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
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