I have a love/hate relationship with booking agents. Most promoters do. We mutually understand that one does not exist without the other, but both are equally important to an artists’ career. The agent must ensure that the act gets booked into the smartest situations for the most lucrative payments. Conversely, the promoter must ensure he [...]
Remember a few years ago when I’d bang my head against the desk for the repeated lauding the Patriot News would bestow on former Mayor Stephen Reed? It seemed like Reed couldn’t fart without writers like John Luciew calling it something like “a new fragrant aroma to fill the air of the city of Harrisburg” [...]
My friend Joe Casillo – fine young Irish lad that he is- used to write a pretty neat blog called Instrumental Analysis (RIP)- geared toward the more fringe, up and coming bands too ripe even for Pitchfork’s cherry pickers. He’s the guy who turned me on to bands like Frightened Rabbit, These United States, J [...]
You’ve seen all of the regional YouTube videos about what people in virtually every city in America “say” – hipsters and hippies and suits and snobs…here are a handful of things you’ll most likely never, ever, ever hear someone in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania say. Not ever in any of our lifetimes. Ever. 1. “Man, these roads [...]
“Sorry, we can’t pay you…but it’ll be a great exposure gig.”
If there ever were a line in the music business which was a bigger crock of bullshit than a band telling a booker “we’ll PACK your room!”, it’s the old “exposure” line delivered from a booker to a band.
I often hear about shows that the bands simply do not get paid for one reason or another. 
And while I understand that there are a few times throughout a band’s career where they should actually play for free, it seems like most “opportunities” are nothing more than fluff and never really pan out in the end.
Here are five reasons bands should never play for free – followed by three reasons when they should.
1. You Are A Business – You eat pizza, right? Has the local pizza shop you get your pizza from ever given you a free pizza? You walk into that pizza shop and expect to exchange a little currency for that pepperoni and mushroom, right? Think of your band in the same light. While you may not be making Foo Fighters money in your first year or two as a band, you’ve still got flyers and posters to pay for, rent on the rehearsal space to cover, gas and expenses getting to and from your gigs and probably a laundry list of other items that need to be paid for. Every dollar counts. Don’t give away your goods in the name of “exposure”.
2. There Is Always A Budget – And if there isn’t, it’s probably not a gig you want to play anyway. If someone calls you and asks your band to play their event but immediately follows their pitch by “we don’t really have a budget”, your reply should be “then we can’t play your event”. Every event – be it a church bake sale or Coachella – has a budget. If that budget can afford to include a service in it’s festivities, it pays for it. If it cannot afford something in the budget, that item gets CUT. Why should the band be treated like something of no value?
3. Exposure To Who? Is Rick Rubin going to be at that gig you were offered? No? How about Irving Azoff? Oh, he’s not either? Maybe the head of marketing for Apple Computers? Then who are you going to be “exposed” to? A bunch of pedestrians who would be at a particular event either way? Maybe they’ll buy your CD, maybe they won’t. And if they DO buy your CD, are they coming to your next gig? My experience says “No”. And that’s what you want that exposure for, isn’t it? But if you’re the kind of band who wants to “expose” yourself to little old ladies walking around a town art day or some sort of backyard party at your local church, then by all means -go for it.
4. It Cheapens The Industry – Now more than ever before, a band needs to view itself as the currency generating commodity that it is. When you get booked at a bar to play for three hours, you’re expected to either bring your fanbase out to consume mass quantities of alcohol and food or entertain the built in crowd the club already has. That’s an exchange of goods for services. How many sterotypes exist about musicians and bands? They’re broke. They trash hotel rooms. They party too hard. They’re unemployed, unreliable, unmotivated….why further those stereotypes by playing for the promise of “exposure”?
5. There’s Always A Paying Gig On The Same Night – How many bars are there in your state? How many American Legion halls? VFW’s? Dedicated music venues? Those are all paying gigs. If you’re having trouble getting a gig, you’re either not working hard enough or you’re not good enough. That’s it. There are no shortage of bars, shows, events, clubs and parties that will pay you decent money for a set or a night of your music. Don’t sell yourself short by saying that there are no other options.
Now, certainly, there are exceptions to every rule. And this one is no different. In the decade that I’ve been booking shows, I’ve asked PLENTY of bands to play for free. But in the past three or four years, that number has dwindled. Perhaps it’s because all of the shows I book are actually revenue generating events; perhaps it’s because I, like a new band, have paid my dues with the free gigs. But here are three bona-fide good reasons you should feel good about playing a freebie once or twice a year….
1. It’s A Cause You Can Believe In – It seems like there’s a benefit show for some sort of illness fundraiser every night of the week. And if you’ve got some connection to breast cancer or leukemia or diabetes or the homeless or the hungry…and a promoter or event organizer asks you to donate your time to play a set in the name of raising money for a great cause, go for it! We’ve all got our convictions – and it’s respectable to donate your time now and again for a good cause. I’m going to stop short of using the “k” word, but it’s certainly good mojo to give back now and again.
