Ahoy Captain,
I've never been dowsed with a sprinkler system, but I've played every other venue that you described.
Ciao,
Jerry

I have had 9 week off in 53 years from playing at least 4 gigs a week (since age 11), and have earned the right to be particular. If I didn't restrict the bookings for live music to 250 per year and needed the work, I'd have to change my attitude. My jobs are all horse farm parties, gigs for fortune 500 companies, country clubs, universities, financial institutions, etc.

I'll do upscale restaurants where the kind of person who hires entertainment for private functions hangs out in brief stints to maintain visibility.

Believe me, I've played them all...inside...outside...behind chicken wire...on flatbed trucks.

I don't have to do that anymore. The bulk of my playing income comes from scores I record for industrial video I produce for clients.

In younger, hungrier days, I did what I had to do to feed, raise and educate my family.
That meant playing anything I was asked to play as often as the work was available.

I don't have to do that now. For example, I wouldn't play Bad Leroy Brown or ANY Jimmy Buffet tune for anybody at any time. If I were an entertainer lke Donny, I'd "jump on it". I'm not, and probably have to settle for less money and not as much appreciation.


Luckily, there is enough satisfying work out there. I've made my choice; set my rules and have to live with the consequences.


Looks like there are others who also, as much as possible, do it "their way".


Play on, everyone, however it "floats your boat".


Russ

OK so what have we learned here from this thread?...I consider being a prof musician since the age of 14 a privilege in this world we live in.....I respect it and enjoy it. Almost NOTHING in this world makes me happier then to see people enjoy my music. If I had to do it all over again I would certainly choose doing it all over again for sure.



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 04-07-2009).]

Sometimes a thread is there only for the conversation value ...
t

Reading this thread gives me the impression we have some very persnickety performers here. I guess it's nice to have enough work to overlook the less desirable venues. And yes, I can already hear the 'but I have my standards' replies. I guess I'm just saying - it must be nice...

persnickety -[per-snik-i-tee]

adjective Informal.

1. overparticular; fussy.
2. snobbish or having the aloof attitude of a snob.

Mmmm...which performers here would give you that impression, cassp?

Just curious.

Ian

certainly not you nor I...

Since coming on this forum I'm quite impressed with the availablility of gigs out there and the number of you guys still doing them. Actually I'm jealous.
I've been playing for years and always to favorable response but gigs are few a far between here for live music, especially the one-man-band thing. I love the restaurant/bar ads that say "Live DJ' as thought its exciting to see someone stand there and put CD's on or play with their laptop. When it says "Dead DJ" I'm goin IN!!
I'm retiring from teaching this year and would love to play a few gigs a week.
Where do I have to move to????

Bill NJ

Persnickety... Got to remember that one LOL

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