jbone
2596 posts
Jun 20, 2018
9:20 PM
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Since we moved to Tulsa in early January, we have spent some hours going out and talking to club managers about booking dates for the duo. We managed to get a BBQ gig with a couple of returns and that was it for a few months. A month ago we hit a private club and got a gig plus a return date. A lot of running around and hitting some places 2 or 3 times even, and it was not working out. I would have settled for a solid No so we could cross some of them off but we just couldn't even get that.
2 days ago we decided to hit a couple places we'd talked to months ago on the off chance. One definite and one pending date at 2 places. Then on the way home we hit the closest place to home and which we'd talked to several times, and BOO, another gig and possible return!
Harp content is, I'll be blowing my brass off the 3 weekends after this one. June 30, July 6 and July 14. Plus more coming up. I posted them on reverbnation at the link below if you are interested.
We're inspired again and plan to go talk to more folks shortly. Sometimes if you just keep the faith and try again you do get results.
This is what we want to do. Play a few times a month and enjoy life.
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outdoor joe
63 posts
Jun 21, 2018
10:02 AM
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That's awesome!Are the returns at the American Legion? I would totally love to have ya'll as the VFW/Legion band near me! (about to be a veteran!)
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jbone
2597 posts
Jun 21, 2018
10:32 AM
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Joe we are back at the Legion Post #1 on 8th near Peoria in Tulsa. July 6th is the next and we hope to be steady, like once a month. Where are you located?
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CarlA
958 posts
Jun 21, 2018
10:49 AM
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Good job on staying persistent and reeling in those gigs. Well done :)
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outdoor joe
64 posts
Jun 21, 2018
12:35 PM
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I am in the SW USA, can't make the shows, I just think it's cool that you play at the Legion!
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shadoe42
348 posts
Jun 21, 2018
3:07 PM
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booking gigs in Tulsa has seemed to always have been an exercise in frustration and patience. of course KC doesn;t seem to be much better
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Dr. Rev. Mr. Cheeks Miller
My Electronic Music World
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jbone
2598 posts
Jun 22, 2018
3:48 AM
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There are so many venues here, the trick has been picking the right ones and going back at least twice. We got a bit spoiled when we were on the road last year, several places out west especially hired us sight unheard, one for multiple gigs, one for that night even. Different regions, different ways of doing business I guess.
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SweetBlood
68 posts
Jun 22, 2018
10:14 AM
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JBone, Idk how far you want to travel, but Northwest Arkansas has a thriving music/art scene. You may want to check out some venues in Fayetteville, Bentonville, and Bella Vista, AR. Just a couple hrs from Tulsa.
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jbone
2600 posts
Jun 22, 2018
10:52 AM
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Possible SweetBlood...
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outdoor joe
66 posts
Jun 22, 2018
2:39 PM
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What brought you to move to Tulsa?
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AppalachiaBlues
188 posts
Jun 24, 2018
6:44 AM
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Hi Jawbone, I just had a look at your Reverbnation site. Nice!
I noticed you have a couple dates in July, and few more later in the year. Here's a suggestion: print up a paper flyer, with all your upcoming dates and locations, and put these out at the next couple shows you play. If people like what they hear, they'll grab a flyer and stick it on their fridge at home as a reminder. I'm finding that internet/web channels have become pretty saturated/congested/noisy, and sometimes the old-fashioned approach of paper flyers can be more effective. Especially if people see your show, and what to keep a reminder of when/where you're playing next in the area.
Drawing a big, enthusiastic crowd is the key to getting repeat gig bookings. Building a base of "regulars" is essential.
Last Edited by AppalachiaBlues on Jun 24, 2018 6:52 AM
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jbone
2601 posts
Jun 24, 2018
11:34 AM
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@ Joe, long sad story. We lost our home on wheels late last year due to a bad invasive pest called the Asian Lady Beetle. At the time we were headed from where we got them-THOUSANDS of them- Little Rock, to Phoenix area to do a workamping thing at an RV park there. We got out there and realized these things were not going to die off so we had to give up the travel trailer and were motel dwellers for a while, then tried to settle in Vegas and get some gigs. 6 weeks of that and we headed for Tulsa with very little possessions. Let me tell you there's a blues song in there someplace. To be pretty much homeless in your 60's after a great season of touring the US, from New Orleans to Clarksdale Mississippi, Zachary Louisiana, Knoxville Tennessee, a few places in the northeast, Illinois, Buffalo Wyoming, and Northern Cal, ending back in Little Rock ( a town that kind of forgot us in a few months).
