Joey D's, merrick NY - unbelievablely horrible..

groooooove · #1 05-31-2009, 01:48 AM

so i had a gig tonight at this bar/grill, joey d's. we had an agreement that we would charge $5 at the door, and the band kept all the door money. we had probably between 20-30 people there after our first set, and the bar owner pulled the guitar player aside and said we couldent play anymore because "nobodys buying enough drinks, im not making any money." this isint my exageration, this is actually what he said. he went on to flat out refuse to give us any money from the door, because he felt he diddnt make enough money tonight.

after we packed up i approached the owner as politely as humanly possible, and appologised for any trouble we mightve caused, but asked if he really wasent giving the money that we agreed was ours. his response was simply "i know we had an agreement, but im tryin to run a buisiness here, and these people dont have the decency to atleast buy a drink.."

am i crazy or is this guy a theif?

end of rant.

Jazz Ad · #2 05-31-2009, 02:17 AM

Not a thief, a bar owner. Sometimes the difference can be hard to tell.
No signed contract means no agreement. Of course you never have contracts in bars.

rockinpop · #3 05-31-2009, 05:34 AM

Wow !! Another low-life bar owner, go figure.... Being a fellow Long Islander I now know to stay clear of that place. Thanks for the heads up !!

groooooove · #4 05-31-2009, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Not a thief, a bar owner. Sometimes the difference can be hard to tell.
No signed contract means no agreement. Of course you never have contracts in bars.

unfourtunately true..

rustynuts · #5 05-31-2009, 01:24 PM

All the Long Island TBers should get together, head on over there and just sit around drinking water for a few hours one night.

ggunn · #6 05-31-2009, 03:08 PM

A band I was in played the 311 Club here in Austin on 6th Street. We agreed to play for $150 - not much money but it was a showcase for us. Anyway, during our second set, a cute waitress walked the tip jar around for us, which I thought at the time was a nice gesture. When we were packing up, I dumped the contents of the tip jar into my gig bag to count and divvy up later. A couple of minutes later, the manager came up to me and asked me how much was in the tip jar. I said, "I dunno; what difference does it make?" He explained to me that we had agreed to pay for $150, and whatever was in the tip jar was that much less he owed us.

Jerk. The place was packed and the register was ringing all night.

We didn't play there again.

Lazylion · #7 05-31-2009, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

...the manager came up to me and asked me how much was in the tip jar. I said, "I dunno; what difference does it make?" He explained to me that we had agreed to play for $150, and whatever was in the tip jar was that much less he owed us.

Wow, gotta admit I haven't heard of that move before! Very creative, in a d-bag kind of way.

PopaWoody · #8 06-02-2009, 12:07 PM

Brother I feel your pain. That tip jar was yours. He had NO right what so ever, asking what was in it. Tell all your local musicians about that ish. Club owners that pull that crap will not get 'good' talent. They can get the dregs for cheap, which will affect their bottom line. If I go out and the band sucks, we leave immediately, I don't want to drink until the band sounds better. Apparently that is the Club Owner mentality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

A band I was in played the 311 Club here in Austin on 6th Street. We agreed to play for $150 - not much money but it was a showcase for us. Anyway, during our second set, a cute waitress walked the tip jar around for us, which I thought at the time was a nice gesture. When we were packing up, I dumped the contents of the tip jar into my gig bag to count and divvy up later. A couple of minutes later, the manager came up to me and asked me how much was in the tip jar. I said, "I dunno; what difference does it make?" He explained to me that we had agreed to pay for $150, and whatever was in the tip jar was that much less he owed us.

Jerk. The place was packed and the register was ringing all night.

We didn't play there again.

lunarpollen · #9 06-03-2009, 02:54 AM

I think there needs to be a venue ratings site for gigging musicians. Kinda like yelp.com or ratemylandlord.com

P. Aaron · #10 06-03-2009, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggunn

A band I was in played the 311 Club here in Austin on 6th Street. We agreed to play for $150 - not much money but it was a showcase for us. Anyway, during our second set, a cute waitress walked the tip jar around for us, which I thought at the time was a nice gesture. When we were packing up, I dumped the contents of the tip jar into my gig bag to count and divvy up later. A couple of minutes later, the manager came up to me and asked me how much was in the tip jar. I said, "I dunno; what difference does it make?" He explained to me that we had agreed to pay for $150, and whatever was in the tip jar was that much less he owed us.

Jerk. The place was packed and the register was ringing all night.

We didn't play there again.

The contents of the tip jar have nothing to do with your prior arrangement.

SingLongIsland · #11 06-19-2009, 05:39 PM

HA HA That Joey Dee Place has taken to screwing the karaoke people now. If you don't fill the place up with drinkers your out the door after 1 night. In one case the guy got fired before he even worked. My bet is that bar will be up for sale soon. Any takers?

ggunn · #12 06-19-2009, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P. Aaron

The contents of the tip jar have nothing to do with your prior arrangement.

You know, that's kinda what I thought. But I have told that story countless times around town and on internet forums, and I always mention the name of the club. If I remembered the manager's name I would have mentioned that, too. I think there was about $25 in the tip jar that night; I don't think they came out ahead on that deal.

thejrace · #13 06-20-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SingLongIsland

HA HA That Joey Dee Place has taken to screwing the karaoke people now. If you don't fill the place up with drinkers your out the door after 1 night. In one case the guy got fired before he even worked. My bet is that bar will be up for sale soon. Any takers?

Maybe, pm me details

.

Lazylion · #14 06-20-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SingLongIsland

My bet is that bar will be up for sale soon. Any takers?

I've been playing bars for over 35 years, and I'd NEVER bet against any bar suddenly going up for sale. I've started a night playing for one owner, and finished to discover I was working for the new owner. So, yeah, no bet.