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#353099 - 10/19/12 07:08 AM Never thought I'd hear this...
Bill in Dayton Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 08/23/04
Posts: 2207
Loc: Dayton, OH USA
The other day a long time retirement home client came up to me after my gig and asked if she could get my honest opinion on something. I said of course.

She told me how another high profile, good quality act who's been around a long time had informed her that they were raising their rates if they were expected to interact with the residents. That would now be an extra $30.00. She wasn't kidding.

I told her in the plainest language I could muster that I thought it was ridiculous. I asked her what's next? An upcharge for playing anything not in the key of C? Maybe a special fee for black keys? My god...

She said she thought they were trying to squeeze her and I couldn't disagree.

Thoughts?
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Bill in Dayton

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#353102 - 10/19/12 07:55 AM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
SemiLiveMusic Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 08/28/04
Posts: 2206
Loc: Louisiana, USA
If they need more money, they didn't show much tact with how they put it. That was really dumb.
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Bill

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#353103 - 10/19/12 08:01 AM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
I hope she fired them !

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#353104 - 10/19/12 08:12 AM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
travlin'easy Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/08/02
Posts: 15576
Loc: Forest Hill, MD USA
DITTO!
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#353107 - 10/19/12 08:58 AM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: travlin'easy]
tony mads usa Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 14376
Loc: East Greenwich RI USA
I've always said "I get paid to set the gear up and break it down, the entertaining I do for free!" ... the INTERACTION is the best part of the gig ...
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t. cool

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#353110 - 10/19/12 09:37 AM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
ianmcnll Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/27/05
Posts: 10606
Loc: Cape Breton Island, Canada
I generally stay out of giving opinions in that type of situation, because, in essence, any negative remarks by me, especially about my competition for the same venues, and even when seemingly encouraged by my client, may have a detrimental effect down the road.

Doesn't mean they were right, high quality act or not.

As Bill Semi Live implies above, the act may have been high on quality, but, were very short on tact, and, judging from her response to Dayton Billy's plain language opinion that their behaviour was "ridiculous", the Retirement Home client already knew what they were trying to do.

She didn't appear to need any confirmation, and if she needed it, she wouldn't get it from me.

Ian
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#353113 - 10/19/12 10:30 AM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
124 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/01/09
Posts: 2195
Good to see you back on here, Bill.

Ha ha! Let's hear it for the musical darwinists. I've heard of some dumb moves, but this takes the biscuit. Just when you think you've heard it all, eh?

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#353125 - 10/19/12 02:15 PM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: ianmcnll]
Bill in Dayton Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 08/23/04
Posts: 2207
Loc: Dayton, OH USA
Originally Posted By: ianmcnll
I generally stay out of giving opinions in that type of situation, because, in essence, any negative remarks by me, especially about my competition for the same venues, and even when seemingly encouraged by my client, may have a detrimental effect down the road.

Doesn't mean they were right, high quality act or not.

As Bill Semi Live implies above, the act may have been high on quality, but, were very short on tact, and, judging from her response to Dayton Billy's plain language opinion that their behaviour was "ridiculous", the Retirement Home client already knew what they were trying to do.

She didn't appear to need any confirmation, and if she needed it, she wouldn't get it from me.

Ian



I've thought about that angle and for some newer clients, I would've been less comfortable to discuss it. This particular client and I have worked with each other at several different facilities and bottom line, I owe her a straight answer more than I need to hide behind "professionalism." I don't owe the other act anything.
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Bill in Dayton

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#353127 - 10/19/12 03:05 PM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
ianmcnll Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 07/27/05
Posts: 10606
Loc: Cape Breton Island, Canada
Good for you, Billy...you know your situation better than I.

I still stand by my statement that I generally stay out of giving opinions in that type of situation. I don't consider it part of my job to give the client anything more than what I have been hired to do, which is to perform/entertain.

It keeps things nice and simple, and, in my case, has more to do with personal integrity than "professionalism".

Ian



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#353137 - 10/19/12 10:06 PM Re: Never thought I'd hear this... [Re: Bill in Dayton]
Tony Hughes Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/30/06
Posts: 3944
Bill,

Interact with old folks, how does that work, you need to be careful what kind of interation they are think of. party

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