Boy was I out of my depth

The House of Blues last night

So, the info sheet and agreement I got said to show at six and set-up and sound check at 6:30 and I go on at eight. It was made out that I was the opening act for the headliner. 45 minute set. I show up at six. They are setting up the "house band."  The info said you could rent the house band to play behind you. Which I didn't intend to do. The two lady singers that did rent the house band played each a half hour set. Generally lame jazz songs, although the second one was a little better because it seemed there were a couple of original songs in her set. My sound check was just plugging in my banjo pick-up to make sure it worked. There was a kid there, probably about 18, that turned out to be booked for the same slot as I was. 

(Also, always introduce yourself to the sound guy, learn his name and make friends. He's the one that came over to tell me about the situation with the double booking.) So the kid and I get together and figure out that we will each get a half hour and I'll go first. 

Nothing at all from Ace, the promoter, about this. Earlier on, I asked him if I was getting my 45 minute set, and he said if everything goes smoothly. Then, at eight, when I'm supposed to go on, he puts a sax player in front of me for a song. 

I get my half hour. There were about 60-70 people in the room. All standing, I had practiced all week singing to an empty chair. No empty chair to be seen. A wall of people in front of me. One of my friends leaves because of the noise level and the crowd. The applause was cool, this great roar after each song. 

So I'd recommend staying away from Ace Michaels Entertainment. While the paperwork did say they would only guarantee a 15-30 minute set, this was not the way it was presented on Craig's List. And I do believe I have an email confirming my 45 minute set. It's also apparent, you get better treatment if you hire the house band, but they were just old jazz musicians. The guy double booked me and the kid in the same slot and he brings this dude on in my time to do one number. Real unprofessional.

The after party with my friends, They took the cotton candy home to a brother.  

My New Toy

It acts like spoons. Actually I'm getting good it -been practicing

What I've Found

The little girl I hoped would have a decent and good life is married to a ass who has a rap sheet 30 arrests long. Theft and MJ possession and driving under and all the petty crap of real stupidity. There is nothing fucking I can do and I don't want my life pulled into this crap. This is certainly not Kansas any more!

We will even autograph 'em

The new Rhubarb Meringue Pie Tshirt. It has the pie with white letters on the back.
Available Here:

http://www.cafepress.com/rhubarbmeringuepie

The fallacy of Booking Agents

So this came in yesterday. in response to a email I sent on 10-25. 2 1/2 weeks - he was busy. But obviously not busy enough to look at the links I provided. I answered his questions.

We're all 22, we live in a barn in the valley and we're a heavy metal rap band and we can bring 1000s of people if it a 4th of July firework event.


Hello,

 We do have dates available to local and touring bands. All members of every band must be 21 years of age or older and the band must be able to draw at least 10-15 people at a minimum. Unless you are based more than 100 miles away. In this case we still expect you to promote the show and get as many people out as possible to see your band (no one wants to play for no one). The payout policy is each band receives all of their individual draw after the first 10 heads. On a $5 cover a draw of 20 makes $50, draw of 30 makes $100 and so on. Unless again you are on a tour in that case you would make your entire door draw for your band. We also do free entry shows at our discretion. In the event we do a free show no pay will be offered. Each band submission has to include answers to the below form questions:
 1. Are all of the performers 21 or over? 

 2. Where are you based out of? 

 3. What type of music or genre is your band? 

 4. How many people could you get to come out and see you perform? (we need to know what to expect, please answer honestly it will help us book you on the right show) Thanks for the inquiry, please let us know if you would like to proceed.

Mac- 562-277-0075
www.facebook.com/dosdiasbooking www.facebook.com/h1pro
www.facebook.com/worldfamousdh Mac McGarvey
Dos Dias Booking 562-277-0075

From: Dan McNay
To: dollhutbooking@gmail.com 
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 4:16 PM 
Subject: Interested in performing at your venue 

We do bluegrass and folk and a little country western as well as original material. We've been performing at the Melrose Trading Post, the Brentwood Art Fair, at Long Beach & Manhattan Beach venues as well as Anaheim & West Covina. I've attached links here as a sample of the music. 
http://www.youtube.com/user/danmcnay?feature=watch#p/a/u/0/Fvszqu4hGeY 
http://youtu.be/pzpBN2fIu3I http://youtu.be/cRuHoHPvsXo 

Please forward this to the correct person if this would be handled by someone else. I'm the banjo player in the band. 
www.myspace.com/573140880 
www.facebook.com/pages/Rhubarb-Meringue-Pie/157829137633097 
www.dan-mcnay.blogspot.com/ 
Dan McNay 
310-448-8215 
310-337-7229

Nice Apology

So this was what I got in response. Nice apology- no gig however.

