The end of a saga

LowKee · #1 06-03-2010, 05:00 PM

Well, this has been ridiculous.
One year ago I played bass for a charity variety show here in town. It is an annual show and a lot of local celebrities perform for it. I was in the "house band", if you will. I had played for this the yer before as well, and both times were on a strictly volunteer basis.

However, things got a little interesting when I told the assistant director that I would not be available to be at one (out of about 8) of their practices because of work. She started freaking out a little and called the director over and told her. She also seamed upset about this. I was confused about this until they told me that there would actually be an audience that night. Nowhere had the schedule they had given me mentioned this, or I would have tried to get that night off.

Anyway, they asked me if I could trade shifts with anyone so I said I would check with a friend. Here is where the plot thickens. They quickly told me that if he would fill in for me they would buy him a gift card to a restaurant. I relayed this information to my friend who agreed to take the shift even though it would mean three shifts in two days.

The show came and went and everything thing went quite well. At the end of the series, there was no gift card though. This was fine; they would get it to me in the mail. A couple weeks passed and still no card. I emailed them about it and they told me according to state law they couldn't get the funds released yet since it involved a charity. This was where they should have paid for it out of their own pocket since I am one of the (very) few bassists who would be both qualified and willing to play for free for this particular show. A month or two passed and I forgot about it until my friend mentioned it again. I told him I would check and got some other runaround from the people. More time passed and both my friend and I forgot again.

Then a couple months ago I get an email. They wanted me to play again. Oh, really? I told them I wasn't going to play for them. The replied and said they hoped it wasn't because of the gift card. This irritated me a little and so earlier today I sent them an email leaving nothing to uncertainty (I wasn't rude, just very clear about how things were). They replied and asked if they could drive the gift card over this evening. I just got the card a few minutes ago.

When she got to my apartment, she basically hand me the card and left. Not even anything close to "sorry it took so long", just "here you go". She got in her car and left. I think she was mad at me for some reason.

This whole thing seems a little ridiculous and it leaves me feeling inclined not to play for them again.

becker4567 · #2 06-03-2010, 05:08 PM

Follow your instincts! You handled it really well, but it seems like they think that you are under some obligation to them. My advice.....just bow out gracefully.

Wyrm74 · #3 06-03-2010, 05:14 PM

No one could blame you for refusing to play again. All they'd see of me is my backside as I left!

LowKee · #4 06-03-2010, 05:16 PM

The only reason I would consider playing for them again is because it is charity. Otherwise, there would be no question in my mind.

otis_thick · #5 06-03-2010, 05:32 PM

I have been in broadcasting for over 30 years, and i am noticing a lot of the new folks do not know anything about basic common manners. Even though it is a business ALL about communication, there is less and less of it.... Today, a few of us were talking about an Earth Wind and Fire\Chicago show that we are airing and one of the young (and very sweet personaally) free lancers walked in and in the middle of someone elses comment, with total disregard to people in the middle of a conversation, just started talking about something else out of the blue. I took her aside later to playfully give her a hard time about interrupting without at least saying excuse me or waiting for a break. i have come to the conclusion people today don't care about manners or interperssonal communication because all they do is text and stay on the phone...this girl had no idea that she had done anything wrong...which to me, says she was never taught to begin with...Instead of bowing out gracefully...you need to speak up and explain why it "Chapped your A-s-s" the way it was handled. Maybe they will understand why they need to show some gratitude, when someone not even involved, goes out of thier way in order to help not only a friend but the organizers of the event, and the position it put you in...a lot of people need a little mental spanking every now and then!

Wyrm74 · #6 06-03-2010, 05:46 PM

+1

I'm all for charity, but I do things like that because it makes me feel good. I need some form of paycheck, even if it isn't money! That situation wouldn't make me feel good, so I wouldn't go back. YMMV or course! I also have a genuine problem with rewarding poor behavior...I just can't do it! Those 2 women exhibited extremely poor behavior, and I just couldn't enable them without feeling bad about my own actions in doing so. I am sure your heart will steer you in the right direction, just be honest with yourself!

Sonicfrog · #7 06-03-2010, 05:55 PM

If you care more about the charity than the people running the show, I say continue. But only if it really connects to you. If you do bow out, make sure you let the supervisor highest in command, the higher up to better, know exactly why you are bowing out. That way at least there will be no twisting of facts before that person gets the word that you're not participating and why.

Billminpa · #8 06-03-2010, 06:05 PM

I had this experience with charity gigs. My band was hired at $1500 to be the opening act for the second half of an Oldies show featuring name acts of the '50's & '60's. Although it was for charity all of the acts were paid although at a reduced rate. It was also hosted by a well known former singer of the '60's from England (who I will not name) who was paid $20000 for the gig. There was also another local Oldies group that was opening the first half of the show. One of the members of that band was married to one of the organizers. That band donated their time because of the relationship. Well to make a long story short, the day of the show comes and we are informed that they can only pay us half of the contracted amount because of ticket sales (they sold 15k of the 20k capacity). We let it go because we wanted the gig and we were already there (and it was for the kids). The show went on we performed and we were NEVER paid at all eventually getting the lame excuse (after a two month runaround) that we should have donated the time because the other local band did.
Bottom line, NO MORE CHARITY GIGS without a written contract and at least a 50% deposit. Its not the money really, we probably would have done it for free if we had been asked, it was the crappy treatment and the attitude that they DESERVED our work for FREE. In my opinion a FORCED donation is nothing but a TAX. And we all have enough of that already....