We ended up choosing Tulsa because it looked like a cool town for music. Woody Guthrie, Elvin Bishop, and a lot more are from Oklahoma and Tulsa. We do like it here.
BUT. WE still have the itch. As soon as we can we're getting a new used travel trailer and hitting it AGAIN. Parts unknown. New horizon. Instruments in tow.
AppalachiaBlues, that's a very good idea and we'll try it. Thanks for the props on the reverb site. Work in progress.
Our approach last year was, we're the new kids in town and won't be here long so hire us NOW! And it worked a good part of the time.
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outdoor joe
67 posts
Jun 24, 2018
6:58 PM
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@j
Wow! Life does have some curveballs and cutters up its' sleeve no??!
The plan we have in our heads almost never really works out the way we see it, does it?
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robbert
468 posts
Jun 25, 2018
2:55 PM
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I love that you are following your dream of pursuing music and performing. Rustling up gigs is not often so easy, so your persistence is a huge plus in scoring enough to hopefully keep some kind of flow happening. Good luck with finding a new traveling home. I hope you get something that’s a perfect fit for you guys, and soon!
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jbone
2604 posts
Jun 26, 2018
10:55 PM
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@ Joe and Robbert- From Little Rock we headed to Apache Junction because I had a job there. But once we arrived we realized the bugs were in our home to stay. Being the nasty things they are we had already tried fumigation by a pro and it put a slight dent in them but they get so deep into a structure it's pretty much impossible to get rid of them without poisoning yourself in the bargain. We turned the rig in at Mesa, lived in motels for a few weeks along the way, and left for Vegas with just what fit in the truck. We thought we could maybe find some gigs on the outskirts of town but it turned out to be a pretty cold place. Plus the unemployment is real high and there are thousands of homeless people there, not to mention the assorted freaks and weirdos. 6 weeks later we were convinced we needed to get out of there. We'll never go back. It's just not our kind of place.
We're planning to do a deal called workamping. It's where you swap some time at an RV park or campground each month in trade for a site with hookups to park a travel trailer, RV, whatever. Usually 20 hours a week is enough, then you have the rest of your time to look for gigs, explore, etc. So the key thing is to be close to where there are venues, resort towns, cities, etc. We had just gotten used to that different life when all that happened. When I was a kid I thumbed all over the place on and off, from the northeast to Cal, New England, Florida. Then for about 35 years I deferred that and worked a steady job but now we're retired, it's time to see what all is out there. Music is an integral part of the dream.
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Last Edited by jbone on Jun 26, 2018 10:59 PM
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jbone
2971 posts
Jul 20, 2019
5:25 AM
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I ran across this thread today while cleaning up some bookmarks. UPDATE
After scrimping and saving for nearly a year we got a new rig, nothing fancy but suits our needs. December 13th 2018 we became full time OTR again. Swung through Little Rock briefly, then straight south to Lafayette La. Weather was pretty wet and when it dried we began seeing those same bugs, so we hit it east to Florida. I had hoped for a gig working at an RV park in the north end of the state but it was a no-go. We headed back west to the Panhandle region, which had been hammered by a hurricane in fall of '18.
We found a cheap place to park for a while and a couple of places hired us several times! I had a deal in Tallahassee to train for a regular job, and I did a week there training, but it didn't pan out. From there we headed east and north to North Carolina, about 30 minutes from Myrtle Beach. I had a workamping gig there for a little while. We had planned to find some gigs along the coast.
One of our first times out looking at venues, Jo fell on a beach and fractured a vertebra! Which she is now pretty well healed from thankfully. Once we had her ready to go again we headed to West Virginia and then Virginia for a few weeks. Then on to NY state, another workamp gig that was a dud. We stayed in that area for a month, got to see some of the Catskill Mountains, had some nice R&R.
I got an opportunity to work here in Vermont and took it. We headed here to Lake Champlain Islands a month ago and love it! We've booked a few dates and possibly we'll play today if it does not get too hot. Heat wave all over the place! Farmers market.
We also had one booked last weekend and then I broke my wrist. !!! The guy kicked it up to August for us though so that's good. I can play harp all day but moving sound gear, setup and teardown, is a non no.
We have a few feelers out at places and social media and phone calls are ok, but usually we do best when we walk in and luck into seeing the right person. Once my splint is off we'll get back to that. I've sent out about 2 dozen messages via email and IM, and we actually got hired on two!
We'll keep at it for the season and we're hoping to come back next year, get an earlier start and maybe get some return dates and new ones to boot. Folks here like to set up their entertainment early in the season and we got here in late June.
My harps are working pretty well. I have a couple of items someone sent me to try out and I hope to have a reviews of them soon.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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Sarge
735 posts
Jul 20, 2019
7:31 AM
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Keep after it Jbone, but don't get too busy. You need time to go fishing!!!!
