Dave, I must say I fully agree with your OP. It's right on the money. I use a rock and roller, though, but in my case it serves as a neat platform to hold everything while I set up. However, as you stated, all the covers and bags fit snugly inside the keyboard case when the setup is complete. I usually wheel it into a closet or somewhere completely out of the way in an obscure location where it doesn't bother anyone, but no one will bother it as well.

Cheers,

Gary

BTW: I learned a lot from you over the years, and I sincerely wish to express my gratitude for everything you've done for me since we first met in that book store in New Jersey.

Better watch what you ask for

In some places, there will always be SOMEone who really doesn't care what you do, but hopefully, those people are few. You play for those who DO care, and serve up the music. Let them get their own fries. Our job is to satisfy the client. Put out the product you have faith in - charge what you feel you're worth and do the job... the job they pay you for.
Playing beneath your comfort zone is simply part of the territory. Music and entertainment is a PEOPLE driven business. No people = NO WORK. I put lots of bands, DJs, KJs out of work because of the product I bring, and my work ethic. You have to SELL. Sell yourself, sell the music and sell the crowd ... with each song. You have 4 minutes at a time to convince the audience to stay or leave. Bulky setups can draw a negative reaction before you play a note. I've already seen people come in for dinner and after they see their proximity to the music, they ask to be relocated. I GET it - they expect loud and annoying because of the sins of our predecessors. I make it a point to have a venue ask me to turn UP the music long before it's the reverse.
Works for me, and I never had to serve fries.

I've been happy to do other work rather than accept jobs where music is an inconvenience to the house. If they don't think what I do is important enough to place me where I can be seen, and let me be loud enough to be heard well, why are they putting live music in at all?

We sell ourselves short every day, and to be honest, where things are right now is because we are willing to tolerate it.

Diki,
I kinda agree with you - I remember in the 80s when the TV thing started getting outta hand .. I refused to play if the TVs were on. Then after a while, someone would ask .. "Can we just check the scores with no sound?", so I caved and put the set on MUTE ... well, after a while someone said ... "This part is great, TURN IT UP - just for a second!" so again, I caved ... and it became too hard to fight. The crowds were still in the room, they were still paying my salary and the bar tabs, so I thought to myself - all's well, I guess, right?
after 10 years or so - I found myself watching a ball game or two during the night too ... it's funny how many things we change when we prioritize our lives. The bottom line for me is this:
If people will listen and clients will pay ... I'll try to be as accommodating as I can to make them happy ... within reason. There are not SO many jobs around that we can turn down everything that doesn't fit our wish list exactly, but it's still good to stick to some level of decorum. How much you can take will directly reflect in your wallet.

When it gets too hard ... then you move to Florida and play for the Snowbirds. (Like my parents!)

Back in the mid 80s I began getting real selective about the type of bars and clubs I played. If the place was loaded with TVs and pool tables I just wouldn't perform there. Too many drunks, too many fights, and the cigarette smoke was like pea soup fog.

I played every Friday night at the American Legion in Havre de Grace, MD for 7 years. They had smoke eaters in three rooms, two in the bar area where I performed, and a single TV over the bar that was turned off when the music began. The last year I was there was when the new club manager decided to put in a big-screen TV at both ends of the bar and keep them on all the time I played. The sound was muted, but they were distracting when a ballgame or other sporting event was on. Two weeks later I decided that it was time to more on.

As Dave said, there are so many jobs in the Mid-Atlantic region that you can pick and choose the ones you want and leave the others for the kids.

Cheers,

Gary

I wish that were true, Gary, but you misread what I said. I wrote that there are NOT so many jobs. In a certain niche market, they may be at times, but somewhere, sometimes ... you're gonna have to play in a situation that's not your favorite. You did the right thing - if it's not right for you ... and you can afford to - MOVE ON.

Yep, I missed the NOT in the sentence - old eyes. In the area I'm in there are more jobs, even in the clubs. Problem is the clubs pay about the same as they did 30 to 40 years ago. A four-hour performance in Baltimore's Little Italy will pay $100 for weeknights, and $150 for weekend nights. Ironically, the place in Little Italy where I used to perform, Della Notte's, which was among the top, upscale, Italian restaurants in Baltimore, just went out of business. Della Notte I guess even the high rollers in this economy are feeling the pinch and cutting back.

When I switched to the NH circuit, which is about 20 years ago, I think it was the smartest move I made in this business. Most of the guys I know that are strictly club players work one day a week at most, the pay sucks, and they all had to go back to work doing other things in order to make a living. Especially those who had bands. Full band jobs here are quite rare, and most of them play, on average, one or two jobs a month at best.

Good luck old friend, and I sincerely hope to see you in the near future. I think the Three Amigos need to make a whirlwind trip to the sunny south this year.

Gary

I'd LOVE a road trip ... and crabs and beer!!!!!

Crabs are no longer in a musician/entertainer's budget constraints. They're $75 a dozen for the small to medium size. Crab cakes, the good ones, are $16 to $20 each - ouch!

Beer, ribs, wings, etc..., we can do that, though.

Gary