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This may prove to be an "interesting" gig...


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Just got a call from a guy my wife works with at the Post Office...he's part of the Entertainment Commitee for a local GayFest celebration, and was in a panic, as the band hired finally figured out what sort of celebration this was (I guess GayFest was too vague, huh? :rolleyes: )...he wanted to know if I/my trio was available and/or could I find him someone else in the next couple of hours...gig pays $1000 for 4 45-minute sets.

 

As I was (fortunately) unbooked this evening, I assured him we'd be there..."gay $$$" is EXACTLY the same color as "straight $$$", ya know?...and I called up Wendy (bass, harmony vox), promised her $200 and she was available AND enthusiastic, too!...took a few calls to find an available percussionist or drummer (Kat was unavailable tonight, but Rudy was available...and amused at the idea of such a gig, so $200 to him, too. Lastly, I decided to hire an alternative "lead player", and Valerie (electric violin/violin synth/harmony vox) jumped on the $200.

 

Will let y'all know how it goes tomorrow! :thu:

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Well, it was, indeed, an interesting afternoon/evening!

 

First of all, I ended up doing it solo because Wendy, Valerie and Rudy decided to ride together in his brand new extended van, which decided to shed it's tranny about halfway to the gig! (Murphet's Law, I suppose!) I'd gotten there already and had my PA set-up out back in the Biergarten (where the GayFest was being held) and everything in place, fortunately, so when start-up time came, I explained the dilemna and told 'em I'd start off solo and that the other three would likely play the other three sets w/ me (this was before I knew the extent of the mechanical problems, of course).

 

First set went well, and after my break, I went ahead and kicked into set #2, and was I glad I'd brought my Vocalist 300...as it was too bright yet to be able to see the settings, I just left it on one harmonizer position, and kicked it on for choruses, where I ordinarily would have Wendy harmonize w/ me. Worked great!

 

Second break and I look up to see the venue's owner aproaching, and I think "Uh-oh, I promised him a band and he's gonna be pissed!", But, no, he was delighted about the response and wanted my business card because he wanted me to do more gigs in the Biergarten this coming spring!...I was VERY relieved!

 

Sets #3 and 4 went great, as well, and as the sun was lower in the sky, I could finally read the settings on my V300, so could access some of the other settings..one that really brought the house (Biergarten) down was when I did a request for Folsom Prison Blues and between the 3rd and 4th verse I did a short spiel about how you know you've really succeeded in music when your song gets covered by another, more famous artist, and who is a bigger star than Alvin of The Chipmunks! This got a decent laugh, but when I stepped on the bypass switch and sang the last verse, emulating Alvin very accurately, the place went wild! All of my other "humorous ditties", Chicken Blues/Ghost Chickens In The Sky, The Mermaid Song, Ain't Nothing Like A Gangbang, The Sheep Song (I have a special voice setting for this one, too), Gladys Isn't Gratis Anymore, Bastard Blues, Get My Rocks Off) and parodies went over quite well, too...and I got an offer to do these at a local comedy club, whose owner was in the auience, in the near future (probably in late March, it looks like! :D

 

Ended up staying for 2 more sets, at the audience (and managements) request (and, boy, are my fingertips sore this morning!), got paid the full grand + plus over $200 in my tipjar + plus sold every CD and cassette I brought (40 each of both CDS and the cassette) and got over 100 new names/addresses on my mailing list.

 

All in all, it was one FUN (and profitable) last minute gig! :)

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Originally posted by fastplant

I like how you gave the other two guys 20% and pocketed 60% for yourself.

 

Well, Mr. Rock Star, I'm the employer... If your boss pays you as much as he, himself, makes...hang onto that job! ;) Actually, if Rudy's van didn't shed the tranny, I'd've made 40%, plus tip-jat + CD/cassette sales.

 

OTOH, when I hire backing musicians for my gigs, they get paid, even if the venue stiffs us, even if it's out of my own pocket...it's the other side of the "employer thing"!