2. It’s An Opening Slot For Radiohead- Or whoever your favorite band might be. But this one has a caveat – if you’re a HUGE fan of a band playing a headlining set at your local venue and you feel that playing a set in front of their audience will help you in some capacity and YOU asked THEM (or the booker) if your band could open, then do it for the gipper. But if the promoter or band asked YOU to play in front of them, then you should always get a couple of bucks for your time (and expenses).
3. It’s a Conference Or Showcase- Nobody gets paid to play SXSW or CMJ or MMC or Launch. Or, if they ARE getting paid, it’s because they’re the sought out headliner. Many music conferences and industry showcase nights can lead to bigger, better paying opportunities. Shake your money maker.
I consider myself a pretty spiritual person with a leaning towards more holistic remedies for ailments and illness. I am also one of over fifty million uninsured Americans. So when my girlfriend (who is in the holistic remedies business of massage therapy) first told me about Reiki, I was intrigued.
Reiki – in it’s simplest explanation – is healing by the transfer of energy from the hands to the body. Or, to go a bit deeper, Reiki.org explains “The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words – Rei which means “God’s Wisdom or the Higher Power” and Ki which is “life force energy”. So Reiki is actually “spiritually guided life force energy.”
Sounds crunchy, right?
It is…but only if you’re of the mindset that the only cure for an ailment is through the channels of co-pays, doctor referrals, expensive tests and, ultimately, costly prescription pills and medications.
And if that’s where your head is, you can stop reading now. Chances are you’ll write it off as some “hippy dippy crap” and we’ll be wasting each others time.
Still here?
Cool.
About six months ago, I gave myself a heluva scare. You see, I was roller skating with Kaiya. It was my first time roller skating in probably ten years and given the sedentary lifestyle I generally live, a couple of hours with eight wheels attached to my two feet with a fifty five pound eight year old on another eight wheels on HER two feet was sort of a workout for me. Through the twisting and turning, falls and almost-falls, I managed to pull a muscle in the center of my chest.
It was something of a stressful time for me. (Although it escapes me, now, what exactly I was so stressed about). Over the next several days, I noticed the pain in my chest. I also noticed tingling in my left arm and fingertips. And, in hindsight, I realized that the shortness of breath I was experiencing was from psyching myself out so much that I had myself convinced I was having a heart attack. (And it seemed like everywhere I looked there was another billboard or television commercial or print ad describing the symptoms of cardiac arrest and an advert for where to take yourself if you WERE having one….which is a separate post altogether…)
But I digress…
Turns out I didn’t have a heart attack. (phew) And after several thousand dollars worth of EKG’s, chest x-rays, injection of beta-blockers and a dose of nitro glycerin, I remembered that, a few days before, I was roller skating with Kaiya and must have pulled a muscle in my chest.
Naturally, I was sent to a doctor for a follow up. And he was a nice enough guy, but his finger was on the trigger of that prescription pad before I even walked in the door. Another several hundred dollars in visits and prescriptions later, we deducted that I have an under-active thyroid; which explains my weight gain…not that I’m a fatass, but I’m probably twenty pounds overweight.
Pile all of this on top of the fact that I generally run pretty hot. Not that I’m a particularly ANGRY person; but I do tend to get pretty worked up. Or “passionate” could be another adjective to describe my day-to-day mindset.
Finally, I decided to give Reiki a shot. Not to cure any one particular ailment; but just to see.
Just to see what all the hype was about. I made an appointment with “Reiki by Rickie” who runs her practice at the Alta View Wellness Center on Jonestown Road. My first session was first thing on a Monday morning. I went into my first session with a wide open mind and an eager anticipation to see if this were really a “magical” experience.
The actual setting is not unlike a massage room. Gentle, new age music, the smell of essential oils in the air, a bookshelf overflowing with self-help and spiritual healing books and eastern-inspired statues and art. Dimly lit and warm, just the aura of the room was enough to take me off-edge.
I’ve been describing my experience (to anyone who will listen) as a cross between a visit to a massage therapist, a psychic and a psychiatrist. We sit down initially and Rickie gives a general overview of what Reiki is (and, just as importantly, what it isn’t.). The session lasts about an hour with a few minutes at the beginning and the end to discuss any particular ailments I may be having. And then I lay down, face up and fully clothed (minus my shoes) on a massage table.
The Reiki Master begins the session by having me take a few deep breaths and beginning to calm down. Naturally, my first session was peppered with excitement, so it took about fifteen minutes until I really reached a meditative state.
And from there, she works her way across my chest, my arms, legs, shins and finally to my feet. And during the course of the hour, my mind went from almost hyper-active and anticipatory all the way into an almost catatonic, deep meditative state. All the while, I could actually feel energy from her hands projecting to different areas of my body.
While some of it was physical, I have to say that most of this was a spiritual experience.
Rickie explained that the most effective way to experience the Reiki healing abilities was to book three sessions. The first focuses on the mind – clearing the mental cobwebs that can cause distractions and internal clutter. The second focuses on the physical – any pains, joints, muscle aches. And the third is the spiritual session.
Friends, I try not to write too much hype on these pages. And for me to bang out a thousand words on a subject, there is some validity to it. I’m not here to waste anyone’s time. But if you’ve ever been curious as to just what Reiki can do for you, I cannot possibly evangelize any more that I am right now Call Rickie (or ANY Reiki practitioner that you choose. I’m not here stumping for any one in particular.) Each session runs about sixty bucks. A dollar a minute.
