Members summit111 Posted October 30, 2009 Members Share Posted October 30, 2009 My Brothers, Have you ever got yourselves in a bind you couldn't get out of? My day job is with a Fortune 500 company, and they have a big charity fundraiser going on. One of the fundraisers involved is an "American Idol" type competition. One of the executives knows I play music and convinced me to play in one of the acts. All of the participants are employees, none of which have any stage musical experience. Well, just my luck, the act I'm in won, and now we're being flown to corporate HQ for a big show. I've seen videos of the other acts and they're pretty darn good. The act I'm in is so bad, it's comical, but the rest of the band thinks they're great. They won't listen to any suggestions, and it comes off as silly. I can't get out of this! Arrgh!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsongs Posted October 30, 2009 Members Share Posted October 30, 2009 Wear a disguise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted October 30, 2009 Members Share Posted October 30, 2009 GYHOOYA my Brother! (GYHOOYA = Get Your Head Out Of Your Ass!) The event you've been invited to participate in has absolutely NOTHING to do with the music. You've been hand picked by one of your company's execs to participate in something because he thinks you might have something to contribute in terms of talent, experience and leadership - and instead of embracing it for the teambuilding exercise your management team wants it to be - and you're gonna bitch about your co-workers? You've got a wonderful opportunity to enhance your image as team player within in your company. Execs who might otherwise NEVER know your name will remember your face as a smiling participant in what they surely view as a morale building exercise. We put together a "work band" at my place - and over the course of a couple years played close to a dozen events within the corporation. Our CIO (most of the band worked in IS) absolutely loved us and thought of us as his band. We played to a crowd of nearly 2,000 at the CIO's yearly "Company Meeting" one year. The event was pure corporate rah-rah stuff in the format of the old Johnny Carson Tonight show. We even did the Tonight Show theme when the CIO (who's name happened to be John) opened the meeting. As the technology exec - he bolstered his stature amongst his peers as an young, progressive leader whose organization can muster creative solutions. We all got credit for helping make that happen for him - which ain't a bad feather to have stuck in your cap. The band was made up of employees who's musical abilities were all over the map. It didn't matter a bit. The organization ate it up - and each member of the group garnered instant recognition with people would NEVER would have known who we were. Even though the band is no longer - rarely a month goes by that a manager somewhere doesn't bring it up those of us who were a part of it. Like I said - GYHOOYA - and embrace this as the morale building exercise it is for you and your co-workers - and take advantage of the opportunity it presents to network and gain visibility with influencial members of your organization who you'd otherwise never get a chance to rub elbows with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeff42 Posted October 31, 2009 Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 for a second I thought you were playing a set with the band COMPLETE! I was about to say... OMG!!!! I am so jealous! but you not so... good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members shce Posted October 31, 2009 Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 I wouldn't piss on the people I work for even if they were on fire mainly because they own this small company and run it like a feifdom. Face time counts for nothing. I've turned down {censored} like this knowing there's no brownie points in it. I know they have 500$ and can afford to hire my band if they need one. However, Norman has a point. There is NO downside to having people at your corporate knowing who you are and can help you shape your destiny from beyond the stifling, provincial laager of the branch office. Make lots of hay while the sun's shining while you're there. Record one of your rehearsals. If they ask why, let them know they are simply not as good as they could be and you're going to prove it to them. Then prove it. You have to find a way. Then work them 'til their fingers bleed. They suck. You're stuck. It's you're only option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted October 31, 2009 Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 You're operating under the assumption that it's about music. It ain't. It's about everything but. It's about raising money for charity, about corporate morale, about this exec making an effort to contribute to his company and his career, and so on. No one is going to remember a week form the gig whether you sucked or were great.I hate to sound like a skipping CD, but I'm convinced no one on the planet overestimates their importance and impact on other people's lives like musicians do. While you're worried about stacking up against the other bands, the crowd will be occupied with something like this: Roughly half will be women. Of those, most will be concerned with their hair, their makeup, what they're planning for dinner this week, and getting their kids to soccer practice. The men will be concerned with being seen by the right execs, their next hunting/fishing. camping/whatever trip, who's going to win Sunday's football games, getting a sandwich, and fantasizing about boinking the boss's executive secretary. The people in charge will be preoccupied with making the event run smoothly to impress their bosses. The other bands will be preoccupied with their own performance. A week later, no one will be giving it a second thought. Relax, do what you can do to make it better, and remember why you're doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members summit111 Posted October 31, 2009 Author Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 My Brothers, Several of you make good points, so, I'll smile and play, and more importantly, network. You're right, in a couple of weeks, all will be forgotten about the "Talent", but they will remember the huge fundraiser. So, I'm checking my "musicians ego" at door, and will play my best, and NEVER express publically, my misgivings about this gig! