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Agencies and Stretch Hummers (95% OT)
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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 Agencies and Stretch Hummers (95% OT)
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I played a gig at the Silverleaf Club, in North Scottsdale, this weekend. I have played a lot of beautiful, upper class places, but this took the cake. Although it was only about a year old, it was made of rock quarried from the site! The hulking doors were antiques, hundreds of years of years old, as were the barrel tiles on the roofs, imported from old Italian and French casas. It is a spectaular place, half Sonoran desert, half Andalucia.
It was a birthday party for a very rich fellow, only 12 people, and me. The gig went fine...
Now..after the gig, I talked to the head of an entertainment agency. Now, I'm not really hot on the agencies, as they are seniority/relationship based and I am not in the loop. I get my gigs through referrals and through beating down doors. The gig at the Silverleaf, I got because I directly called the concierge, sent her my demo CD, and then months later she books me. But this was slightly interesting because the head of the entertainment agency I happened to be talking about had once tried to place me as their regular lounge musician.
I actually was calling the agent so that he would remember who I was and maybe keep me in mind for future dates. I happened to mention that I played at the Silverleaf Club...big mistake. He said, "Well, I have been working with them since before they even built that place. I'll have to talk to them about going through me next time they want to use you!" I was like--excuse me!!? I got this contact myself, thank you, and you have only booked me twice this year. This shark was upset that he was getting cut out of some action that he didn't deserve in the first place! This is the kind of thing that happens to poor working musicians.
Well...it so happened that I had to call my contact athe club, Laurie, due to some circumstances about the invoice. We got that cleared up, and then I said... "Oh, by the way," this is the way I start most important conversations, and proceeded to let her know what the head of the agency had told me. I said, "I don't know if you guys have some kind of arrangement, but I wanted to let you know that I don't have any sort of contract or agreement with him, and actually I contacted you personally long before he talked to you about me!"
Laurie was cool. She said, "We don't have any kind of contractual agreement with him...however... we do do a lot of business with him so..."
"So...dont' bring it up," I said.
"Exactly!" Great! I was happy...with this conversation, I felt I had alleviated being screwed over by the agent, and thus losing about 40% of my income for any gig at the Silverleaf.
Then, two days later, I get a call from Laurie again. I wasn't really sure what to expect. Turns out she had another event going on, called "Ladies Night Out." What's this all about, now? I have to meet her there at 5:00 pm, where I will board a stretch Hummer (like a stretch limo, but a stretch HumVee--one of those American tank/jeep thingies), with 14 women....and we will then proceed to drive to several locations and partake of champagne and caviar, etc... Well, I don't know if I will get any champagne, as I am just there as a hired musician. I said, "What, do I have to wear one of those tuxedos with no shirt underneath!?" She thought that was funny! Well, maybe I will get some champagne!
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Mar. 29 2005 23:16:35
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Jon Boyes
Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
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RE: Agencies and Stretch Hummers (95... (in reply to Ron.M)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Ron.M
Jon...are you thinking of moving to Arizona? 
LOL! You're not kidding Ron - completely different market Mike has there, its the opposite of mine, really.
We (me & Mike) did some comparisons of gigs earnings etc and it was very revealing. In the last year I had done a few more gigs than Mike, but had earned substantially less overall, the reason being most of his gigs are what I refer to as my 'quality' gigs: weddings, posh private do's and such like. These make up about a third of my gigs in a year, and for Mike it looks like they make up 100% of his gigs.
I think Mike would be horrified if he saw a few of the places I've played in the last few years  , and some of the porly paid stuff I do just to keep myself in people's radar.
He's very lucky to have that potential market there (not wishing to underestimate the hard slog it still takes to get the gigs, of course.)
Good on you for dealing with that parasite, Mike. Oops, I mean agent...
Jon
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Mar. 30 2005 9:52:31
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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RE: Agencies and Stretch Hummers (95... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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Jon,
I have a very lucky situation in two ways, one being a great market, the other being that my wife is both emotionally and financially supportive. If it were my responsibility to carry the main load financially, I would have a hard time doing this--I would have to get a day job as well!
Since going solo, my % of posh gigs has really skyrocketed.... before that, I played in "apalling places," such as loud bars and restaurants and for free even! I have played for free a lot, and it never led to anything... I suppose it was a valuable apprenticeship...or maybe not.
I have never, ever, gotten a gig as a result of doing a free gig.
I have never benefited from playing a gig below market value.
Jon, if you move to AZ, I'll have a new duo partner!!
Yesterday I got a phone call from a dance instructor who needs a gutiarist to play for her students...I hope I'm not making Henrik too jealous! :)
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Mar. 30 2005 15:13:27
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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RE: Agencies and Stretch Hummers (95... (in reply to Miguel de Maria)
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I think that's the exact reference Simon was making, Jon. I don't think it's ever been that bad, but my duo has been stuffed into a corner, about a 6' x 4' space, really loud and an obnoxious, man-hating owner who despised us and really made no secret about it! And then there was when we had to set up in the entranceway (for some reason) of a bad Mexican restaurant, where people kept puttng drinks on our speakers and almost pushing them over.... and then there was those Persians that hired us, that made me come out to the site two times before the gig, refused to talk prices (!), played out of tune Persian dance music, called the act before us sleep-inducing, and then insisted we play Bamboleo for 20 minutes while they all got up and wildly danced to it!
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Mar. 30 2005 16:37:31
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