checkpoints all over the city...I'd rather be out having fun somewhere [where I know how to dodge the checkpoints], or at home snuggling...and sipping some bubbly

[Shaster]

I used to get offered NYE gigs that I had to turn down because my regular band was often booked on NYE. This year, the band did a pre NYE party on Saturday so I'm actually free on the 31st. Although I've got a morning solo gig and a 3 to 6pm solo gig, I actually don't have a "ring in the New Year" gig. I probably should have tried harder for a gig but playing from 10am to 1am didn't sound like much fun.

 

These days in my part of the world, I think Chinese New Year is a bigger deal than the Western New Year, although AFAIK there aren't many gigs for the Chinese New Year - unless you're a dragon dancer!

 

As far as money goes, it's been steadily going down, as there's less and less demand for live music, at least specifically for NYE.

[pogo97]

I just finished playing a mass at the Catholic church celebrating "Mary the mother of God." That will be quite enough for this evening. Visiting friends later this evening.

[daddymack]

oddly enough, we landed at LAX at 9PM last night, and within a minute of being off airplane mode, my phone was ringing...'can you fill in at this place tonight?' and the answer was ...'No...but thanks for thinking of me...'

[Notes_Norton]

The gig went well, as expected. Got home at 2:30AM, slept a few hours, got up and did the gig at 1:OO PM New Year's Day. We had a lot of regular fans there, so it was a lot of fun. I didn't get tired until the NYDay gig was done. But it was a good kind of tired. One day off, gigs tonight through the weekend.

 

The season here in South Florida is short, and as they say, "When the fishing is good -- fish hard."

 

But next week, the week after NY is slow, it always is. People blow it all on New Years and swear off drinking for a week then it's full tilt until around Easter.

 

When a musician is gigging, all is good in the world.

 

Using zeros instead of Capital O's 1:OO gets turned into 1:00 anybod know how to turn that off?

 

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