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Did We Just Play for the Mob?

#142
DrayMiles said:
I can say from personal experience, after working for several people that could definitely be considered “affiliated” …
Be careful…

These guys don’t play…
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:)
 
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#145
Actually, I was less worried about handing over the cell phone than the vehicle search.

Many figures in the pubic eye (politicians, actors, musicians, top level sports stars, etc. and whatever Kardashians are) will not want any random photos or videos of them and their families getting out, particularly in situations where the use of alcohol may put people in compromising positions.

But searching the vehicle? What were they looking for; video recording equipment, a reporter from [CNN/Fox], drugs, guns or a bomb? A crazy ex-spouse?

Maybe the security were there because you had an ex-president in attendance?
 
#146
NYC, 1984. Get a call from a keyboard player to lay some horn tracks (I played trombone) at a home studio in Bushwick (Brooklyn). I park in front of this gorgeous late-Victorian home in an impoverished neighborhood... and the front door is guarded by two dudes in camo, berets, and sporting semi-automatic rifles. Turns out the scene was run by a drug dealer, looking to promote a band he dug, and the studio equipment was top drawer/state of the art. My words to the producer - "if we "shag" up, do we get out of here alive?"
 
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#147
J Wilson said:
I'd take all those gigs I could get, provided they kept us at arm's length like that. Do the job, get paid real well as they can't get just anybody, and I am World Class at keeping my mouth shut when need be. In a web-driven world, there's any number of reasons why whoever it was wants complete privacy, and is willing to pay to enforce it.

GOT to be more interesting than one more 5-hour slog at the local do-drop-inn.
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Exactly so. The cell phone thing wouldn't bother me at all - as long as I got the stupid thing back. At my age, a cell phone is still more a convenience, than a vital organ... And, I've always been enough of a mercenary that, while there are some things I won't do? Playing a gig like that ain't one of them...:rolleyes:
 
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#148
Sounds like you played for a rich powerful person.. After the Obama birthday party pics leaked I am sure the security in the circles of the rich and powerful got even tougher... a lot of celebrities and dignitaries are not going to let the phones in.. and staff is never supposed to mingle with the guests.
If you got paid well and the snacks were good, I would play it again and again..
 
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#149
The first problem is neither he nor anyone else needs to know. That's why it is carried concealed. The second problem is having a stranger put his hand on a weapon that I am responsible for. That is not done! Carrying a weapon brings serious responsibilities.

factory presets said:
...Or if that could be an issue, why bring it?...
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Prior employment involved getting sideways with criminals, some of whom might want to settle that old score. It wouldn't be necessary if I could predict the future, but no one can do that, so you prepare for the worst.
 
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#150
5andFretless said:
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.
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Now you've gone and done it. Didn't we tell you not to talk to anyone about this event? Anthony will be coming to talk to you now... ;)


Sounds like an individual who just wanted his privacy and a sense of security. In this day and age of literally everything winding up on social media, I can't say I blame him or her if it was someone with any kind notoriety.
 
#153
lermgalieu said:
FYI, as an attorney, I’ve seen all of the above both in contracts and in practice (including high profile folks you’ve heard of - you should see some of the ridiculous NDAs). There’s an above board way to do these things and a shady way to do them. This was without a doubt shady, and I don’t go anywhere that my family can’t contact me unless I’ve done some planning. It isn’t worth any price.
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We get it, gig not for you.
 
#154
Long Island Gold Coast, huh? That's SERIOUS money. Like old money type of serious money.

As for this being at the home of someone who's connected? I seriously doubt that they would hire a corporate band or have you play in that style. Being of a certain background, and having lived in the NY/NJ area my entire life, there are some stereotypes about the connected crowd that are usually pretty tried and true. They tend to have personal connections with musical acts. And their security? They would tend to handle that themselves.

I think the home / venue would be the giveaway. Was it tasteful or ostentatious? If it's the latter, then I would think it might be someone who's connected.

But then this is New York. It's one of the biggest business and media hubs in the world. This could just as easily have been some hedge fund manager, investment banker, politician, celebrity, or old money windbag. People don't want pictures getting on social media of them acting like animals at a party. And cash helps to keep things more confidential.
 
#156
DRBP said:
ok, i just gotta reply to this as i think you guys might find this fun. in about 1980 when i was a junior high student i did yard work, landscaping and general handyman (handykid?) work for a retired businessman named roy boldt. roy was in his upper 70’s then. one really warm day after a long afternoon of work roy and his wife invited me to their porch for a cold soda and some cool shade. roy knew i enjoyed music and played in the school band. he then told me that as a young man he was a pretty fair drummer and told me about one of his most interesting gigs.

one fall his band was asked to play a gig, told they would be well paid in cash but they wouldn’t know where they were playing and no one but the band could go. being the depression and all the band agreed to the gig. they showed up at the appointed time to a parking lot in northeast illinois (roy lived in what would now be a suburb of chicago). their instruments (big band stuff) were loaded into big cars and the band members got into several cars. they were blindfolded and rode for what roy estimated was about 30-45 min. when they got to the gig men hauled all their stuff to the stage. the band did not meet any of the guests BUT they were very well treated, they had their own waiter, were served gourmet food, and even could have an alcoholic drink if they wished- this was prohibition remember. they played the gig, and were appreciated by the crowd. men helped load up the stuff, they were taken back to the parking lot (blindfolded) and paid about 4 times the going rate for a gig at that time. they were told they were great but for secrecy reasons were not likely to be asked back.

roy never did find out who he played for or where the gig was. he was pretty sure it was mob, esp because of the alcohol but had no idea who. at the time he was fine with not knowing but he admitted in his later years he really wished he knew who it was as it would have made the story better! i never knew roy to be an exaggerator or “bullpoopieter”, in fact he was more likely to just stay low key and not tell stories at all so i really think this is likely to be a very factual occurrence. it sounded like quite the adventure and i was on the edge of my seat when he told me about it. he said the band would have loved to have done another similar gig for the same folks but, as they had said, the call never came. so he just remembered the experience with a smile.

it seems sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. hopefully i didn’t wear out my welcome with the long post but this was real musician history to me and not many others can appreciate it!
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No way you wore out your welcome - these stories need to be told and you told it well! That there is another beautiful piece of the tapestry of music history. Ta
 
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#157
5andFretless said:
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.
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Mob? No I don’t think so at all. The situation you described smells more like a rich person who wants what they want and will pay for it with no BS. Rich people value privacy, so that’s why no cell phones. Agent should have mentioned that before so you knew in case of emergency…as someone mentioned. I’ve done parties for rich people and very similar circumstances but not quite to that level with armed security. But I don’t live on Long Island . I put most of it on the agent…..
 
#160
Corevalay said:
I mean, it definitely sucks to have to do this... but I'd assume many celebrity private events would also require this as well. Hell, you couldn't be a GUEST at a Derek Jeter party without giving up your phone.
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Yeah, I thought of that after I posted this but you can't edit anything on here.

It's a double edged sword though. If I'd been "surprised" with the request to turn over my phone when arriving I would not be happy. But again if the party organizers warned band members ahead of time what kind of "buzz" would that create over what could possibly be going on.

If you have a phone locker with a key that would be fine, but my own tech paranoia would not be ok with handing my phone over to a mystery person.
 
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