Hi Dan,

I understand you were upset about the day time gig thing. I want to truly apologize. I actually thought it was bad for the performers because they do not have an audience to play to so we thought it would discourage them all together to performing at the shop so we were actually thinking about you as well as the Coffee House. Also I though the Saturday night would be more lively, more audience, so more fun to play to. I think you are very talented and I really appreciate you. In regards to the water, I will make up for that by giving you several waters for free. I am under a lot of pressure in the shop I just took over 2 months ago and very much in the red (as you see the customers are very low) so sometimes I do not think straight.

Art

Apparently they were little

So, I answer a ad on Craig's List - a Coffee House is looking for musicians, so I answer, We all want to do Coffee Houses- if you're over 50 anyway. So on the basis of me videos she invites me to come do a Friday night. I go- there are no regulars- the only people there are the 3 people I bring in. Deadly. And by the way the temperature on their little stage is twice what it is in the rest of the place. I'm sweating off and melting and they don't open the frigging door. They, of course, don't understand that because they have never sat up there for two hours. The girl behind the counter is nice- Chelsea (my daughter's name) I tell her- in roaring excitement- subdued of course- that I just booked into the House of Blues and I'm jazzed- she asks 'is that something important?'  So she seemed to like the music and suggested that I come back on Sunday and try in the 11-1200 time because they have more people coming. OK. Mellow place. I can practice. The second time its only the three ladies I bring in. I manage to open the frigging door- so the people passing by CAN HEAR THE MUSIC- and GET INTERESTED. There was actually a Dad and his little boy hanging around for a little while. So ok, I'll try again. I take a day off work about 4-5 days before and drive around the neighborhood and put about 25 posters, thinking I'd work up some foot traffic. They seemed nice. The owner doesn't talk much- I liked Chelsea. I imagined they were a couple trying to make a go of it. I suggested people go over and do their open mic. Nancy and Judy went and both said there was no one there. So I do it again. Actually had a group that came in and applauded my songs and a couple of ladies that wanted me to stay over because they hadn't gotten to hear what I did. The owner made me pay for a frigging bottle of water and wouldn't let me open the frigging door- because there might be flies. There are no flies in that area of LA- the exhaust kills them. Anyway, so I swallow being offended- it was like $1.25 or something- I make a lot of money in my real life- but it was really hot up there again. And if the music can't draw air then it can't do anything.
So I was figuring out when I could go back- my daughter, who has a hell of a voice is moving back to LA and I thought I could get her this venue- but here's what I got:

On 11/13/2012 5:08 PM, Self wrote:
We aren't doing day time gigs anymore, but you can come by for open mic this Saturday if you want. It starts at 7. We have a couple other people who might show, but given people are flaky you might luck out and have the stage. Hope to see you! -C.Combs

On Nov 13, 2012, at 3:08 PM, Dan McNay wrote: 
Chelsea, I'd love to come back on Sunday Nov 25th- say from 12:00 to 2:00 pm?
Thanks Dan McNay

I emailed:
Chelsea, 
 I wanted to let you know that I was trying to help you guys out. I put up posters all around the neighborhood before my last time there, trying to draw people in. I can make 20-40 in tips playing the farmer's markets. The fact that your owner made me pay for a bottle of water and I have yet to make any tips there at all, makes me question my own sanity. I suggest you treat any other performers you get a little better. I won't be back and I'm not referring any one else there. 

 Dan 


Maybe I'll send her the blog too.

Shame.

twenty five years ago

This was from the trip when I brought Diane back to meet her. 1924-2012. A hell of a life