It was bound to happen someday..

10 minutes to 3..my band member called me and asked where I was..thinking I was on the road..

Turns out the gig was 3-7 and not the usual 8-12 at this location...Apparently the house booked a private party....and I plum missed the time period...Breakfast with Donny..didn't help..

So I told him I would leave as I was....It would take 2 and a half hours to get there..plus set up..I would be "SUPER LATE"..
He called back and said our customer was livid...so don't bother driving down...

Lesson to be learned..when you are a band member..you should always be in contact with each other about schedules prior to gig day...especially with the member that makes the band work.. .

Also , I have stressed for years the need for a back up..in case I can not make it..after all 120 miles away every night...odds are..there will be a situation as this..

I supplied the band with a backup CD for such an emergency..Stu ..my lead singer..did not have it with him..Just a simple player and the CD would have got them through my messed up no show..I even had it loaded on a Zune for him too...but he did not have the Zune with him either...No excuse..he lives 10 minutes from the location..He could have ran home and saved the day...but decided[feared] he could not pull it off...

I hope I don't forget tomorrow's gig..

Fran my heart goes out to you. I think for all of us who play professionally, that's our greatest fear. It happened to me when I was a still a teenager. I missed playing a church wedding. I've never forgotten it and to this day I always dread listening to my messages for fear of hearing "Where in the hell are you?" Don't be too hard on yourself, it's happened to all of us.

Joe

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Songman55
Joe Ayala

I would feel bad about missing the gig, but not as bad as knowing I can be replaced with a Zune. I say, go all the way; have a dressed and ready mannequin to go with the Zune. This could lead to a whole new way of gigging (and add years to your career). Oh, and if the mannequin weighs too much, you could always use a blowup (inflatable) doll. You're familiar with those, right Fran?


Your Buddy,

chas

Hey Fran,

Many years ago I packed up with 16 other musicians and drove from Dallas to New Mexico for a gig only to find out we were there a week early. What a bummer.

Hammer

Fran,
I had a recurrent dream for years, it was about being late for a wedding gig, thank God it never happened.

The one thing that comes to mind – Boy, are we hard on ourselves.

Take care, John C.

So this wasn't actually a 'band' gig, but another karaoke setup?

I only ask this because, in any band gig I've done, if I didn't make it (for whatever reason), the drummer, bass player and guitarist would have done it without me

Live by the track, die by the track (ask Ashley Simpson!)...

BTW, what were you and Donny drinking for breakfast?

I guess I'm the exception when it comes to bookings. I ALWAYS confirm each and every job--even the NH jobs. I do this with phone calls, Emails, and confirmation of appearance letters. I've never been late for a job, never missed one, and never shown up on the wrong day. Good book-keeping and follow-ups are an intrinsic part of this industry. You would be amazed at the number of folks that call and ask if I can perform three hours from the time they called. Most of the time it's because someone forgot when they booked the job, or decided to cancel at the last minute because they found something more lucritive. If you're meticulous about your paperwork these things will not occur.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Communication is the key every time.

I guess that's better news than what the title suggested

It must be rather disconcerting to be able to be replaced by an MP3.

You have my sympathy.

Ian

Truth is, unless we entertain (or even show up ), we are ALL replaceable by a DJ or even just a Muzak/Sirius setup.

Times are getting harder. No restaurant ever went out of business by dropping their pianist, and with margins getting tighter and tighter, some ARE. This makes it more important to at least show up for the ones we actually have...

But seriously, sorry to hear of your 'senior moment', Fran. I guarantee that's one mistake you won't make twice

Fran, I empathize with your situation. It is very difficult being the pivot man in the group. For years I've told my guys to have SOMETHING ready just for emergencies. Whether it be a CD, a laptop or a loaded arranger the members who rely on my cache of music need an escape route if I'm not there. I'm sure the guitarist and sax man could make a go of it, but not without rhythms and such. Your guys should have been prepared.

Ian, not even close...If i could have been replaced by an MP3 player..I think Stu would have ran home and got a MP3 player...

The fear set in because the band and audience would miss, my running of the "show"..including sound engineer, keyboard play[yes I do play}..trouble shooting (mic feedback etc)..and my charming charisma...not to mention my re-pore chatting with patrons on break..

It takes many attributes to do my job...The MP3 player can not replace me...only resolve a bad situation....

Some folks still have a lot to learn here..

Diki, wasn't a senior moment..this was a change in time from our usual 8-12 at this venue...I did not book it and was not aware it was to be a 3-7 booking..Stu dropped the ball..not I...a simple email or call would have did the trick..

This is the first time in over 45 years that I missed a gig....and most of those years..i didn't have a MP3 player..

What's the lineup that they couldn't play at all without you, Fran?