MrLenny1 · #9 06-03-2010, 06:17 PM

That's a shame man! There is so much of this in our business. Never **** on volunteers.
Next time their toilet breaks down see if the plumber will show up for free.

walterw · #10 06-03-2010, 06:46 PM

i've read over on PSW that apparently what most pro sound companies do who wish to contribute to charity events they're working is contract for normal pay and insist on the normal check (usually before the truck gets unloaded), then write a check to the charity in the amount of their donation. it seems to cut out the BS.

1954bassman · #11 06-03-2010, 06:59 PM

Sour grapes for sure. If you cannot put the ill feelings behind you, then I would turn down the gig, and very politely tell them why, again - very politely. This would get your point across much better than berating them in any way. They would be the chumps, and you would be the champ, without saying nary a cross word!

Mark

xxfaux_punkxx · #12 06-03-2010, 07:16 PM

"hahahaha, you ever fill like you been cheated?" - Jonny Rotten.

I'd do the gig for the charity work, then talk to the person in charge and let her know what's up and that you're not gigging with them. It's more of a common curtosy than anything else. Gives them time to replace you and doesn't do damage to the charity benifit.

StyleOverShow · #13 06-03-2010, 07:20 PM

If they just "dropped the gift card" without the "thanks" it really isn't a sign of appreciation.

So, do you like the gig or not, that's the criteria IMO.

**jmattbassplaya** · #14 06-03-2010, 07:41 PM

She was probably mad she had to go out of her way to do what was promised to you a long time ago to begin with. I agree with the one guy who said that people these days have no respect for others. Everyone believes they are entitled and that everyone else owes them a favor, even when it`s them who actually owes the favor. Like another person also said, I wouldn`t mind doing shows for free either if it`s for charity and for a good cause. It`s when people expect me to do it that I start to get defensive.

Anyways, I personally would avoid it. Something tells me they wouldn`t take you back even if you wanted to at this point anyways...

xgator4u · #15 06-03-2010, 07:58 PM

Don't do it.

Just DON'T.

They have already tried to di*k you around.

I play shows for charity routinely,but when it becomes a pain in the @$$, and I ain't even being paid... Ummmm Bye Bye.

dlargent · #16 06-03-2010, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

i've read over on PSW that apparently what most pro sound companies do who wish to contribute to charity events they're working is contract for normal pay and insist on the normal check (usually before the truck gets unloaded), then write a check to the charity in the amount of their donation. it seems to cut out the BS.

I was going to suggest the same thing! Why don't say that you need to be paid $50 per rehearsal, then $200 per show, or something like that. Then they would know they needed to treat you like a pro, and at the end, you can donate the money back to the charity. Or keep part of it out if you had to pay a sub or were 'forced' to work extra hours or something.

Then, if they balk at that pay, just give them some other bass players' phone numbers.

JohnMCA72 · #17 06-03-2010, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowKee

...
This whole thing seems a little ridiculous and it leaves me feeling inclined not to play for them again.

I think you've answered your own question.

LowKee · #18 06-03-2010, 10:47 PM

It was only 2o bucks too. That was enough, I'm just confused why it 20 bucks was such a big deal to them.

RustyAxe · #19 06-04-2010, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billminpa

The show went on we performed and we were NEVER paid at all eventually getting the lame excuse (after a two month runaround) that we should have donated the time because the other local band did.
Bottom line, NO MORE CHARITY GIGS without a written contract and at least a 50% deposit. Its not the money really, we probably would have done it for free if we had been asked, it was the crappy treatment and the attitude that they DESERVED our work for FREE. In my opinion a FORCED donation is nothing but a TAX. And we all have enough of that already....

Right. I'll play for free for any charity that is willing to give me a receipt for the amount of my usual rate. Even without pay, the expenses incurred should be tax deductible.

Kenner · #20 06-04-2010, 05:32 AM

I had the same kinda deal (as the OP) with a charity a few years back. After we did one show for them, the local rep of this charity (and a sufferer of the malady we were playing for) started showing up to shows and asking the band to put a jar on stage. He wanted us to ask the customers of all the bars we were playing to donate for his cause. He didn't have this cleared with the bar owners, so I refused to do it. He got a bit snippy about it and kinda pissed me off.

Later on, when the charity organizers came knockin on the door, I told them no. I felt bad telling them no because I wanted to help, but it felt as if we were giving charity to the organization, not the people affected.

This day forward, I will only play for "benefits or charities" that assist individuals directly.
All proceeds must go directly to individual or I will just do like most people and donate to the cause of my choice.....(....like my Mom's Relay for Life chapter....

)

We've since played benefits for 3 different friends who have/had cancer and a huge one for a young lady whose husband died when the I-35 bridge collapsed in Minneapolis....