rich people are different

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Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

rich people are different

I put an ad in the Arcadia News, a small local newspaper, and was surprised to get a couple hits almost right away. I'm booked for an event in June, and a fellow named Dennis Hopper--no, not that one--booked me for this past Saturday.

When he found out I was playing at the Royal Palms, a local resort, he said to tell Paul, the maitre'd, that he said hi. Paul, a colorful Greek, said "Oh Dennis Hopper! Is good guy! Is good guy!"

Well, Mr. Hopper is a short, somewhat heavy set man with very thick glasses. I came to his house,a beautiful and huge adobe, which is actually on the grounds of our only 5 star resort here in Phoenix. Why his house is on the grounds of the resort is a mystery to me!

I found the place swarming with caterers--maybe 8 of them. A huge paella dish was already hot with oil. I pulled my gear up a hill and across a lawn to near a massive, semi truck sized piece of metal modern art, and began to set up.

The tables were being set up on a large patio near a fountain, perhaps 80 feet long and made to look like an ancient Roman aqueduct.

"Miguel, the average age of this party is going to be about 85," said Dennis, "this is a 'celebration of life' for my mother, who is turning 96 tonight. He was a warm man with many strange mannerism, very "touchy feely." He would often grab my arm as we were talking, and I observed that he was always patting people's backs or holding their hands or grabbing their arms, too! Dennis also had two sons that looked just like him, one was nervous and the other a little bit more outgoing.

As I began to play, the people came in...they were quite old, so much that when a fifty something couple came in, I thought of them as whippersnappers.

On my break, I came back to my gear to find it soaking wet. Teh sprinklers had come on and were spraying everything. My guitar was filling up with water! My pedals were submerged! And the fire brazier near me was being doused with flames!

Dennis, his sons, and their helper came and helped move my gear and the brazier. Everyone was laughing, that is except people who were being sprayed with water, slipping on the stones, or otherwise unable to escape the spray. Dennis' nervous son grabbed one of my speakers and began carrying it across the stones, unaware he was trailing 25' of cord. Luckily nothing happnened there.

As I set up in a new location and tried my best to dry off my equipment, Dennis came up to me. "Miguel there is no such thing as problems, only opportunities!" he said, and then left. His nervous son was there, helping, and rolled his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Miguel..." he apologized over and over....

Well, I got the gear together and everything seemed to work except for a short in my pickup that came and went. Both of Dennis' sons approached me seperately, offering their phone numbers "In case you have any problems with your gear and my dad isn't being helpful for whatever reason."

They booked me for 2 hours,b ut we went over to 3 and a half... One of ladies, 94, approached me, saying "Hello, young lady." "Young man," I corrected. As she got closer, she said "oh, yes I can see that now. So what do you do here?" "I'm the guitar player." "OH.. well we are all enjoying your playing very much. Thank you."

finally, at the end, Dennis went to get my check, and disappeared. I waited patienty for ten minutes. Eventually he reappeared in the kitchen, where I observed him look down, see a tray of deserts, and relaxt o eat a few. Then he disappered again! The next time I saw him he was seeing some of the last guests out of the house. "Oh, talk to Julie (his wife), she has the checkbook. Make yourself at home in the kitchen!"

I did, ate a meal, had a beer, ate one of the deserts...eventually Julie showed up, in a bathrobe for some reason. "I'm so sorry, Miguel, I've been having some stomach problems," she said. We discussed the overtime, the deposit,and she made out a check with a tip included. During a small chat, she assured me that they would take care of my equipment if it were damaged and that everyone had enjoyed my playing. Apparently it turned out that Dennis had inherited a run of the mill plaster company and turned it into a firm that specialized in upscale Venitian plaster, and had increased it to an international scope! I saw some of the Ventian playster on the wall of their kitchen, and it was very nice, indeed...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2005 16:27:51

Mark2

Posts: 1881
Joined: Jul. 12 2004
From: San Francisco

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I don't know man, but what you wrote made them sound like ordinary people, and nice people at that. They offered to pay for your gear! That's pretty rare. They fed you and tipped you. I don't think you could expect too much more from that kind of gig........
Maybe the only difference is that they have a lot of ducats. It is a drag having to wait for the money after a gig. You could ask to be paid the balance when you arrive. You can tell the client that you don't wish to interupt the event later, so it's best if you conclude the business before you start. Saves the frustration of trying to collect when you want to get the hell out.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2005 16:42:55

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Mark,
if you were there, you'd understand--they are highly eccentric! but I happen to like them all, they were quite personable and likeable, probably why they were so successful in their business. And I wasn't complaining, just sharing. Of course, it's easier to deal with professionals than private individuals, but that's just how it goes. I was paid well..

