Did We Just Play for the Mob?

[Giraffe]

When covid closed down our residency gig, the social circle that frequented the place started throwing pretty impressive house parties, every other week or so. They were well off but not necessarily rich, mostly overachievers who had overcome obstacles and accomplished things in their lives. Tough people who had survived war and in many cases actively participated in war. Respectful people of good character but no one you wanted to even argue with. I'll never forget the night the thugs from BMI or ASCAP walked in and tried to intimidate the owners! Those guys looked like wet kittens when they crawled out the door.

As time wore on the parties started getting really large, and one day the hosts of a party decided it was time to hire some serious security. At that first party with security, one of the guys asked for our phones. No problem, no one was expecting any calls from the Pope or the Minister of Defense or anything, we are just musicians.

Problem was I don't carry a phone. "Sir, just give us your phone, you'll get it back at the end of the evening." "I have no phone, what can I say?" Short pause, "We'll need to search you." I carry a concealed firearm legally due to prior employment so I had to respectfully decline.

At some point the hosts got wind that there may not be live music at their expensive party and they cleared it up so everybody had a great night. Hosts of subsequent parties kept hiring the same security outfit, so life went on smoothly until they would hire a rookie who didn't know us, but it was never an issue for us.

Professionals understand that you have to live in the world the way it is today, and not the way your mommy told you it should be. I actually started carrying one of my wife's old broken phones in the sled, to assuage the folks who couldn't believe anyone didn't carry a phone!

 

[GlenParks]

You did say you were paid well... my question is, was it an unpleasant gig or just an unexpected one?

 

[g-dude]

There is a historic rock venue here in DC that has a very low key, hidden VIP space on the balcony. Even sitting next to it, you don't notice it's there, unless there is a guard standing on the outside and you notice someone being escorted in or out. I'm pretty sure one of Obama's daughters was there when I saw Big Thief play.

Which one? The only one I would have considered historic was the old 9:30 club, which was a total firetrap.

 

[LarryT]

I played with a Christian band at a minimum security prison once. But security was tight for us. They inventoried every piece of gear in and out. Since I was in charge of the p.a. that I built myself, I had to explain every every piece. It took forever to get in. We of course walked through the metal detector.

 

[ChickWithaRic]

So many reasons I f***in' love this place, but a thread asking if y'all just played for the mob when you very obviously just played for the mob is in my top ten.

 

[5StringBlues]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Nuage420]

Which one? The only one I would have considered historic was the old 9:30 club, which was a total firetrap.

Or Black Cat. @BarfanyShart ?

Nations? (Capital Ballroom)

 

[4dog]

Sure you want to go public with this?
Might want to be careful ...

too late.

 

[ElBecko59]

I thought the mob wasn't in Massapequa anymore , forgettaboutit

 

[socialleper]

The mob wouldn't have been that blatant. Probably some celebrity.

 

[Nuage420]

I was in the Army in a Pershing missile unit (nukes) and did a fair share of guarding individuals. They were watching him closely, but it's unlike they were pointing firearms at him. They had rounds in the magazine but unlikely that they had any in the chamber. Accidental discharges are a big problem for everyone in the chain of command and that's just an accidental discharge into a clearing barrel designed to catch an accidental discharge. But someone suited up in body armor and carrying an M16 or M4 is intimidating, by design. And the time we had a contractor pull out a pellet gun during a vehicle search. Are you seriously that stupid??

You and I know this was some slack jaw Joe who was out of favor and tasked with this BS detail lol

 

[jmlee]

Years ago, I was with a high quality rehearsal big band in Toronto that rarely gigged. We were offered a ludicrous amount of money to play for an outdoor wedding at a horse farm estate northwest of the city. We drove separately and when I arrived I was met at the end of the very long drive that led through the paddocks to the house by two burly gentlemen with, yes, bulges under their jackets. I kid you not. They searched me and the car, very politely, making some jokes about what I had in the upright case. (Yes, they checked it). The party was a hugely lavish event for the daughter of the owner of the estate: a really big crowd, amazing food and we played every darned request we were given—sometimes for sizeable tips, all cash. Looking back on it, I confuse it in my memory with the opening of the first Godfather movie—but it wasn't dissimilar in scale or feel. Apparently the Toronto organized crime families had a lot of interest in race horses and what not, so these big horse farms were a not uncommon residence. So, yes, I played for the mob.

 

[badinage]

Probably among the safest gigs one could possibly play.

 

[theduke1]

Sign me up! Like I always say, "I've done worse, for less".

What he said!
Duke

 

[Bassquest]

I played on a bar once where the owner was like a godfather. Got nervous when he asked me to go get my cello. I only had my bass guitar.

 

[g-dude]

Or Black Cat. @BarfanyShart ?

