New Years Eve

[FenderBoy]

I'm NOT working New Years Eve...thank heaven!
I hate going out on Amateur Night...even if the $$ is always better.

I got an offer to sit in at a joint about an hour drive from here and said, "Thanks anyway".

[mkg]

I hear ya...but our gig is a five minute drive from my house and the $ is too damn sweet to pass up.
Can't remember the last NYE I spent at home.

[pc]

Exactly what mkg said. My gig that night is about 10 min from home, and very good $.

[mkg]

Exactly what mkg said. My gig that night is about 10 min from home, and very good $.

Cool, pc...at midnight (CST) I'll raise a glass or bottle to you. Somebody always passes a bottle of champagne up to us about that time.

[FenderBoy]

A gig ten minutes away is definitely a good thing...and a great way to avoid all the people who choose tonight to learn about getting drunk to celebrate.

[pc]

It was a good show and a ton of fun. Best part was that the way home was almost entirely back roads. Since Columbus is set up almost entirely around highways, I got to avoid "amateur night" on the roads altogether. :yay

[mkg]

FenderBoy, Happy NY and I trust you enjoyed the night off.
pc, glad to hear the gig went well and that you got home safe and sound.
We had a good one. Lots of folks showed up (between 800 and 1000 as far as I could tell) and the dance floor stayed full.
We had to play from 9:00 to 1:45 so we played three one-hour sets with 20 minute breaks then finished up with a quick-and-dirty 30 minute set.
The nicest part of all was hiring out sound and a couple of roadies for stage gear.
After the last song I packed up my guitars and headed home with a fresh supply of Benjamins.
:blbros

[pc]

Roadies? Man am I jealous!

I got the Bennies, but my cartage was done by pc inc. You're my new hero.

[mkg]

Roadies? Man am I jealous!

I got the Bennies, but my cartage was done by pc inc. You're my new hero.

We're just lucky that the market will bear it here. We've been doing it this way for about three years now. We previously had our own PA and soundman, and spent a lot of time (and energy!) loading, unloading, and setting up. When he and his wife moved to Florida we sold most of the gear and started using a good friend's sound company. Another friend owns a service called Rent-a-Bum. For a couple of Bens two of his guys will pick up our stage gear, set it up, tear it down and return it to our rehearsal room.
We figure costs for sound and roadies into what we charge to play. The nicest thing is that during the last set it's much easier to get into the performance without thinking about the damned loadout!
:blbros