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members modulusman Posted October 31, 2009 Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 i am with Blue Strat on this one. To the Op hopefully the gig will go well and not be as big of a trainwreck as you imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted October 31, 2009 Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 "Checking my 'Musician's Ego' at the door... Good for you. As much as a lot of people's jobs suck, you should feel lucky that you work at a place where you can do something that's fun and brings a spirit of camaraderie to the work place. I've played some pretty darned awful gigs in the past... many, many years, and I think a gig's only as bad as you let it be. Enjoy it for what it is, meet some new people... actually sounds like it could be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THBv2.0 Posted October 31, 2009 Members Share Posted October 31, 2009 My Brothers, Several of you make good points, so, I'll smile and play, and more importantly, network. You're right, in a couple of weeks, all will be forgotten about the "Talent", but they will remember the huge fundraiser. So, I'm checking my "musicians ego" at door, and will play my best, and NEVER express publically, my misgivings about this gig! Now you're talking! And as for all being forgotten, it won't even take a week. There'll be a day or two of "you guys were great" and it'll be done with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Preacher Will Posted November 1, 2009 Members Share Posted November 1, 2009 Whew! There for a second I thought I'd been replaced and no one told me . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members voodoochile123 Posted November 1, 2009 Members Share Posted November 1, 2009 Roughly half will be women. Of those, most will be concerned with their hair, their makeup, what they're planning for dinner this week Yeah! Stupid pretty little air headed women! They all need to get back in the kitchen and make me some pie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted November 2, 2009 Members Share Posted November 2, 2009 Wow. That was pretty smug. I've got a lot of corporates, weddings, fund raisers under my belt in the last 30+ years, and can say BlueStrat's observation is dead on. The statement was made in/re observation, not as an opinion or a sexist slur. Observation is not endorsement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dessalines Posted November 3, 2009 Members Share Posted November 3, 2009 Practice, practice, practice.... Yeah, what Blue Strat said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flogger59 Posted November 4, 2009 Members Share Posted November 4, 2009 Dude, I've been there. I worked at a large bank for a few years, and for the Employee's Week events one year I was chosen to play in a band accompanying one of the executive VP's who fancied himself a singer. We travelled all over for a couple of years playing amazing venues with amazing PAs run by people who knew what they were doing, and we had a blast doing it. Even after said VP left for another institution I found myself onstage at the Ritz in a tux for his Man Of The Year presentation, doing the same six songs. Meanwhile, back at the office, I was a star wid da wimmenz (trust me, banks employ a lot of them), and my career star was rising. It was a pretty sweet deal for playing La Bamba and Helene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3shiftgtr Posted November 5, 2009 Members Share Posted November 5, 2009 Dude! Did a gig years back for a HUGE company (the biggest in the U.S. at what they do)as a "Guide". They flew the players in from various departments all over the U.S. for 2 rehearsals and then the gig at the company shindig/merger announcement a week later. Billed as a Team Building thing. They were just barely capable musicians. And that is being nice. Drummer didn't even know what a shuffle was. I told the other guitarist that a particular chord was not a G, but a G7, and he went up to the 7th fret and said "Is there a G up here?" The bassist didn't know the names of the notes on the fretboard. Seriously. They brought me in as a "guide" to help make the 2 rehearsals and gig go smoother and find solutions for musical problems that they wouldn't hear from each other. Stuff like transposing tunes to fit the vocalist's range. ("Wow. Where'd you learn to do that?") And showing the drummer said shuffle. I was told before hand that I was not the "leader" (the singer was) but an "outside expert" to take care of the "musical details". Cool. I wound up doing all the cues and showing everybody their parts. And the money was KILLER!! Well, the music at the gig sucked so hard it wasn't even funny. But everyone there was drunk on free booze and were just tickled to see their co-workers hammin' it up. No one in the crowd gave a hoot. The people onstage were so exited to be on a stage "with lights, p.a., mics, and everything. Look! I've got my own speaker thingie (monitor) pointed at me!" that despite their horrendously sucky musicianship, their attitude was contagious. They did their best while stumblin and bumblin through cover band war horses. Mustang Sally fell off the track, TWICE!!!! But the gig reminded me