And sorry, I was only having a little fun with ya'. Of course, if the booker fails to tell you what time the engagement is, if it is different from a regular gig, it's not your fault at all. I've had that happen... screw-ups at the booker's end. I hope Stu was appropriately contrite

At this point, having demonstrated to themselves how utterly indispensable you are to their continued working, perhaps now is the time for you to demand a raise!

aye aye..

"What's the lineup that they couldn't play at all without you, Fran?"

Stu lead singer, JoAnn lead singer and sometime keyboard parts..and myself..doing it all..

I think you're learning very well, Fran.

Chin up...things will get better.

Ian

Been there! Guitar player was handling the bookings and one weekend we didn't have a job and I kept asking him are you sure?
Come to find out we were no show at a wedding.
To make it worse it was booked through an agent he wasn't happy either.

Fran, owe you an apology (I'm sincere). When you said 'band', I took it to mean multiple players. Your subsequent explanation of the configuration makes it clear that it is more like what Diki described as a OMB with multiple singers. That certainly explains why they couldn't do the gig without you. So ignore my previous rantings about the fact that the 'band' should have been able to muddle through the gig without you. Obviously not the case if you're doing ALL or most of the accompaniment. My mistake. Sorry.

chas

Likewise...

Maybe I'm old school, but I've never heard the term 'band' used for this kind of lineup. What does a real band call themselves, now? An orchestra? A 'big band'? A thundering herd? There must be a term for four players that can actually PLAY, somewhere...

A quartet?

ALMOST happened to me ONCE ...
I had the anniversary party gig on the calendar for Friday ... that night I pass on dinner with my wife and her sister and brother-in-law to work on some obscure song that was requested ... I'm home, phone rings - "Where are you?!?" ... fortunately the gig was only 10 minutes from my house ... I was a 1/2 hour late, played the rest of the night without a break, people had a great time, but the woman who hired me bitched about it all night ...
t.
PS ... thank God I passed on dinner that night .......

[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 07-13-2008).]

A 'foursome', a four-piece, mayebe... but you won't see many 'quartets' outside of jazz and classical. (Yes, I knew you were joking, Ian )

Here's the thing... When smaller and more different outfits started to take over from big-bands, they DIDN'T call themselves 'big-bands' or 'Orchestra's'. They gave themselves a new name, for a new type of music. They didn't glom onto the same name, in an effort to hoodwink the public into thinking they WERE going to see an orchestra. They were different, and proud of it. 'Combo's' and 'bands' were the name they picked.

The unwillingness of today's 'pro' karaoke, or OMB plus singers outfits to find a name for their type of performance style is telling, IMO... Do they think that, if described more accurately, or at least given a term that the audience would know what they are going to get, it would impact their popularity? Possibly not, but there's a definite unwillingness to differentiate themselves from 'real' bands, if you ask me.

I've never had that particular thing happen, but HAVE walked into various venues and had the client say, "What are YOU doing here?"

Once I get my heart back out of my throat, I pull out my contract, scheduling notes, billing invoice, etc. and make my case.

Knock on wood, but in almost 13 years of doing this full time, I've never been in the wrong.

Not that I'm smarter than anyone else, certainly not...I just can't afford to be wrong, lol...

Its to the point where when it does happen, the client-the last time, said "If Bill's here, he supposed to be...lets get some people for him!"

Stuff happens, Fran, sometimes...

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Bill in Dayton

Diki ... I have a problem using the "One Man Band" terminology, because being 'older' (67) it conjures up the image of someone playing an instrument while using a drum set strapped to his back and other 'props' to add rhythm ...
t.

Call it what you want.
Diki will just pooh pooh it anyway!
Why must you argue ALL THE TIME? Sheesh.

Have you ever been anywhere where everyone agrees all the time?

They are called 'cults', and scare the living poo out of most sensible people

Diki,
I know from our private emails that you have a softer side, but why do you take such delight in stirring the pot so much here? Argument for the sake of arguing is no better than following along blindly, and it's so much more agreeable.

C'mon - try not to fan every little flame. Get a hobby. This mindless delil's advocate is old already.

I sympathize with you Fran, by my heart really goes out to the band leader. For you this is a missed job, for him, this a lost client and a bad name.

I always have a less stressful time when I'm playing in someone else's band, because he's responsible for any hitch!

But of course, he should have confirmed with you the previous day especially since you had to make a 120 mile trip...

Any band leader that does not have a backup plan is not prepared at all. If he relies so much on others, then he NEEDS to be prepared for a slipup. Fran just missed a days work. Stu missed the boat altogether. We all make mistakes ... Stu's was not having a backup plan for an emergency. Fran is is NO way responsible for lost wages or reputation.