Yes, at what point does one cancel a gig due to illness?
Cancelled one tonight yesterday and the owner said 'sorry to be offensive, I know you are not well, but can we use your pa as I have someone else..
Perhaps he can learn to get his own pa if he is hiring..
I have gigs cancelled at very short notice by venues, but I feel guilty if I cancel due to illness! That is not right and reflects the imbalance between performer and venue on the street.
Also the young people today have listened to so many DJ's they have no frame of reference for actual subtle live music.
Sorry to moan but I'm getting like Victor Meldrew (for you yanks thats a brit sitcom where an old guy complains about absolutely everything in his world)
Have fun and lets keep music live!!
Last Edited by harmonicanick on Mar 19, 2015 2:45 PM
It's an awkward situation, but if I had to cancel on short notice I think I'd try to do something to smooth things over, just to leave a good impression. If I thought I could trust him with the gear I might lend it to him, or try to help him find another band on short notice, just to impress him into hiring you again. Not every venue is going to have enough business to have their own PA system. It sounds like he was just trying to figure something out on the fly.
Of course, if they are small enough not to have a PA they might also be too small to replace it if something happens to it, so that's a risk. I wonder what the insurance issues would be like in that sort of a situation. Most of the places I've played are pretty small; still, about half of them I would have trusted to take care of my stuff.
We let a well known "artist" use our p.a. some years ago and he managed to break it in a drunken tantrum. The owners of the venue were strangely mute after we explained the situation to them. They never paid us but once, we always worked on tips and spec, yet this guy they paid big bucks to come in, piss off the small audience, throw stuff around, and damage our p.a. head to the tune of about $150 in repairs. So these days our stuff is not available unless we are using it. ---------- http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
Yeah, it really has to be a situation where you trust someone is going to step up and take responsibility. I'm certainly not suggesting lending it out unless you feel comfortable with that option. Like I said, about half the places I've played I'd feel safe doing that, but only about half. (Actually, a guitar player I used to play with once got to open for his idol. The guy liked the sound of his amp a lot and asked if he could use it. My friend let him, but almost ended up regretting it. The guy wasn't using a long enough cord and he yanked it at one spot and it nearly fell of the stage. (Thankfully it wasn't damaged).
You should feel guilty for canceling. Hiring a band for an evening takes some planning, and staffing, etc. you were part of his business plan for the evening and you pulled out. There are plenty of reasons why you may have needed to cancel which are perfectly valid. But you also need to help him fill the spot.
You should get to know other bands in your area so you can throw a gig their way. They usually reciprocate at some point, and is just good business.
---------- Danny
Last Edited by KingoBad on Mar 19, 2015 7:01 PM
I saw this video last week and was very impressed with John Prine's "The show must go on" attitude. I have no idea what his circumstance or impetus was that night. I wondered if I would have stayed in bed and admire his dedication in any case.