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Originally posted by Terry Allan Hall



Well, Mr. Rock Star, I'm the
employer
... If
your
boss pays you as much as
he
, himself, makes...hang onto that job!
;)
Actually, if Rudy's van didn't shed the tranny, I'd've made 40%, plus tip-jat + CD/cassette sales.


OTOH, when I hire backing musicians for my gigs, they get paid, even if the venue stiffs us, even if it's out of my own pocket...it's the other side of the "employer thing"!

 

Hey, it's your gig, you handle it however you feel is right. I'm just giving you a hard time.

 

Call me generous, but if I were asking people to help me out last minute, I'd give them the same that I made. And, recently I did a free show and paid the other two guy out of my own pocket for helping me out. So I know how that is too.

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Great Gig Terry!

 

Reminds me of a gig we did the first year we started. I think it was a "Save the Tigers Benefit" for endangered species. We got there and they had a large tent set up behind the club where you entered. As soon as I got through the door something just hit me as strange about the place, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I got access to the stage area and set up and not until we started playing did I realize it was a gay club with a crowd of mostly very obvious lesbians. Hey man, thats not my deal but people make their own decisions. At any rate I was glad none of the bandmembers had brought their kids because these gals didn't mind kissing and groping in public. They were a great crowd and appreciated our music very much. It would not have made any difference if we had known before hand that it was a gay scene.

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Originally posted by fastplant



Hey, it's your gig, you handle it however you feel is right. I'm just giving you a hard time.


Not a prob, bro!
:)

Call me generous, but if I were asking people to help me out last minute, I'd give them the same that I made. And, recently I did a free show and paid the other two guy out of my own pocket for helping me out. So I know how that is too.


Well, I did reinburse Rudy the tow-charges for getting his van home and spent a few hours today helping him put it back in (his dad and brother are both mechanics, so they rebuilt it very inexpensively).


And most pick-up gigs around here pay $50-60, so I rarely have anyone complain about what I offer...I wouldn't consider a gig where my "employees" make less than $100 per...they're worth at least that!
:thu:

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Originally posted by Rico Suave



Johnny, do you believe that anyone who disagrees or doesn't condome gays and their lifestye is homophobic?

 

 

Anyone who would turn down a $1000 gig because it is for an alternative lifestyle themed function is a moron.

If the other band turned it down out of some fear that they would be considered to be sympathetic to gay rights because the yperformed, then there is a case to be made for homophobia, Hoddy. Even in Texas.

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Originally posted by fastplant

I like how you gave the other two guys 20% and pocketed 60% for yourself.

 

 

Actually, had you been paying attention, he was shelling out $600 (60%) for the backing band. Notice: Backing band. TAH does all the lead vocals, guitar work, etc, and books the gig under his name, so...why shouldn't he make the cut where he wants to?

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Originally posted by Rico Suave



Johnny, do you believe that anyone who disagrees or doesn't condome gays and their lifestye is homophobic?

 

Originally posted by daddymack



Anyone who would turn down a $1000 gig because it is for an alternative lifestyle themed function is a moron.

If the other band turned it down out of some fear that they would be considered to be sympathetic to gay rights because the yperformed, then there is a case to be made for homophobia, Hoddy. Even in Texas.

 

Ignore Hoddy...he's just trying to get his Attention Whore-On :rolleyes:

 

Originally posted by daddymack



Actually, had you been paying attention, he was shelling out $600 (60%) for the backing band. Notice: Backing band. TAH does all the lead vocals, guitar work, etc, and books the gig under his name, so...why shouldn't he make the cut where he wants to?

 

And besides your absolutely correct points that I do all the lead vocals, guitar work, etc, and book the gig under my name, I also own, maintain, haul and set-up the PA and frequently supply the bass amp and usually the percussion set-up, as well.

 

It's a business, so just call me "Mr. Capitalist"! ;)

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Originally posted by daddymack



Actually, had you been paying attention, he was shelling out $600 (60%) for the backing band. Notice: Backing band. TAH does all the lead vocals, guitar work, etc, and books the gig under his name, so...why shouldn't he make the cut where he wants to?

 

 

And had you been paying attention, you'd know I wasn't being serious.

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