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2005 17:02:03

Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

I observed that he was always patting people's backs or holding their hands or grabbing their arms, too

That is classic power body language... and the "opportunity" stuff? A self-made man. Thanks for the story.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2005 20:26:11

gerundino63

Posts: 1744
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I allwas thought poor people where different....

Peter

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2005 21:09:29

flamencoguru

Posts: 271
Joined: Jun. 30 2004
From: West Palm Beach, Florida USA

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I agree with Miguel De Maria,

I play plenty of private gigs in Palm Beach Island, Florida (supposedly the highest concentration of money in the USA). I can tell you they are very demanding. They sometimes think they own the world (which in some cases they almost do. ha ha). The way I see it is that they've got the cash and I got what they want, I'll prostitute myself for a couple of hours and give them a listening pleasure, even though I'm most likely their backround music. Don't get me wrong, I've had some great experiences but I've also had some not so good experiences.

Here in Palm Beach I've never seen so many facelifts gone bad. When are they going to understand that you can't make a woman that 90 years old look like a 25 year beauty. It's scarey. Sometimes I thinks I'm at a Holloween party.

Cheers.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 18 2005 23:44:48

Ryan002

Posts: 173
Joined: Oct. 18 2005
From: Singapore

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I wish I even *knew* a rich person.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 26 2005 15:32:31

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Ryan002)

Ryan,
I have worked a lot for rich people this last year, partly a progression in my contacts here and partly because I believe that is my business demographic. Here in the States, the middle class and working class is on the decline, but the rich's portfolios are certainly not in decline. So I feel comfortable in marketing to rich because it is a growth industry!

Anyway, it is very hard to break into this market. One thing for sure is that 99% of rich people will never come to you and get your card. It is a bit of a snob thing, I think. Professionals such as lawyers or businessmen have no problem hiring a musician directly, especially one that acts profesionally like they do. But rich people feel they are a cut above and wouldn't condescend to talk to the "help." Mr. Hopper, although rich, was a self-made man who brought a normal construction company to prominence, and he respects other ambitious people. This is normal.

The key here is to find people who DO hire musicians, that is the people the rich people hire to hire musicians. My most valuable contacts have been catering managers, wedding planners at high end resorts/country clubs. These are professionals who can bridge the gap between the musician and the snooty client.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 26 2005 17:19:57

Doitsujin

Posts: 5078
Joined: Apr. 10 2005

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

...too much text for me.. I dont like reading books in english.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 26 2005 21:42:05

Florian

Posts: 9282
Joined: Jul. 14 2003
From: Adelaide/Australia

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Miguel , you have it good here most of the pple we deal with are companies who have like a month turnaround system and we alaways get paid like 1 or 2 sometimes even 3 months later.

Btw.. i picked up extra 9 classes per week accompaning dance classes, combined with my gigs money that should add some more pocket money so busy atm i had to turn a show down with this dance school.

I got 3 big shows with dance schools atm and they demand so much , like for each one i have to learn many different specific falsetas and coreography and playing with totaly different style guitarists wich i totaly enjoy but if i feel that i dont have time to do one justice id rather not do it.
Is different with dance schools if you say yes and dont deliver or do a half job it dosent look too good on your reputation.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 26 2005 22:34:39

duende

Posts: 3053
Joined: Dec. 15 2003
From: Sweden

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Florian)

EXTRA 9 CLASSES!!!

What about sharing some?!?.
What a bloody luxary

Henrik

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 27 2005 5:22:24

Ryan002

Posts: 173
Joined: Oct. 18 2005
From: Singapore

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

It's kind of odd. If I was rich, I would play all the music myself. Why?

Well because if I had all day to sit on my doff and watch the cash roll in I could practice for like, 8 hours an day and pay for a gazillion courses

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Oct. 28 2005 5:52:59

Francisco

Posts: 879
Joined: Jun. 13 2005
From: SW USA

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I'm reviving an old one to say: Holy Cow Miguel! If the guitar thing doesen't work out, maybe you could consider writing a book. I think you have a knack for story telling.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2006 13:00:23

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: rich people are different (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Wow! Thanks, Sam, but this is nothing. You should read Simon's (Escribano) or Phil's old posts. They are really interesting.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Jan. 2 2006 14:28:48

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[Deleted] (in reply to Escribano)