Ken
Oh my God, Brian, at yesterday’s gig I almost went in the drink! My client, the bandleader, did a site survey the day before, and reported back that it was all good — a very easy load-in except for off-loading the truck on the street. This was a corporate gig for 250 attendees, and I work for the band. The end client was a German car manufacturer that shall go unnamed. The venue was beautiful, bucolic, and the load-in was a pain in the ass. One of those 500-yard, switchback down the mountain on the cobblestone path kind of deals. Needless to say, I was soaking wet and exhausted just by the time the stuff was in the room. Because I couldn't make the site survey, I think my client didn't want to let me know the misery in advance. You have clients who "forget" to mention things to you?
Brian
Oh boy, do I ever! Try a client who forgets to mention details like, oh, the fact that we have a gig two days from now. I get a regular email with the schedule, but somehow it seems that this particular gig is exempt from being on the schedule because it’s an annually recurring gig. Funny, I only took you on as a client as of Jan. 1. So, I’m supposed to know about this show how?
Ken
I love when we’re supposed to be mind readers for the end clients, but this bandleader is supposed to be on MY side. Needless to say, the budget was tiny as well. Did I mention this was for a German car manufacturer at a Ritz Carlton? (Head shake and eye-roll expressed)
Brian
Yeah, one of those “tight-budget” gigs for sure. It amazes me how those with the most money tend to be the tightest with it, and those with little to spare blow what they have on frivolous things. Me, I don’t like to spend money I don’t have to, but when I genuinely need something, I like to purchase things that will last me a lifetime. I just can’t see running any business without making careful purchasing decisions. But, man, that doesn’t mean you should try to nickel and dime someone out of paying them what they are worth.
Ken
I am a little miffed, but I will get over it. I am getting a little resentful of these venues that don’t plan to do events, then try and shoehorn performances and parties into their ill-equipped little kingdom. It’s usually power that’s the problem, but there is nothing that gets my panties in a twist more than a crappy load-in. And I have big panties!
Brian
Some things can go without discussing, Ken. But you’re right about the power and the load-ins. Some of the older halls around here are the worst. There are a lot of small historic theatres, most of which probably date back to the vaudeville days. It’s a wonderful part of this area’s history, and I’m glad to see them still in use as performance spaces today. I just hate the off-the-street load-ins and the absolutely shameful (not to mention dangerous) state of the electrical systems. It’s great that members of the community are making the effort to keep historical performance venues open, but they all seem to overlook the basic needs of modern production: truck-height dock door upstage left and 200 amps of three-phase on camlocks!
Ken
As usual, we completed the task and lived to tell the tale, but that crap does get old when it seems the learning curve is non-existent. And my issues can usually be resolved pretty easily by throwing money at them, i.e., having another hand to load in/out, a generator for three-phase and the feeder, etc. I hate starting a sound check in a bad mood. I dislike looking like I jogged to the gig after load-in. I realize what I do isn’t brain surgery; the steps happen in the same order every time and every sound vendor has similar requirements for the venue, so who is getting their jollies by making things difficult? The only factor I usually don’t have to deal with out here is the weather. What I’m saying Brian is that some days this job is really a job.
Brian
Of course it’s a job! We wouldn’t charge folks if it was a hobby. Wouldn’t life be so much simpler if we didn’t have to deal with bids and invoicing and collections and taxes and… well, you get the picture. If I could just go do a show each day, really do it up right with a real crew and everything without dealing with the finances, life would be so much more fun. Maybe if I won that big lottery jackpot… 2-1-5 on the Pick Three and 1-6-4-7 on the Pick Four, please.
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