I find an oddness playing gigs with a accordion, probably because the audience still see it as a oddity and therefore I feel like an ambassador promoting the past...
If I play a gig where I am the show I feel I either have to intersperse the tunes with history lessons of either the accordion or the music...this works well with a seated audience..I didn't feel comfortable just being watched and rattling out numbers... thankfully people find my style, speech and mannerisms amusing ..
Sometimes I'll take these gigs for lower reward just to get the accordion "out there"
Other than that I like the background music gig best, can noodle away toying with melodies and so long as I don't go too far out no one notices or pays much attention...it's an art entertaining without dominating the room...I keep my beady eye on the till and if plenty cash changing hand I make sure I get a fair bite
As to 'pay to play'...'open mics'...forget it....you only get exposure to friends and families of other wannabee musicians playing the same shit gig where only the bar owner wins...
One guy suggested I play for him on two consecutive Thursdays and if well received would give me a Saturday gig....I said sure sounds fair and ordered a beer, I drank it and went to leave, he asked for the money and I said " oh... don't worry about that, I'll pop in for another free one tomorrow and if I like it I'll come in on Friday and buy one...."
He let me off the beer for my cheek...I didn't give him a free gig for his
If I play a gig where I am the show I feel I either have to intersperse the tunes with history lessons of either the accordion or the music...this works well with a seated audience..I didn't feel comfortable just being watched and rattling out numbers... thankfully people find my style, speech and mannerisms amusing ..
Sometimes I'll take these gigs for lower reward just to get the accordion "out there"
Other than that I like the background music gig best, can noodle away toying with melodies and so long as I don't go too far out no one notices or pays much attention...it's an art entertaining without dominating the room...I keep my beady eye on the till and if plenty cash changing hand I make sure I get a fair bite
As to 'pay to play'...'open mics'...forget it....you only get exposure to friends and families of other wannabee musicians playing the same shit gig where only the bar owner wins...
One guy suggested I play for him on two consecutive Thursdays and if well received would give me a Saturday gig....I said sure sounds fair and ordered a beer, I drank it and went to leave, he asked for the money and I said " oh... don't worry about that, I'll pop in for another free one tomorrow and if I like it I'll come in on Friday and buy one...."
He let me off the beer for my cheek...I didn't give him a free gig for his

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