Nations? (Capital Ballroom)

Saw plenty of shows at the Black Cat.

Capitol Ballroom as well. 70k watt sound system, and I always hated trying to get a cab afterwards, as it wasn’t exactly a great neighborhood.

 

[Nuage420]

Saw plenty of shows at the Black Cat.

Capitol Ballroom as well. 70k watt sound system, and I always hated trying to get a cab afterwards, as it wasn’t exactly a great neighborhood.

Oh I know. I started frequenting those clubs at 13... and I'm sure you can speculate what I was involved in to gain that access.

 

[two fingers]

As some of you know, I play in a cooperate party/wedding band. Depending on the gig there are between 8 and 12 of us on stage. We read music and do those types of songs. We don't play together often, but we all play in other projects. We have a management group that books us.

A month ago we were called and asked if we would do something out of the normal. A person that had seen us somewhere wanted to know if we could imitate a bar band - dress like we were from a 70's and play that type of music. They were going to pay us very well, so the core 5 of us - Drummer, bass, guitar, keyboard, and singer, agreed to do the gig. We thought it would be fun to do songs that you can't do at the normal gigs, and they had given us a list that included Give Me 3 Steps, U and Ur Hand, Son of a Preacher Man, Me and Bobby McGee, and You Oughta Know - songs we would never play in our normal configuration.

It was Saturday afternoon. We were met at the gate by armed security, who searched the vehicle and us, then took all our cell phones. We were escorted in and we had a chaperone that watched us unload, setup, play, take breaks, and pack out and leave.

We were paid in cash. We were not allowed to interact with the guest in anyway. A waiter brought us drinks (non alcoholic) and food.

I have no idea who threw the party, who was in attendance, or what the party was for. As soon as we got in the car and clear we called our booking agent and told him never again.

I don't understand. Why never again? Seems like good pay, a fun gig, good food, and super secure (in other words you weren't in danger because the guards were watching out for the party).

So your issue is a moral one, I suppose? Even still, it could have been a high-ranking dignitary, not evil doers. Why do you care? You played a fun gig and got paid well.

 

[2tonic]

This is at a whole different level, but still apropos.
In the 80's, the touring sound company I managed (and did FOH for) did a number of rallies for then President Ronald Reagan, campaign stops with him and GHW Bush, and subsequently President Bush. There was always musical talent besides the speeches (Eddie Rabbit, Lee Greenwood, Barbara Mandrel, Patti Loveless, etc.).
After a few of these events we developed a comfortable working relationship with the Secret Service and White House staff, but the initial meeting was a real eye opener.
They required a crewmember list a month in advance in order to run background checks on all personnel.
This involved visits from the SS and the FBI.
On arrival we were all wanded, patted down, and bomb dog approved. The trucks and gear were subject to x-ray, search, dogs, and God knows what else, all by very serious individuals, who were all heavily armed, and appeared to have NO sense of humor (this was later proven untrue).
There were 40 cabs in the rig, and they wanted to look inside each one. I told them we all have a timetable, including their boss, so sniff 'em, x-ray them, or here's a cordless screwdriver and 2 batteries. There's about 30 screws in each cabinet backpanel, knock yourself out, we got poopie to do. (They acquiesced, and trusted their dogs).
Every 30 minutes everything came to a stop, we were herded into an anteroom, dedicated for our use, while they did a security sweep of the whole arena.
They instructed us to park the equipment trucks nose to tail in a "protective cordon", in other words, make them bullet sponges.
We had mobile phones, but they were the " handset and bag" type, and had to stay in our anteroom.
I learned every Secret Service Communications Director is named Steve White, regardless of what the world calls him on any given day. I guess that way, when they get a new guy, they don't have to print new business cards.
They were always extremely professional, and dedicated to the service, even if they were "a bit stiff", at first. I guess talking into your sleeve, and wearing sunglasses indoors can do that to you.
They proved themselves to be a great group of guys, but working in their world is a really jarring experience, at first.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

It’s funny because I went to a party once at the most famous clubhouse of the most famous biker gang there is.

Frankly, it was hard to reconcile seeing guys who seemed perfectly pleasant with their patches that supposedly indicate that they’ve killed people. Still, I figured the best thing to do was to not talk to anyone who didn’t talk to me, and try to be a good guest.

They were all older than me - almost all of them had a lot of gray in their beards/hair.

Except one guy, who appeared to be in his 20s and was a fully patched in member. Not sure how he managed that, when people older than him were still serving in the various support clubs, but I also didn’t want to find out.

Only place I’ve ever been where I didn’t worry about my motorcycle getting stolen. It was safer there than in my own garage.

I too was around a North Beach SF bar that hosted those same people (20+ years ago). Anyhoo, the powerful reverb of the bikes off the tall buildings was thundering. They were both rowdy and civil at the same time.