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At what point do you politely decline?


Stylon Pilson
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[quote name='crez5150' post='352931' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:36 PM']Depends...... if it's playing in front of the decision maker at EMI/Polydor/CBS/Atlantic....etc..... then yes..... if it's some piss poor pub in the 'burbs... then no[/quote]


[quote name='wateroftyne' post='352936' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:39 PM']1) Can you do the songs justice?

2) Will it benefit the band?

3) Is the money any good?

Two out of three and I'm there.[/quote]

What they said.

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Oh good. Just checking that I wasn't being unreasonable.

I sent a text to the other 2 and immediately got a phone call from the band leader. He's a bit disappointed, but he still wants to go ahead.

Additional points of note that I didn't mention before:
1. It's an acoustic night, so I wouldn't be playing bass anyway. I was going to be playing bongos for two songs, and the bottom two strings of an acoustic guitar for the third.
2. There are 12 acts on the bill.
3. It's tonight.

I told him that there were a multitude of reasons why I don't want to do this. He told me that he thinks it is bad form to pull out at the last minute. I told him that my decision was made on the basis of the fact that there would only have been three of us, and he didn't let me know this until this afternoon. He said that venues tend to remember about bands that let them down, and will be reluctant to book them again. I told him that if he is worried about that, he should tell the organisers that I am poorly too. I'm sure that the organisers won't care if one of the 12 bands on their lineup doesn't turn up. Maybe my band leader has delusions of grandeur.

I wonder if the other guy will pull out too. Might back my position up somewhat.

S.P.

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[quote name='Stylon Pilson' post='352954' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:56 PM']Additional points of note that I didn't mention before:
1. It's an acoustic night, so I wouldn't be playing bass anyway. I was going to be playing bongos for two songs, and the bottom two strings of an acoustic guitar for the third.
2. There are 12 acts on the bill.
3. It's tonight.[/quote]

Hmm.. that's three definite 'No's on my little checklist. Run away!

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[quote name='skankdelvar' post='353011' date='Dec 12 2008, 07:11 PM']Don't see how it's a case of pulling out at the last minute, when you didn't know about it till he told you.

He asked if you're available. You aren't.

Rather than say yes to the promoters, his response to them should be "I'll get back to you"

End of problem.[/quote]

Ah, now, I must clarify here, this slot has been booked for a few weeks now. So yes, I am pulling out at the last minute. But it's on the basis of information received at the last minute (and I get the impression that the band leader has known for a few days that we had a couple of drop-outs). And this situation is just so preposterous, there's no way I'm going to go ahead with this while I've got a wife at home who has been feeling poorly for a few days and would really appreciate my company.

If we were being paid for it, or if we were representing a more significant portion of the evening's entertainment, or if the venue was closer, or if I was actually playing my chosen instrument (the bass) then my decision would be different. I don't consider myself to be the unreliable sort. But there are limits to what I will tolerate.

S.P.

Edited by Stylon Pilson
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[quote name='skankdelvar' post='352927' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:34 PM']No[/quote]


[quote name='beerdragon' post='352929' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:34 PM']No.[/quote]


[quote name='Sarah5string' post='352930' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:35 PM']No.[/quote]


[quote name='lateralus462' post='352943' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:45 PM']No[/quote]

No

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[quote name='skankdelvar' post='352927' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:34 PM']No[/quote]

[quote name='beerdragon' post='352929' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:34 PM']No.[/quote]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='352930' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:35 PM']No.[/quote]

[quote name='lateralus462' post='352943' date='Dec 12 2008, 05:45 PM']No[/quote]

[quote name='Waldo' post='353223' date='Dec 12 2008, 10:51 PM']No[/quote]

No?

Edited by budget bassist
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If the "trio" turning up are technically proficient and can fill all the gaps, then why not? I always go on the fact that if you're booked for a gig, you show up, you do the job, you don't complain or make excuses & you get paid. End of. If two of your members aren't showing, still make the effort. I'd consider anything less as unprofessional, like the missing two members.

Edited by OutToPlayJazz
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[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='353237' date='Dec 12 2008, 11:03 PM']If the "trio" turning up are technically proficient and can fill all the gaps, then why not? I always go on the fact that if you're booked for a gig, you show up, you do the job, you don't complain or make excuses & you get paid. End of. If two of your members aren't showing, still make the effort. I'd consider anything less as unprofessional, like the missing two members.[/quote]
Money is the swinger here......How much?

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[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='353237' date='Dec 12 2008, 11:03 PM']If the "trio" turning up are technically proficient and can fill all the gaps, then why not? I always go on the fact that if you're booked for a gig, you show up, you do the job, you don't complain or make excuses & you get paid. End of. If two of your members aren't showing, still make the effort. I'd consider anything less as unprofessional, like the missing two members.[/quote]

I was hoping that someone would say this, because it's on my mind too. I don't think that we would have been able to fill the gaps as a trio - I feel that a lot of the interest in the music comes from the violin, who is the one who pulled out in the last couple of days through illness. I guess when I discovered that she wasn't going to be coming, that was the point at which I had my doubts that it was worth going through with this.

I've always tried to act professionally, and I know that pulling out of a gig on the day is considered unprofessional, but until we start getting paid for gigs, being professional is not at the top of my list of priorities. If I'm not doing this for the money, I'm doing it for the pleasure.

I have no bones with the two missing members. One of them realised a week ago that he had double-booked, and told us straight away. And the violinist hasn't been feeling well for a few days, and I believe that she gave the band leader a bit of advance notice (though he did not pass this information on to me until this afternoon).

S.P.

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