[Harp-L] Beware of this club

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mike, thanks for the strong cautionary tale!  We've heard stories of players who simply won't play until they're paid, leaving the club with no band that night.  But us small fry often feel can't always afford to do that; once we're there to play, packing up and going home is tough.  but I think next time it's what I'll do, to get the point across.   Not all venue runners are crooks, many are great, but caveat emptor.  And insist upon money up front, at least for the first gig at a venue new to you.

Last year (in SoCal) Main Street Upland, a merchants' group non-profit in Upland,  held it's "1st Annual" music and arts fest, at which - EVEN THOUGH the blues bands had written contracts that provided for pay before playing - at least two of the bands that didn't demand pay up front got stiffed completely, and have to go to small claims court, and pros such as Charlie M & Tommy Castro got at least partial, only because they've been there before and demanded payment up front.

We've got to stand up for ourselves and our fellow players or we all get screwed.  I'll play for free when I want to, but hopefully not by accident!  

By the way, "Main Street Upland" is, I am told, soliciting for bands at their 2nd fest in November, but they still refuse to pay many if not all of the contracted artists from last year!  I know, I spoke to them as attorney for some of the local artists who got completely stiffed.  CAVEAT EMPTOR.

-Dave "show me the money if you want the honey" Fertig



On Thu, 9/16/10, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Tuesday, September 14, 2010 12:02 PM
        	
            
            
            From: 
            "Mike Fugazzi" <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>
            	
            	
            	
        	To: 
        	harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx know several list members live in Minnesota, so I hope it is ok to pass
this information on.  Hopefully a similar experience can be avoided by other
bands!

----------
Mike Fugazzi
vocals/harmonica
http://www.mikefugazzi.com
http://www.facebook.com/MikeFugazziMusic



Be aware of this club:

Prairie Saloon, Kasota, MN
. . .
. . .
I would never have posted anything like this anywhere had it not been for
the fact that he flat out lied on the phone yesterday about rewriting the
check for $400 and then instantly sending me $375 with a note. He even made
sure to cancel the other check.
----------
Mike Fugazzi
vocals/harmonica
http://www.mikefugazzi.com
http://www.facebook.com/MikeFugazziMusic