Holiday gigs - Are you getting your due?

It seems like they move Christmas earlier every year. Now we don't simply have a Christmas holiday begin, but months of "hey Christmas is coming" before the actual period hits. If you are like me, on one level you want to scream if you see one more little white fur lined red cap on a counter clerk. But as musicians, this is supposed to be one of the cash crops of the year.

If you are, you know, getting paid.

As we saw with the Hogle Zoo ZooLights debacle (congrats to us for shutting that one down!), just because the Season of Giving is upon us does not necessarily mean wallets are open for performing musicians. In fact, our local history is that there are far more Scrooges around at that time, and the rest of the year, than not. Add to that the stinky economic times we are facing and it could really put the north pole cold on your Christmas revenues.

If you haven't already, you should be out scrambling for Christmas gigs yesterday. Many office and departmental Holiday parties have already booked their musicians by now, but you could still find some who haven't firmed them up. And here is the important part about booking gigs this year - do not let them plead poverty to you because of the economic downturn as an excuse to not pay you. Remind them politely that you are a part of the hurting economy as well, and the Christmas goose isn't magically put on your table just because you agreed to play for free at their office party. Most people will be surprisingly reasonable and accomodating if you reason with them as "one of the working multitudes". That way they can relate to your plight, because being business people, that is their plight too.

Oh, and don't forget to have your Holiday CDs in order. I've never played a private holiday event that didn't allow me to sell my CDs as well.

And lastly, here is another call to send me your candidates for listing on either The Worst of The Worst businesses and people for paying musicians, or The Best. I will be compiling both lists and making them a permanent feature here as soon as I get a few recommendations.