Rick Davis
1043 posts
Dec 23, 2012
9:51 AM
|
Are you playing a New Year's Eve gig? I'm not this year, but I'll be sitting in with a couple bands. NYE gigs are great parties and are often the best paying club gigs of the year. Totally fun. Are you booked?
----------
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
|
lumpy wafflesquirt
664 posts
Dec 23, 2012
10:28 AM
|
no
----------
"Come on Brackett let's get changed"
|
scojo
366 posts
Dec 23, 2012
10:29 AM
|
Nope. I only play NYE for SERIOUS cash (at least double my usual rate). Otherwise, ain't worth it.
|
Tuckster
1225 posts
Dec 23, 2012
11:10 AM
|
Ditto what scojo said. $1500 minimum for a 4 piece. Even then,I'd be reluctant. This year I'm going to eat,drink and watch the Nighthawks. I not sure any amount of money would lure me from that!
|
Gnarly
437 posts
Dec 23, 2012
8:33 PM
|
Fingers crossed, but still not confirmed . . .
I'll keep you posted.
|
boris_plotnikov
815 posts
Dec 24, 2012
1:01 AM
|
Unfortunately no
----------
Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
|
harpdude61
1605 posts
Dec 24, 2012
3:20 AM
|
My first NYE gig! Very excited. My 4 pc. gets a grand plus dinner and drinks for 8. Pretty good for around here.
|
6SN7
223 posts
Dec 24, 2012
3:54 AM
|
@harpdude, good for you. I find NYE to be as demanding as doing a wedding. A bit stressful as I feel compelled to be on my toes to provide the best entertainment as the crowd is paying a bundle of their hard earned cash to party. Also, it is important to give the mgt a good return on their money. Consequently, it means I have to stay sober and "work" and be a ringleader/MC of sorts. And make darn sure if you are going to have "jammers" that they know what the hell they are doing.
I always find it curious when players demand 3x the pay for NYE and act like they are a gift from the heavens. I encourge you to look at the flip side of that argument. I always tell my band when we do a regular gig, we better hope that the bar rings in at least 5 times what we get paid in order to get a re-up in the future. They have their regular overhead plus band expenses. Yes, that means bring a friend or ten to the gig, stay sharp and don't get drunk and be a pro. Music is music and business is business.
Myself, I am spending quality time with the family and working on breaking in my new Crossovers, playing Christmas carols and learning a killah 3rd position solo for my next gig in the new year. Happy Holidays to one and all.
Last Edited by on Dec 24, 2012 3:56 AM
|
Jim Rumbaugh
808 posts
Dec 24, 2012
1:04 PM
|
I'll be playing.
Electric Bass.
Quartet.
Ballroom dancing tunes.
I take home about $250
Strange, without going into details, The last time I played bass (for pay) was the same job last New Years Eve.
----------
theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
|
HarveyHarp
434 posts
Dec 24, 2012
1:51 PM
|
The best New Years gig I ever played was in a little town called Lima Ohio. I played in a band called Fast Forward, and we played a combination of blues, jazz, and classic rock. One of our songs was 1999 by Prince. It was December 31st, 1998 and we had the New Years eve gig at the Crab Shack on the Square in Downtown Lima. At the stroke of midnight, we busted into 1999. The crown went crazy, we all got drunk and partied until the wee hours of the morning.
----------
HarveyHarp
|
scojo
367 posts
Dec 24, 2012
2:00 PM
|
"I always find it curious when players demand 3x the pay for NYE and act like they are a gift from the heavens."
Um, 6SN7, you totally don't get it. I demand 2x the pay to play on NYE because, otherwise, it is not worth missing time with my family to be out on Amateur Night (I mean amateur from a drinking perspective, not musically). Thanks, but although I can always use the money, I can use the time with my family more. You seem to understand the importance of family time, so I don't know why you would cast aspersions on those of us who calibrate our business accordingly.
|
tbang
32 posts
Dec 24, 2012
2:18 PM
|
Yessir. In the great state of Texas, nonetheless. Will double on keys and harp…
|
Rick Davis
1053 posts
Dec 24, 2012
2:19 PM
|
I'd play NYE or Halloween free if asked. It's fun. This year I'll just go to a couple clubs and sit in. No pressure; no hassle, (and no money). I expect it to be a blast.