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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ME.HarpDoc
370 posts
Jul 20, 2019
10:48 AM
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Hey jbone
You're not too far from me and you may want to check out some venues in Maine, in particular there are places on the southern coast, like Old Orchard, Biddeford, and York that have good RV parks and lots of blues venues that don't disappear after Labor Day.
For a list of venues and locations, I suggest a friend's website that lists all upcoming events. If you click on the Newsletter heading, it will give you the weekly update and, more importantly, the venues and phone numbers to contact them. The site is www.bluzjunky.com.
Best wishes to you and Joline on your journey.
Bob
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jbone
2972 posts
Jul 20, 2019
6:34 PM
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Thanks Sarge and MEHD! I'm figuring maybe when it cools some I'll wet a line.
Doc we may find time to get over that way. I'm working 5 days a week here though. Possibly as we begin to head south in October. I will take a look at the website.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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jbone
2994 posts
Aug 21, 2019
4:12 AM
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So we played a few places, farmers market, burger stand, big farm pizza night, and a pub down in Burlington. We have done pretty well! Basically saved enough to get new tires on the travel trailer, which was our goal.
So I took this resort job for next season and we'll be headed up here 6 weeks earlier in 2020. Hopefully this will give us a bit more time to book stuff. The season is already beginning to close down but I hold hope for maybe one or two more dates. Before we head south I'll be touching base with some venues to see if we can get some dates on the calendar for next year. Some of these guys get their booking done by New Year's.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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SuperBee
6128 posts
Aug 21, 2019
5:07 AM
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Good fortune to you both, Jbone.
Thanks for the post; I enjoy reading about what you and Jolene are up to.
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Raven
165 posts
Aug 25, 2019
6:00 AM
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Waiting to hear your version of the "Asian Lady Beetle Blues", Pat.
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jbone
2997 posts
Aug 25, 2019
11:20 AM
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Raven, that may come to be!
We had a date booked for Sept. 6 but the guy has opted to cancel his shows that month. Economics I guess.
A lot of places here book up early for the season so I doubt we'll get more action at this late date. But we do hope!
Some neighbors here at this resort run the marina, and asked us if we'd come over and play a little while, so we may do that here in a few minutes.
In June Jo changed slide guitars after many years of playing a small Regal, so she's starting to get used to a big arch top Kay Trutone. So we may do a slide set at the marina.
Currently I'm putting out feelers for a work/camp gig in Florida and also south Texas. Had some nibbles in Texas so we'll see. Mission/Pharr/Corpus Christi area. Looks like maybe some opportunities there, lots of restaurants etc.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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asilve3
162 posts
Aug 26, 2019
11:54 AM
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Never hurts to follow back up with a place that has turned you down in the past. Most of these places have very high turnover so if you're not dealing with the owner there's a good chance in 6 months there will be someone new to schmooze.
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AJ Silverberg
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jbone
2998 posts
Aug 26, 2019
12:57 PM
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We're here 6 more weeks and then hopefully south Texas for the winter. After Labor Day things slow down a lot in this area and gigs are pretty much already booked. By other outfits.
Next season we plan to be back here, I took the job at this resort again. Before we leave I plan to see if we can get any dates next year at some places locally. Would be nice to have something to look forward to!
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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Spderyak
291 posts
Aug 27, 2019
1:21 PM
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Burlington Vt seems a nice college town with a mix of music. I see you head south in a few weeks..we go north further into the cold up into Quebec but no RV.
I wanted to mention that at least one friend does a series at local libraries in our area (Nh) often they have a budget for music though often not the 1st place one would think of.
Good luck with all..
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jbone
2999 posts
Aug 29, 2019
2:15 PM
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Confirmed we're heading to South Texas in 6 weeks or so for the season!
Meanwhile we're doing some remodeling and putting the vehicles in shape for travel.
I'm hoping this next season we can get some new stuff written/arranged/ready to record!
We did a library gig in Arkansas a few years ago, in fact we were the first to use their outdoor atrium/stage at the brand new facility. Possibly next season here we'll look into libraries.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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Last Edited by jbone on Aug 29, 2019 6:49 PM
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dchurch
272 posts
Aug 29, 2019
4:13 PM
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I love the continued adventure of Jbone and Jolene. Happy trails, good health, good gigs, and good fishing!
Dave
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It's about time I got around to this.
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jbone
3007 posts
Sep 04, 2019
12:01 PM
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We got a nibble already in S. Texas! I'm encouraged.
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Music and travel destroy prejudice.
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