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Post by jbone on Mar 2, 2020 22:29:53 GMT -5
Cash AND a scoop of strawberry swirl!
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Post by jbone on Mar 6, 2020 23:12:43 GMT -5
Last Saturday I texted one manager and FB messaged another 2. Of the 3, 2 booked us! But it takes a lot to get on someone's radar here. Several trips and messages at least. And we took a lot of no's even with that. Typical sales odds. But it was a personal best to get TWO dates in one day!
We're moving an hour west Sunday to a new park, still close enough to do all our gigs. 2 in March and 2 in April!
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Post by jbone on May 23, 2020 5:20:39 GMT -5
So of course we moved to Ohio for the summer when it was time. Our gigs in Texas got cancelled due to Crapola 19. And I'd had this job set for months. I've been working about a week mostly doing solo chores and now I'm out of quarantine. Yesterday I was in the store/office checking in with the owner on the next thing to do and she asked if she could hear some of our music, which I got her on YT and pointed out a couple of live vids from Louisiana a year a go. We're about to get hired for a couple of dates! Man if they were all that easy.
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Post by jbone on Jun 5, 2020 21:59:41 GMT -5
So as noted other places, Ohio was not working out for gigs. The bugs ruined our chances there for patio type playing. So we hit it and ended up in Vidalia La., Wednesday. After a day off I got to work today, 4 hours a day, 5 a week. When I was finished with that today Jo said "Let's go play on the levee!". We went across the Natchez and found a spot on the edge of downtown with a park at our back and the river just beyond that. Sat on a bench and played about a dozen songs. 90 degree heat but we did have shade. We did ok for a first foray- a few tips and a CD sale! We sweated our asses off but I did a lot of that in Texas and Arkansas so it was no big new thing.
We were about to pack and head home and an older couple in an old Chevy truck pulled to the curb and asked if we were going to play any more, which Jo agreed we could do one more song. Which these folks were poor and had no tip $ to give. But we were paid anyway by their interest and enthusiasm. Sometimes the pay is not in numbers.
We plan to hit some joints next week and see if we can get a foot in a door. The manager here may want us for 4th of July or Labor Day, pool party thing. It's early yet.
So far this feels like a right move even with the heat!
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Post by whitefang on Jun 6, 2020 9:27:19 GMT -5
Keep pluggin'. I'm sure you'll find something. Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Jun 8, 2020 22:41:19 GMT -5
So last Friday and Saturday eves we went across the river to Natchez and found a spot next to downtown, near the river, and busked a while. A few tips, some smiles, sold a CD. Tuesday morning we're going to see if we can play at the local farmers market in Vidalia and Wednesday we'll check out the one in Natchez. Plus tomorrow we're going to hit up some joints and see if we can get any traction re gigs. So! beginning to rev up.
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Post by whitefang on Jun 9, 2020 9:41:07 GMT -5
Good on ya! And while in Vadalia, pick me up a couple onions. Get 'em from the source, ya know...... Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Jun 9, 2020 20:32:35 GMT -5
Our odds started out very good, 2 visits, 2 gigs! After that either places were closed or they were waiting for the state to say 100% open before they book music. One we have is a tip gig on the river tomorrow evening. It's been busy every time we've driven by so may be a goo one. The other is a pool party here at the park on the 4th for set pay. Always nice! Later in the week we'll look up a couple of places that open for weekends. Plus a couple of farmers markets, one here and one in Natchez.
I see a lot of corn and cane in the fields close by.
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Post by jbone on Jun 10, 2020 22:56:25 GMT -5
The gig tonight was worth going. A bit noisy and we did acoustic so it was hard to hear sometimes but we did get some tips and compliments. We may do that one again if we can. Other joints we will be looking at Friday.
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Post by whitefang on Jun 11, 2020 9:21:37 GMT -5
Other "joints"? Ha! Usually it's believed if a musician says something like that he ISN'T talking about VENUES! Whitefang
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Post by jbone on Jul 10, 2020 9:26:07 GMT -5
So at this point, the heat is preventing us from playing on the street. 90's plus huge humidity and heat indices over 100.
We do have another pool party gig in 2 months but all the other places here in this area are pretty much not doing music. Higher Carp19 numbers have reversed restaurants' capacity to 50% again. I see plenty of cars outside some places but if the venue is not at full capacity they will be reluctant to hire acts even if the government locally was ok with that.
We were worn down pretty much for 2 days after this last one. I loaded in and out, set up and tore down, which was worth it to play amped for a change! But it took a toll. Mainly the heat was tapping us out.
I work outside a good part of my shifts here and I have to pace myself or drown in sweat! 90's with a 10 degree heat index most days, it goes to high 70's at night. The trailer holds the day's heat.
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Post by jbone on Aug 2, 2020 21:52:41 GMT -5
Live music is still locked out here. Looks like a Labor Day pool gig at the park unless things change in the next month. Saturday we had hoped to get over to the Natchez side in the morning and busk near the farmers market there but the weather was too iffy. Cloudy and real humid. We swing through there last evening and would have stopped and played a while but it was pretty quiet. Hopefully next Saturday morning. Before it gets rudely hot.
I checked in with my next job yesterday as well and we're planning the move back to the Texas Hill Country in 6 weeks. Looks like there is some live music going on in that area. Unless something changes like a total closure of bars/restaurants. I put a couple of feelers out this evening to see if we could get a gig on the books before we head back. Fingers crossed!
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Post by whitefang on Aug 3, 2020 9:17:45 GMT -5
I think there's been too many "non distancing" pool parties throughout the country to make that a go.
Whitefang
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Post by earleg on Aug 3, 2020 15:52:01 GMT -5
I think there's been too many "non distancing" pool parties throughout the country to make that a go. Whitefang We are seeing the same here with negativity on mask usage and reference to mask users as "Sheeples".
Mrs found that the same attitude against mask wearing was present during the Spanish1918 Flu Pandemic.
Just a side note: Not all masks and filter media are as effective. So far generally available filter media with the HEPA11 certification
are the most effective. Some cloth masks have a filter pocket so a HEPA filter can be placed in. Most of the HEPA filters are hand washable and reusable for around 20 times.
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Post by whitefang on Aug 4, 2020 9:22:24 GMT -5
Still, any mask has to be more effective than no mask at all. And where was all that "constitutional rights" hooey back when restaurants started posting signs reading: "No shoes, no shirt, no service" back in the early '70's?
These anti-mask fools must've slept through all their civics classes. Whitefang
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