In the past my band has charged about double for NYE shows... a 4-hour club gig. But as I said, I'd do it for less.
----------
-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
|
JD Hoskins
343 posts
Dec 24, 2012
2:46 PM
|
No harp gig, but guitar. Fun will be had by all, this is the absolute rowdiest crowd of all, hard core motorcycle club. Been playing these gigs forever. I wouldn't take it on at this age if I didn't already know these people. Won't have to lift a single piece of gear, we're the second band of three, so if I can execute a polite exit I'll be home by midnight.
|
6SN7
224 posts
Dec 24, 2012
3:16 PM
|
@scojo. I don't get it? Chill my friend and reread very carefully what I have written. You're getting your knickers in a knot for no good reason.
Happy Holidays.
Last Edited by on Dec 24, 2012 3:20 PM
|
scojo
368 posts
Dec 24, 2012
11:21 PM
|
6SN7: my bad, man. Sorry... stressful holiday. Hope yours is a good one.
|
Bb
324 posts
Dec 25, 2012
7:16 AM
|
Yep. Bourbon & Bleach will be laying down the boogie on NYE. We're getting $150 a man – and that's ok for this town.
-Bob
----------
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/pages/Bourbon-Bleach/161722307208585
|
Shredder
372 posts
Dec 25, 2012
5:46 PM
|
Yes, we have a private party so I know we will have a good turn out. I played a gig last year at a local bar and it sucked. There was a very low turn out. I thought it may have been our fault, it really bothered me. I inquired around after that with other musicians and got the same answer, low turn out. It was a no refuse holiday and every one is afraid to go to bars on NYE. The best turn outs around here are the hotel party gigs, no drive home just stagger to your room. The only issue is we don't do dance music and thats what they want at the hotels.
|
Gnarly
448 posts
Jan 01, 2013
10:47 PM
|
I wound up playing NYE in Rancho Santa Fe for some rich folks, playing folk music (they were from Canada) with another fellow who plays fiddle and guitar. He was late to the gig, so being able to play harp along with a stringed instrument made it possible for me to start without him, and let him set up while I entertained.
Did we play a blues? Yes we did, as I recall, it was "Hound Dog" . . .
|
The Iceman
624 posts
Jan 02, 2013
6:23 AM
|
Doubling price for NYE was always a standard understanding during my career playing clubs....
NYE has a kinda built in crowd that makes it affordable for the club owner. Also, more of a drinking crowd than normal. What's interesting is to see all the "amateur drinkers" on NYE...what's scary is driving home that night with all the "amateur drinkers" behind the wheel.
Personally, I never was able to get into alcohol (try as I may), so many times by the end of the evening after playing in these clubs, and especially NYE, I seemed to be the only sober dude in the room. Talk about feeling disconnected from humanity....
Now, how about a NYE gig in Colorado where instead of drinking they smoke marijuana all night? Wait, never mind, 1/2 the crowd might fall asleep before the countdown at midnight.
----------
The Iceman
|
HawkeyeKane
1335 posts
Jan 02, 2013
9:08 AM
|
The last three years, we played public NYE gigs at local bars. This year, we played our first private NYE party. It was at the FOE Hall in nearby Clinton, IL. It exceeded our expectations. The crowd was up and dancing on the FIRST song we played that evening. It progressed well without any adverse incident. Champagne toast at the stroke of 12. And the payout for that four hour gig was more than double what it normally is. Always a plus. ;-)
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
nacoran
6353 posts
Jan 02, 2013
2:58 PM
|
I didn't play a gig, but I went to a show with some amazing local bands.
----------
Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
|
Jim Rumbaugh
811 posts
Jan 02, 2013
7:51 PM
|
My gig went OK
At the end of the first set, a lady asked if we did "Bee-bop a-Lula". She wanted to dance to a slow swing (slow shuffle). On the break, with an i=phone, I got the words, and we delivered the tune the second set. Now I'm gonna take it to The Harmonica Club for the gang to play. We really don't have any "slow shuffles"
----------
theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
|
