Under the heading of "You can't make this stuff up"
This morning I had an appointment an hour away from my home. After the appoinment I was heading back and looking for a place to get some coffee. Its 10 AM and I see a McDonalds so I pull in. Parking lot is almost full and the drive up has about 10 cars so I decide to go in. As I guessed the place is full of seniors as Mickey D's by me has become the favorite morning hangout for the older crowd. From outside the front door I hear music and I know its not canned. Wouldn't you know it, a very senior gentlemen playing his Yamaha Arranger on a table right by the front door. Music and McNuggets !
Guy played very well in a Theatre Organ style and could still do all the arrpeggios and flouishes. Got a nice round of applause when he finished. Sort of a shame that it would be fun to sit and listen for awhile but there's a sign near the register which says "tables are limited to 20 minutes while consuming McDonalds products only" I guess some of the seniors were making a morning of it and stopping business flow.
I gave him a thumbs up and took his picture by didn't hit the save button on my phone so use your imgination. Made my day.

It appears that some brown bagged it as well. There are always a few that will ruin a good thing for the rest.

I've played at a McDonald's near me 3-4 times. Once with my duo act, the rest solo, using my Tyros 3 at the time. It's a newer McD's (now ~1-2 years old), music-themed decoration scheme, etc. They had various local artists (lots were teen-agers etc.) during the first few weeks after it opened, then only music on special occasionals. I played there last Christmastime!

There is another McD's about 5 miles away, which I stopped into to grab a McFlurry, and there was a "singer-songwriter" style musician in there - guitar + vox.

So, yes, more than one McD's has had occasional live music in it!

-Jim

Where ever there's people there is a need for music....
Bill maybe you can start touring the fast Food circuit in SNJ...
a gig is a gig !

A few years ago I played in a New Bank on opening day & a Florist shop also....
I'll play anywhere just show me where to set up and pay me.
There's work all over create your OWN Niche! Ive talked my way into many jobs that never thought of having live music & it works. BUt you better bring the "goods" or risk looking like a fool.

Remember this:..If you sit home you make ZERO .....
If you go out and play wherever it is you never know who will be there and take a card for future gigs $$$$...

I have a cousin who during his lifetime has owned a few McD's ... his first was on lower Broadway in the Financial District of NYC ... he brought in a Baby Grand piano and hired a guy to play from about 6:30 AM until 3 PM ...

I have played in a florist/greenhouse during the Christmas Holidays and have played for several Stop & Shop Supermarket Grand Openings ...

Like Donny says, 'do what you have to do' ...

I played several grand openings for Duncan Donuts, many around Washington, DC, and each of those one-day events paid me very handsomely. I was pleasantly surprised.

Nealy all of the Micky D's in my area are senior hangouts. They don't have music, but I'm confident that if someone were approach the corporate office, there would be music job opportunities at each and every one of them. Seniors, from my experience, love music, they love to dance, and they love to party.

Until about a year ago, I performed Monday nights at a Season's Pizza shop in Cockeysville, MD. Most nights the place was dead, and the restaurant section only had a sing waitress who couldn't make more than a few dollars in tips. Monday nights, the seniors showed up, 50 to 65 of them, the place was jammed to capacity, there were four waitresses, and they all went home with a fair amount of cash in their pockets. Yep, a pizza shop! Amazing just how many jobs are out there - all you gotta do is look for them. The only reason I no longer do this one is the pizza shop relocated to a place where there was no room for dancing - the seniors went elsewhere and the job went bye-bye.

Gary

I just don't see the McD's idea taking off. They want you in and out. Thats why the seats are so uncomfortable, true story.
A grand opening party I could go for but a regular gig there ???


As for myself I've been pounding on doors for months before this season hit. Before moving down here my gigs came from referrals and repeat business. Also had some close musican friends and we would toss gigs back and forth.
As a matter of fact one called me recently and I traveled 2.5 hours back up to my old area for a job. Job went excellent and I made NYE level money like the old days. Well worth the trip.

Here's my findings from here.

A. They use the same people yearly. I follow the listings and have seen the same acts booked in the same places for years. One place told me they only use acoustic music. They forget that the guitar player plugs in and uses backing tracks from his computer. They're just conditioned to the same guitar player singers they have always used.

