As an aspiring performer, you're constantly looking for your next gig. It's great to have a place or two (or three) where you perform regularly. Maybe the venue has you play there once a week, once a month, or somewhere in between. Even still, you're always looking for other "one-off" gigs, as some people like to say. As someone who's always thinking from a promotional perspective, I prefer "one night only."
You won't say it out loud, or, at least not to too many people, but, there's always concern that the recurring gig(s) could disappear. Maybe management will change or the site's programming goes in “a different direction,” or maybe business is just flat out bad, and they think they can just go with a jukebox instead of live music. Yup, the thought disgusts you and the work is needed.
But what about turning the tables? As much as you might have a list of reasons why the gig(s) can't go away, what about when it just gets to the point where you have to be the one to initiate the goodbye?
I know, it conjures up images of George Costanza and his "It's not you, it's me" breakup routine on "Seinfeld."
So, what are the deal breakers? It's likely not just one but, rather, some combination of two or more of the following:
- The venue screws up your schedule (meaning, you arrive there on the night you usually play there, but they say, "Umm, no, not tonight").
- Similarly, they not only double-book, but tag you as the one to go home empty that night.
- The person in charge is downright rude to you and unprofessional. (Sign to look out for - he or she won't even shake your hand.)
- They ask you to play longer without offering to compensate you for it in any way.
- They don't promote you performing at their place. Anywhere. Ever.
- The person you always deal with there never says "Thank you" (for your work there). Ever.
- At a venue where you connect to their sound system, they turn you down (from a remote switch), deny it, and then tell you they couldn't hear you. (Can you tell that I've actually seen this happen?!)
What additions do you have to this list? Click here to comment with your experiences and observations.
Be professional. Stand your ground. And don't get taken advantage of. And if you must fire a venue, try to have a new site already lined up to seamlessly transition over to.