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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
4 days, 1880 miles
4 days, 1880 miles
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kudzurunner
4149 posts
Jul 07, 2013
7:44 PM
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Just back off the road after a whirlwind tour. Drove 685 miles home today, Jacksonville to Oxford. We made every show on time. Friday evening at the Peninsula Inn and Spa in Gulfport, FL was the only real frustration: we drove 610 miles, arrived one hour before showtime, and, after a 20 minute wait, were told by the owner of the establishment that although it had poured much of the day, it would NOT rain anymore. We could have set up on the porch or indoors, but she insisted that we set up--full PA, my two amps, percussion, Mouse monitor, etc.--on the open patio, with a small leaky gazebo over our heads. I relented, because the Boss is the Boss. I was not happy, but sometimes you do what you have to do, hating it. The Blues Doctors played a solid 30 minute set, and then Sterling Magee came up for Showtime and, just as we were about to play, it began to drizzle. I covered my amps, covered the PA speakers (which were exposed) with garbage bags, unplugged one amp, unplugged the main extension cord so we wouldn't be electrocuted. I had roughly $2500 in equipment sitting out there, just waiting for the downpour that would kill it all.
You try to be a good sport. After ten minutes, the light drizzle stopped and since we had a full crowd, we began to play. I forgot to plug back in one of the amps--the one that was miked through the PA--and so my harp was almost inaudible on the first song. I plugged back in. Sterling's guitar was out of tune and that killed the second song.
That's how Satan & Adam played our 30 minute set: just trying to get it done. It was a sub-optimal performance. After half an hour it began to drizzle again and we were through--because I made it very, very clear that we were through. The promised 3 hour Blues Doctors / S&A double bill became a 70 minute show with ten minutes of rain delay in the middle. I spent the next half hour frantically packing up and humping the PA, amps, and percussion stuff to the car. Not much time to fraternize, although we did that later at the bar. As it turned out, it never did pour, but how could we know that? We couldn't. So I had no choice, after two brief but real drizzle-delays, to break down. The humidity was 99%. Unreal. The Boss Lady insisted that the evening would be clear. It wasn't. She paid no cost for her mistake. I love and respect her, but her professional judgment was flawed. Next time I will hold firm and insist on porch or indoors.
The road to hell is paved with people like me--good sports who go along with flawed decisions rather than "make a stink" and create a better outcome.
There's a lesson here. Learn it!
Normally I would apologize to those of you--and there were a couple--who showed up. But in this case, I'll just say that although I love and respect the Boss Lady greatly, she screwed us both, all three of us, very badly. There's nothing more frustrating then knowing that something is going to happen, knowing that it happened LAST TIME--well, four or five years ago, when a downpour forced us to break down, hustle everything to the porch, and set up agaion--and knowing that you're going to have to grin and bear it as everything goes down the tubes again.
There are certain frustrations that are an inevitable part of the blues life. Then there are frustrations that are entirely avoidable. I do my best to see them clearly and avoid them. I saw this one, in advance, with crystal clarity. I told the Boss Lady exactly what I believed was going to happen. She told me that I was wrong. She was wrong.
Better luck next time.
Last night, under the bridge in Jacksonville, we had an absolutely perfect busking venue, thanks to Larry "Iceman"
Eisenberg, who was a vendor (award-winning olive tapenade) at the weekly farmer's market there. Thanks, Iceman! That gig, although played for a somewhat smaller crowd than we might have hoped for, was big fun. I sold a few books and CDs and we got to do what we do--The Blues Doctors, this is--and just make music and drink beer. We will be back!
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Jul 07, 2013 7:59 PM
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rbeetsme
1304 posts
Jul 08, 2013
4:26 AM
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Sometimes we have to stick to our guns, our better judgement. Hindsight.
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tookatooka
3378 posts
Jul 08, 2013
4:52 AM
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Couldn't imagine driving 685 miles home especially when you guys seem to rigidly stick to your speed limits. About 50 mph I think. That's a days work. Phew!
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SuperBee
1289 posts
Jul 08, 2013
5:40 AM
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I think them cars got autopilot over there, Took. Judging by the number o harp players who claim to practice while driving.
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JellyShakersTipJar
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The Iceman
988 posts
Jul 08, 2013
9:33 AM
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here's link to video recorded by Orlie Clodfelter at Riverside Arts Market.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYg2iKDoJFk&feature=em-share_video_user
That 5 hole OB sounds pretty seamless to me.
Note the police walking by at about 3 min. They stopped and watched a good portion of the show, nodding during Watermelon Man.
Also, little girl dancing was part of small crowd of dancers off camera.
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The Iceman
Last Edited by The Iceman on Jul 08, 2013 9:48 AM
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LSC
464 posts
Jul 08, 2013
10:02 AM
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Yeah, it's always tough in those situations. You know you're right but don't want to seem a prick about it and piss off whoever is paying you. Lots of things one thinks about in hindsight that could have been said/done but ultimately one makes the best decision one can at the time. From you description of events you handled the situation in the most professional manner possible. Don't beat yourself up over it. Look at it this way. Assuming you got paid your full fee, Boss Lady's instant karma got her receiving less playing time than she paid for and probably lost business as a result. Sometimes you've just got to wipe the blood off with the back of your hand and move on to the next case.
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LSC
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LSC
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JTThirty
219 posts
Jul 08, 2013
3:09 PM
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Now, that's what the blues is all about. Kudos to the Iceman.
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Ricky B
http://www.bushdogblues.blogspot.com
RIVER BOTTOM BLUES--crime novel for blues fans available at Amazon/B&N and my blog
THE DEVIL'S BLUES--ditto
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