... I had gigs at the same assisted living place on Monday and Wednesday this week ... figuring it was St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s days I prepared appropriately with Irish and Italian songs ... Monday went well and was well received, but I felt it ‘dragged’ a little, so Tuesday I added some regular upbeat tunes to the playlist ...
Wednesday, I go to a different unit and the whole place is decorated for EASTER !!! ... and a sign says : “Family Bunny Hop Tea with music by Tony Madalone” ... I figured there are only 3 ‘Easter’ songs I could play and OK, I have my OLD fake book, and Easter Parade must be in it - but NO!!! ... so I get all set up and I ask the AD of the unit if I can get access to a PC ... I look up wikifonia and D/L Easter Parade, I google Peter Cottontail and get the lyrics and chords, and I figured I could fake the ‘Bunny Hop’ ... I start playing my playlist and a few songs in, without warning, in comes somebody in a FULL Easter bunny costume, handing out candy eggs ... so I go right into Peter Cottontail ... it was a big hit ...
The www of the internet is a WONDERFUL thing ... ... The AD told me she will e-mail me a list of the 'themes' she plans for the rest of my gigs there this year ...

Pa600?

Don't you just hate it when you show up and you discover they didn't inform you of a special theme or occasion. Been there done that.

Deane

Yes ...

I'm always ready to go with anything they can ever throw at me... I find It a challenge that I'm always ready to endor..... An arranger kb always let you do that and and if needed a back up with a laptop and there's nothing you cant do.. like taking candy from a baby.......wean yourself off the charts and just play and give them hell!!!

Like Donny, I'm ready for any theme they throw at me. Guess it's cause I'm old as some of the residents.

Gary

I'm also ready to go on just about anything. I upgraded just a little today. I got an I Pad. Now, if I need a set of lyrics on the fly, I can get them up and displayed on the I Pad. This will be great because every now and then someone will ask me for a tune that I don't remember the lyrics for. Pretty cool world we live in.

Joe

Well I guess I have to start carrying around a laptop or an iPAD, so I TOO can be ready for anything ... and I was silly enough to think that all I needed was my keyboard and my mic ...