Reading cgiles thread about arrangers got me to thinking about the number of folks on this thread who do solo gigs.

Along with teaching half days, I'm still doing about six solo gigs a month....been doing that for about two years now...the solo gig thing that is.

Playing solo seems to have its own special challenges. I do all my own bookings, set ups at gigs, entertaining is just up to me... Nobody else other than the audience to bounce off of ....well you get the picture.

You solo entertainers... What are some of the things you deal with ?

For me, everything revolves around preplanning and organization----both the music and the gear. Playing the music and dealing with the people (patrons) are no problem. If there’s an issue, it’s me. Yesterday, I forgot my glasses. Survived with a borrowed pair. I drove 160 miles once to find I’d forgotten the powered mixer for the PA. By the hardest, worked out a solution for that. For solo gigs, I go through a checklist like a pilot might do.

Since I play the same place five nights a week, four hours a night, the real challenge is keeping it fresh and interesting for repeat customers. Some of these people have been coming to hear me for many years, and that presents a set of problems. They all expect me to remember and play "their" songs, but they also start tuning out if I do the same old stuff every time they come.
I try to learn a new song or two at least every week (used to be every day), but it is often hard to work them in easily.
Let's say I have four tables of regulars. Each has a couple of songs they want to hear. That makes about half a set of songs that I have to do for certain. Then if there are people in cowboy hats, I will do a couple of country songs. There are some older couples that come in expecting to dance to Sinatra or Tony Bennett songs. Younger people respond to newer songs...add a couple of blues or R&B songs if called for...well it keeps you on your toes trying to please them. MUST to do some Elvis. . . then if people from out of town are there, you have to do some Louisiana music, Jambalaya, Toot Toot, Jole Blon, etc., so they get some local "flavor".
Then, the early crowd leaves and another wave takes their place, and the process repeats. I sometimes play Wonderful Tonight three times a night. I know the staff gets tired of it, but it always pleases almost everyone, and I'm not there to play for the staff, or myself for that matter. Then the Boss may come out of the kitchen and expect a Jimmy Swaggart song!
But, every situation is unique. If I play a nursing home, I have a pretty set list of songs in my head that I know for certain will go over and get them at least rocking their chairs a litte. Easy as pie!
Sometimes I wish I were in a Country/Western club and just play that for a couple hours, but of course it would get old too and before you know it a cowboy would come up and ask why I'm playing that Eric Clapton stuff!

Gotta agree with everything my southern counterpart, DomM said. Even at this stage of semi-retirement, I still try to learn at least one new song every week, even if the song is somewhat old.

Good luck,

Gary

Yup Don. Restaurants are the hardest to play for all the reasons you stated. I did 6 nights a week at one in the 90s for 11 months straight. People coming and going all evening, wanting quiet dining music when they come in, and louder more uptempo dance music after eating...but at the same time new diners come in expecting it to be more relaxed. When the music is in a lounge seperate from the dining room, no problem. But, playing in the dining room, unless it is a private banquet, is not for me.
Eddie

I sometimes fill in for this friend of mine in an upscale Italian restaurant(GREAT food and service, a bit pricey) ... there is a guitar player in the dining room who is barely audible, but the boss and the clientele love him, and he does well in tips so he is doing something right, and then there is the lounge where my friend plays ... Dinner is also served in the lounge, so the first couple of hours it is more background music, then it slowly gets 'kicked up a notch' and some dancing starts ... anyone coming in this lounge after 8:30 - 9PM for dinner should not expect background music ...

Eddie, I auditioned at a country club centered in Breakers West one of the most prestiges country clubs in West Palm Beach. They were looking for a piano player; me and my Technics keyboard received a no. I asked for one night; they agreed.

I programed my Technics to have drums and bass; all the other instruments (Acc. Parts) were piano. I was there playing every Friday night for six years.

After 40 years of singing and playing guitar with a four or five piece band, this job was not a let down; it was another adventure – something different. From these Friday jobs I booked many Weddings and parties --- they were surprised to hear me sound like a full band.

No brag here; this is all about Arranger Keyboard.
John C.

John...
Knowing you as I do and having heard you play..I know exactly where you are coming from. You are a pro of the first order and I'll bet all your audiences appreciate your talent.
Eddie

That's it , it can be an adventure when you find that opportunity, it stretches you and it makes you feel good about yourself.

I don't play solo at present, lost my mother not long ago , so dealing with probate and family; but on single/ one off gigs when you don't know the layout as well; you have to watch your gear more. Just sometimes there are sticky fingers lurking around, watching.

Allan

Trying to cover some ground that hasn't been covered already...

I'm doing 500+ gigs this year and each client has a different type of audience. I also don't use "set lists" for any gig, at least in the traditional sense.

At my Nursing home gigs I know in advance at least 75% of the stuff I play will be between medium and upbeat tempos. I have around 1000 tunes that I play and NOT having a set list helps me keep things fresh. I enjoy 95% of those tunes, and from experience I've found for me I play a lot more of my book with out a list than I did when I tried using one. It makes me think more, which I think produces a better and certainly fresher result.

Also, in the SW Ohio area, there are several other NH acts that are known for their set lists, but not in a good way. They've become predictable and a little boring to the audience and staff. One act is also known for their resistence to changing things up or even taking requests.

I enjoy being upredictable and by paying attention to what's going on around me as I set up, or remembering something from the last time I was at a particular place, etc...It points me in a direction that a set list probably wouldn't.

Another thing that comes to mind is my frustration (at times) with the staff's behavior. This certainly isn't the norm, but a handful of times a year I'll be at a place where the Activity Director is off and an underling is running the activity. Sometimes this person isn't as professional as you'd want them to be and they seem to think that if they bring 20 residents down instead of the 50 that I see when the boss is there, I'm going to wonder why.

To be fair, these underlings aren't as respected as the department head is, so the assistence they might get from other aids/nurses isn't that same at all. That's more of a cultural thing with in the building. I may ask for a few missing people by name. Another factor may be labor related. If the assistant has been told the activity ends at 7:00pm and they need to clock out by 7:15pm, well, that's that, I guess...I pass my concerns on to the boss ...sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn't.

Lastly, a 3rd thing that comes to mind is when the staff thinks I'm doing trivia/stimulation exersizes FOR THEM. I've learned to say "What resident can tell me the name of this tune..." which usually does the trick.

It just speaks to the employee not really being aware of what's going on. Sometimes, I'll pull someone aside nicely after the show is over and explain what I'm trying to do and then they get it.

All in all, I have the best job in the world...

Very interesting Bill-thanks