venting on a waste of time show

[freeslicefattyj]

Well on Wednesday our band was invited to play a coffeeshop show about an hour and 20 minutes from where we live on Saturday. Despite the short notice we obliged seeing as the other band playing with us are a bunch of buddies and we feel we owe them the favor from ditching out on previous offers. Well it just so happens that Saturday marks the beginning of the season's snowfall (Milwaukee area), and it comes down hard (6" or so). We debate whether or not it's still worth going due to bad driving conditions and decide to still do it (due to the fact that one of my friends said I would provide the backline rig, which is an 810 and a large rack, very conveniant for me and grossly huge for a tiny coffeeshop). The shop assured us that we'd get money and say that they had half a dozen people out putting up fliers. It takes us 2 and a half hours going between 35 and 45 on the interstate (while passing half a dozen spin-out accidents) to get there and find not a single other person in attendance. Only the bands. The out of town band plays first, and promptly ditches after their set, not thanking me for use of my rig or our drummer for use of his kit. Now it's just our band and the other band there, but two people walked in to watch so that brought the audience total to 6. the next set goes smoothly. We set up, and are ready to play, but the woman behind the counter tells us that we can't play because she didn't know there were three bands and the place couldn't have music past 10pm. To make a long story not quite as long we put up quite a stink, play a 20 minute set, get no gas money and decide never to play the Rock Island Cafe in Neenah, Wisconsin again. I'd advise everyone else to do the same.

[freeslicefattyj]

just realized that this should also be under gig stories...whoops

[invader3k]

In a situation like that, it would seem like re-scheduling would be the best option.

[iamthebassman]

Whenever something like that happens(for instance, we drove 300 miles in snow, in Texas believe it or not, and the gig was cancelled, with no $$$)we just say "That's one more chapter in the book we'll write someday".
Crap like that will make you appreciate the good gigs that much more.
Rock On.

[C-5KO]

That sucks.

A similiar thing happened to our band once. WE could just tell that the promotions weren't done properly, so after loading our gear in, we asked to be paid in advance. And the promoter did. He lost a few hundred dollars, but that's business. If we hadn't been paid, I doubt we would have played.

You're holding the cards, especially if you're providing a backline.

Always learn from mistakes!

[georgestrings]

Feces occurs - ya can't win 'em all... Sorry to hear of your misfortune, but if you play enough gigs, you'll run into a raw deal occasionally....



- georgestrings

[discoboo]

whadya expect, with the crappy weather and all that? anyway, i feel your pain...once drove to cleveland, ohio in a snowstorm to play for the staff and the other band. but we still got paid and i had the best damn buffalo burger i've ever had the pleasure of eating.