This week I played a new venue. It is a very upscale retirement community($750.000 buy in for each resident) and while there I am not to "interact" with any of the residents on a one-on-one basis. They believe they protect their clients this way. Security is also very tight.

Anyway, my location for the gig was in a very out of the way spot and during the gig not a single person approached me nor did I hear any applause or acknowledgment that I was even there.
I figured what a waste of time.

I played my usual songs and packed up and left - again without a single person speaking to me. The next day the AD called me and
booked me on a weekly basis for the rest of the year. She said the residents wanted me back all the time.

I guess you never really know what your audience is thinking.

Hammer

I have a little manufacturing company in Paris, Ky (a very small town near Lexington-most famous resident-Secetariat) who has been getting me to play their service anniversary party in July and their Christmas party in December for 31 years.

The factory workers are not comfortable with the venue-the University Of Kentucky Faculty/Alumni club, and never say anything. They arrange chairs in a circle in front of me and sit quietly for 1 hour, until dinner is ready. they NEVER say anything to me.

I always think that I've played my last time for them, until the secretary delivers my check and asks if I will do the next party.

Go figure!

R.

Wow, that seems like something from the Twilight Zone, Hammer. Did you mean $750k to get into that place? What does that get you? I didn't know anything like that existed.

A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn't feel like it.

I have learned that you just do what you do. Can't tell you how many times I've played thinking no one was paying attention, and then had a great tip night or wonderful comments at the end.
DonM

Yea, but, Mason, you've got to remember that you're the originator of "Yer meat on the driveway", or whatever.


NONE OF US CAN COMPETE WITH THAT!

(Played it for Steve, and he laughed his A** off)!


Oops, almost wrote ASS....my bad!


Russ (Mason wanabe) Lay

Yea Bill - $750K to get in then another 9-10K monthly pending on the type of housing. It is a strange place to play because the security for the residents is so tight that outsiders(like entertainers) are not allowed to socialize with the residents. I have several of these type places and each has it's own distinct personality. These places are retirement communities with every bell and whistle you can think of. They take residents shopping in limos. Oh yea, and these are the places that complain the most about my fees - go figure.

Hammer

The main reason why I do not play in restaurants.
While some people claims that I play too high, other people says that they can not hear me.
This is an eternal and deeply unpleasant debate.
I prefer to work for an audience ready to hear me.

Russ,

I played a for a 50th Anniversary at the University of KY Alumni Club. It's a neat venue from what I can remember, and I had to set up in an alcove area near the parking lot entrance. Of course, I had a different audience to work with, lots of folks dancing, several people asked for cards and CDs and wanted to know if I played regularly somewhere in Lexington or Louisville. When I told them I was from Maryland and just there for the job and headed home the next day, they must have thought I was some kind of nut case for driving 11 hours to a single job.

Hammer,

We have a few places in my part of the world exactly like the one you described. $500,000 in up front money, plus $5,000 to $7,000 a month to live there. I perform monthly at a couple of them, the people, however, are very open, applaud and dance a lot, and really have an upbeat attitude. They love it when the entertainers interact with them and any time there is a special event, I'm among the chosen few that gets called by the director.

Since the housing sales market has essentially crashed, at least in this part of the world, the upscale locations requiring huge sums of upfront money are being bypassed in favor of some of the new, monthly, retirement communities. No upfront money required, you are on a month-to-month lease, prices range from about $2,800 to $6,000 per month including meals and all activities. One of the places that I really love to play is Avondell Retirement, which is located just 10 minutes drive time from my home. They have their own nite-club/lounge, exercise room, huge patio, and the meals are served in beautiful dining rooms by waiters and waitresses wearing tuxedos. Everyone that physically can will dance the night away.

Cheers,

Gary

Hi Gary,
We are having a big change in my area with retirement venues. We have been severely overbuilt and many of the places that once had a waiting list are now under 80% occupancy. That has impacted budgets and everyone is cutting back on everything.

What that has done for my business is I now need over 70 clients to provide the same level of business that I once had with only 20 clients. It all leads to a LOT of phone calls, emails, and followups which ruins the whole thing for me.

I ran into another guy who only plays the senior circuit and he thinks he will walk away from it all this year. The ADs turn over faster than you can count to 10. That also makes it harder to stay booked in regular places. Since January I have had 11 Ads change. All in all, I have about reached a point where it is almost more trouble then it is worth.

Hammer