what was important. I still consider it a fun gig. So if they won't listen, maybe you ought to find yourself a sympathetic "outside" ear to come in and "help"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted November 5, 2009 Members Share Posted November 5, 2009 Yeah! Stupid pretty little air headed women! They all need to get back in the kitchen and make me some pie. *sigh* I guess there's always a humorless PC crusader in every crowd, constantly parsing words for every possible offense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted November 5, 2009 Members Share Posted November 5, 2009 Wow. I didn't know Mustang Sally COULD fall off the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JohnMCA72 Posted November 6, 2009 Members Share Posted November 6, 2009 ...Well, the music at the gig sucked so hard it wasn't even funny. But everyone there was drunk on free booze and were just tickled to see their co-workers hammin' it up. No one in the crowd gave a hoot. The people onstage were so exited to be on a stage "with lights, p.a., mics, and everything. Look! I've got my own speaker thingie (monitor) pointed at me!" that despite their horrendously sucky musicianship, their attitude was contagious. They did their best while stumblin and bumblin through cover band war horses. Mustang Sally fell off the track, TWICE!!!! But the gig reminded me what was important. I still consider it a fun gig. Sometimes it takes stuff like that to remind us of what's important. It's like a major league ballplayer meeting a little leaguer. It's not about the music; it isn't even about us. It's about them! As for the gig, it'll be as good or bad as you make it. If you cop the attitude that it's going to suck, it will, guaranteed. If you try to make it fun, help some people play rock star for a little while, & don't take it all too seriously, you may find yourself having a blast! JM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3shiftgtr Posted November 6, 2009 Members Share Posted November 6, 2009 Wow. I didn't know Mustang Sally COULD fall off the track. Seriously. The singer waited 4 bars between phrases:Mustang Sally...4 bars...guess you better slow your mustang down...4 MORE bars... He'd hold the mic with both hands and look off stage...acting like he was grooving...biting his lip....trying to get everybody to wait for it....it was hilarious. Drunk 40 something females execs in Dolce & Gabanna were screaming for him. He was a marketing veep. The bassist was a janitor. Never forget that gig... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxorox Posted November 6, 2009 Members Share Posted November 6, 2009 Four bars... Ouch. I can see that vividly. Might not be what we're used to, but it still sounds like fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rebelwoapplause Posted November 7, 2009 Members Share Posted November 7, 2009 Seriously. The singer waited 4 bars between phrases:Mustang Sally...4 bars...guess you better slow your mustang down...4 MORE bars...He'd hold the mic with both hands and look off stage...acting like he was grooving...biting his lip....trying to get everybody to wait for it....it was hilarious. Drunk 40 something females execs in Dolce & Gabanna were screaming for him. He was a marketing veep. The bassist was a janitor.Never forget that gig... Hmm. They were screaming for him? Guess he must've done something right. Rebel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 3shiftgtr Posted November 7, 2009 Members Share Posted November 7, 2009 Hmm. They were screaming for him? Guess he must've done something right. Rebel. ...maybe it was the lip bite.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members summit111 Posted November 9, 2009 Author Members Share Posted November 9, 2009 My Brothers, We played in the benefit show with (15) other company bands from other locations. We didn't have a bass player and they chose some lame songs. Well, I gently but firmly guided the others to agree to play some upbeat songs, then during dress rehearsal, I got a bass player from another band to play with us. With some gentle coaching, and a bass player, we didn't wreck the train. In fact, we came in third out of (15)! Anyway, it was a good corporate experience with guys from the other bands coming over to our hotel after the show and having an acoustic jam while we all drank beer. As you guys called it, we got plenty of accolades from the brass and the "amateurs" had the time of their life. As a bonus, I introduced "Dr. John", who was on our flight to the rest of the group. He and I have some common friends and I actually played with him last year. All in all, not as bad as I thought it would be! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rebelwoapplause Posted November 9, 2009 Members Share Posted November 9, 2009 My Brothers, We played in the benefit show with (15) other company bands from other locations. We didn't have a bass player and they chose some lame songs. Well, I gently but firmly guided the others to agree to play some upbeat songs, then during dress rehearsal, I got a bass player from another band to play with us. With some gentle coaching, and a bass player, we didn't wreck the train. In fact, we came in third out of (15)! Anyway, it was a good corporate experience with guys from the other bands coming over to our hotel after the show and having an acoustic jam while we all drank beer. As you guys called it, we got plenty of accolades from the brass and the "amateurs" had the time of their life. As a bonus, I introduced "Dr. John", who was on our flight to the rest of the group. He and I have some common friends and I actually played with him last year. All in all, not as bad as I thought it would be! Cool! Glad it worked out well. Rebel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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