B. They don't know me from the man in the moon. Everyone here knows everyone and I'm the new guy. Never even get a chance to play to let them hear me and then judge. Another place told me my card was too fancy for them. I told them I can play all the typical beach music stuff they want. Even country.

C. Yes, its true now, I'm older, white hair and all, and there is definatly a big age prejudice in the business here. If your part of an established act you can slip by but as an unknown solo no good. Just look at the barmaids LOL!

D. There is virtually no senior business here. NH just don't hire music, only if its free or for a stupid almost free price. A drummer just called me and asked if I would do a gig at a NH as a trio with a female vocalist. Of course I would have to bring the PA ( she doesn't have one or any charts) and put together all her tunes. PAY -- hold on now -- $32. $100 for the trio for 90 minutes. Sorry I don't think so.
One DJ got fired from a longtime gig because he had a following of senior line dancers. They take over the floor and they don't spend. Some bring they're own water.

The few things I've done have gone over great but little to no repeat business.

Trying to start something on Sats. at a CC here because that's the crowd I want to play to. Played there once for season opening dinner dance and they loved me. The members told the manager "why don't you have him on Thurs nights?
Thats the clubs only music night and guess what. She's already booked up--- guitar player singers you can't dance to. They're getting a new chef and starting dinner service so we'll see. Also lining up some parties at the hotels that cater to the senior bus trips. Again, they don't know me so its a tough sell.

Bill, just over the line in Elkton, MD, there are four locations where I used to perform all the time. I stopped doing them because they're just too far away. From you, they would be less than an hour away. They paid $125 an hour and the jobs were once a month. Some wanted me more often, but I turned it down because of the drive time, which for me was about 75 to 80 minutes up I-95.

One of the big problems we all face it looking old. That white hair don't cut it anymore. Garnier Nutreusse, #30, Acorn, 8 minutes and you're good for 19 washings. Medium brown, looks very natural, and even the lady at the beauty shop where I get my hair cut said she couldn't tell.

CC jobs are kind of few and far between around here. At one time, they were easy to get, paid about the same as most restaurants, which was chump change - $125 for 4 to 5 hours, and the same price for a duo.

The animal clubs, Elks, Moose, etc..., American Legion, VFW, Amvets, all pay a bit better, $175 to $225 for 4 hours. Most, unfortunately, have switched to Karaoke during the past five years. So, the only way to land a job with them is to do a half-price, or couple hour freebe in hopes of it turning into something full time.

I know there are several good marinas around Cape May, many of which have restaurants and Tiki Bars. There may be something there for you to look into. Again, you may have to do an off-night freebe in order to get your foot in the door. That's what I did in Marathon Key, Florida. I played poolside at the tiki bar for tips on Wednesday nights for a month, and now the manager wants me to come back, bad. The have guitar will travel guys kept six drunks at the tiki bar, while I had crowds exceeding 100 almost every time I performed. You have to do a lot of country and Jimmy Buffett, though.

Hope this helps,

Gary

Bill I was having this discussion last week with the fellow that played sax with our band in NY ... he is an excellent player - also plays piano - he can play all the jazz tunes on sax to backing tracks and plays piano beautifully with nice jazz voicings etc. ... we were bemoaning the fact that the gigs are not there and I said I think I could get work if I could audition as they do on "The Voice" -sight unseen - ... but when I go into a CC or nice restaurant, they see this 'older', bald guy, and think 'he is not going to satisfy my clientele' ... and they are saying that even when their clientele is 50+ ... image is a LARGE part of this business ...

... and Gary ... you need SOME hair to dye it ...

I still have some, just not as much as I would like. I thought about that Bosley procedure, but figured it's really not worth the expense, and I probably don't have that much longer to play the way health things are going. Ironically, a brand new place is about to open about 12 miles from my home, the new AD and I talked yesterday and it looks as if he wants me to work there at least twice a month, once a month in the independent living section (retirement) and once a month in the assisted living section. That translates into 24 more jobs a year. And they possibly want me to perform for their grand opening ceremonies, which is an all day job that pays $1,000. I could live with that I guess. I'll know in the next two weeks if it pans out.

Gary