... I was talking about ME !!!

I just realized that, Tony. Sorry.

Gary

Gary, Tony

Thanks for the replies. I just recently let the hair go and those who know me like it better white. I do too. I dress well and act professionally, thats all I can do. You can spot a bad dye job a mile away and to me it makes you look more desperate than hip. I especially hate the older guys with the jet black jobs, really fake. Hey, are we really talking about this here ?? LOL

( 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 ... )
That statement hits it perfectly. They don't know you or what you do and have their mind is made up in 10 seconds. Besides I'm 6'4" so they think I'm there to collect money !!
Restaurants don't have music either. As one waitress told me its "Seat em, Feed em, and Street em"
I know an assistant mgr. of the biggest restaurant here "The Lobster House" ( one of the highest grossing restaurants in the country ) He gave me a polite but very true answer. "We don't need it " They could well afford to throw some music out there for the patrons but they just don't care. Get em out so they can do the next seating. How can I argue when even in Feb. every third car coming over the bridge into Cape May turns into the Lobster House.

No Marinas here have any music. One place, The Canyon CLub, that runs the million dollar Mid-Atlantic tournament in August may have a band one or two nights. I've inquired but its all done thru the event company they hire. Name the places you know and I'll tell you their stories. Been to them all. I belong to the Cape May Marlin & Tuna Club. The have a small bar/clubhouse. I played two Fri. for free and had people dancing around the pool table. People who had not been around in a while came in just for the music. Made some good tips. Same answer from the Secretary who manages the place. "We don't have the funds." And this is from a place where guys spend thousands to fuel up their fishing boats every week.

The Deckertainment is the guitar slingers or Kareoke duos/trios. Same for the Animal clubs. All Kareoke "bands" 2 to 5 pieces playing virtually the same backing tracks. Only one band I know actually plays live. Other live acts are the bigger rock groups in the "kid" clubs.
If I could hook up with a decent female vocalist to front I think I could make some more contacts but after working in duos with 4 of them over a number of years do I really want to go thru that again ?

People are People and there will always be Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Christenings, Bar Mitzvah, Retirement, Dinner Dances, and every other Special Occasions. There are hundreds of functions being held everywhere, every week, and someone has to provide music in may ways..

private functions is where the money is.....for example look in the newspaper for Wedding, Anniversary announcements etc,, look them up, call those people they'll need music. I have booked many "COLD" call jobs this way, let them come see you play somewhere, be better then the rest, Booking work is a never ending part of our business,....If your good enough,..only the determined are successful to make a living and not be just a weekend warrior.
You have to have the confidence & passion to Live Music and Love Music!

Donny
Love your Bravado attitude but you think I haven't thought of private parties !! Thats all I did in North Jersey. But this is a tourist town. Down here you do have a lot of Weddings, mostly at Congress Hall. I'm sure most bring their DJ's from their own area, mainly Philly. Besides, I don't want that anymore. Done my time with Bridezillas, over zealous Wedding planners and Managers who know nothing of your job. And again the age thing is the big factor. I can DJ all the top Dance Music but to them would I look right doing it-- No.
There are virtually none of the other types of affairs you mentioned done here. There are very few Catering Halls. Congress Hall BIG $$$$, and the Cape May Yacht Club. I played one event there, went very well, and have been back twice with cards. Offered to do a few free happy hours for the club members. We'll see. The other is the local VFW where I do some parties. $20 Beef & Beer events for whatever cause and someone's nephew is always the free DJ. Local people here don't have the money for functions like you and I are used to.
I've done one family reunion party at a rented house for 20 people and am doing another Family reunion party for the third time.
And the fact if tourists want to have a function here with a lot of people the cost of traveling here and staying here is ridiculous. If people are having a function like a Birthday or Retirement they meet at a place like the Lobster House, get a corner of one of the dining rooms, put the tables together and have a dinner. No music, no dancing.
If I'm not determined enough where did I get all this info for the last posts ?

Well Bill sounds like a DEAD ZONE for your services down there ..
thru the years I have done many gigs at the Grand Hotel in CM and a few other private affairs close by...but I'd say as you mentioned if you want to gig you might have to travel a bit further. Have you tried advertising the route in the papers etc, or try Direct Mailing a nice pro PR package, pictures, demos, calendars, etc, with followup phone calls for each one?.. ..... this has worked for me in the past also.?
Is gigging financial or personal enjoyment for you at this time in you life?
Or maybe playing with other people who are established already where you live might get you some work & contacts also, look in the musicians classifieds, or advertisements in music stores.....

Good Luck

Forgot the Grand. they basically do big wedding in the upstairs ballroom. Downstairs is remodeled into a br/restarrant where the owners friend DJ's weekends through the house speakers in the ceiling. I offered some keyboard music for the dinner time before he starts. "Don't want ot give up the table space"
The PR package is a good idea and I guess I've just been too lazy to tackle something like that.
Gigging is half and half for me now. I enjoy playing but I also feel I deserve a decent compensation for my work. Love to just do Hammond/Piano in a tight Blues band. There's one here and they won't add to the trio. Even they travel to PA a lot to do gigs. Was with a classic Rock group for a year. Two gigs, one of wwhich I got, and no one wanted to do any more booking work.
One of my fun gigs that defies age prejudice is when I fill in at the local VFW. The younger people and young bartenders love me and want me to take over for the regular Fri. night guy. He's another Mr. Line Dance player. He's rarely out but its always a good night for me that goes way over time. Mgr. won't make a move without the Boards approval and most of them never come on a Fri. to see whats going on. Again we'll see, its in the works.

Hey Bill,
If you're talking about the McDees on Rt 9 in Somers Point - that guy has been there for years! I think he just gets tips too. The older crowds frequent the joint because of senior discounts on coffee, I bet. You have to ask for it. I stop in and see him each year a few times on a Tuesday.

Dave

That's the one. I didn't know he was taking tips. Would of gave him my breakfast money as the place was so crowded I left with nothing. If your going there give me a heads up and maybe I'll think of an excuse to go back. If not see you at the Trap.

Bill, if you wish, I would be more than happy to send you one of my promo packages that I mail out to perspective clients. Just PM me your snail mail address and I will get it out sometime next week.

You can also read an article I did on this subject at the PSR Tutorial Site. http://www.psrtutorial.com/music/articles/marketing.html

Gary