I can say that for less than two hundred bucks over the past six or seven weeks, I’ve discovered an invaluable bit of eastern-spiritual remedy that has indeed enhanced my life for the better.
“Each decision I have made over my entire life has led me to exactly where I am standing today”.
I don’t know if this post had anything to do with it or not, but Harrisburg City Hall has rescinded it’s apparently poorly thought out “visitor sign in” requirement for benign transactions like paying parking tickets and water bills.
About three weeks ago, the directive came down from the Mayors Office that all visitors to the Martin Luther King City Government Center in Downtown Harrisburg were required to show a government issued identification card, sign in on a sheet and provide their drivers license numbers.
Clearly, there were major problems with this from the start. First, all of that information collected becomes public record. As the Patriot News demonstrated, anyone would be able to file a right to know request for the daily logs. And they did. So virtually any citizen with the knowledge of the RTK process would be privy to your drivers license number or what time you visited city hall last week.
The person responsible for collecting this information was a uniformed Harrisburg Police Officer. I wrote last week that I was turned away at city hall when I refused to sign in while there to pay a parking ticket.
(I argued that when the transaction for the parking ticket took place, they’d have record of my being there. Just as they would for a water bill, tax bill or virtually any other reason a citizen may have for visiting city hall, so the sign-in portion was moot).
Last night, I attended the Public Safety Committee meeting with the intent of expressing my disdain over the new policy during the public comment portion of the meeting.
Fortunately, Chief of Police Ritter was in attendance as the focus of the meeting was the transition of 911 services to Dauphin County and was able to answer the questions I had. (Ritter claims that the sign in policy was changed the day after I was turned away)
Here, without further interruption, is the video (in two, short parts) of my brief presentation.
Part I
City Hall Sign In Part I from Jersey Mike on Vimeo.
Part II
City Hall Sign In Part II from Jersey Mike on Vimeo.
Earlier today, I got a parking ticket at 3rd and North Street while enjoying a tasty breakfast at Roxy’s. I normally have a roll of quarters in my car for the meters, but ran out the other day and only had one quarter left after buying a paper. Rolling the dice, I opted to take my chances with ten minutes on the meter.
Thirty-or-so minutes later, I returned to my car to find a bright green envelope stuffed under my windshield wiper.
——-
Last week, Roxbury tweeted that City Hall was now requiring residents show their identification before entering the building for any reason. He accompanied the Tweet with a photo of a uniformed Harrisburg police officer at the greeters booth (formerly used as a place for publications, flyers and community newspapers). So I was prepared to face the greeter when I entered the building.
As expected, there she was. A uniformed Harrisburg police officer sitting at the entrance booth to City Hall, stopping everyone who entered and asking each of them to “please sign in”.
I stopped. But only to question the new policy. “But I’ve been paying at least one parking ticket here per week for the last ten years, I’ve never had to sign in before”, I protested.
“Sorry, new rules. You need to sign in if you want to enter the building.”
Politely, I retorted “And what if I refuse to sign in? Does that mean I can’t enter the building?”
“There’s a payment drop box out back that you can use.”
“So I can’t come in?”
“No.”
Coupled with the recent raging against the Thompson Machine that’s been happening in the city, this seemed like the icing on the proverbial cake of the apparent paranoia displayed by our newly elected Mayor. Why would a resident need to show identification or sign a log to pay a water bill or parking ticket or get a permit for a block party?
Seems odd.
For a person to enter our State Capitol, Federal Courthouse or virtually any other government building, one must empty one’s pockets of all metallic items and pass through a metal detector in an effort to keep out guns and weapons. Guns and weapons can kill someone. This, I understand. Many known criminals enter courthouses en route to a trial date or to pay a fine. Likewise, our State Capitol houses important government employees and offices which could potentially attract an element that would wish harm on certain individuals.
I get it.
And if this is the concern at Harrisburg City Hall, then maybe it’s time to install metal detectors and a conveyor belt/x-ray system similar to those used in the state and county government buildings.
A quick Ebay search shows the cost of a walk through metal detector at about thirty eight hundred bucks. And finding an exact match on the conveyor x-ray machines used in airports and other secure locations was difficult, but I was hard pressed to find ANY x-ray machine for under fifty grand.
Add to that, a minimum of two security personnel at any given time, you’ve got a pretty hefty investment to secure a building in a bankrupt city.
—————
So is this latest scheme a poor-mans security tactic by the Mayor? Or is it that Ms. Transparency herself wants to track each and every citizen who enters the building and learn where we are going and what we’re doing there? 
The latter seems plausible.
Because without being required to show identification, I could have signed in as Mickey Mouse. Or Dirk Diggler. Or Chuck U. Farley. Or any name, for that matter. Further, I could have just signed in with this fictitious name, went to pay my parking ticket and went on with my day.
But this is a matter of principle, my friends. The principle of being asked my business when I walk into a public building is an intrusion of privacy. And I’m no lawyer, but it seems like a violation of my civil rights.
Don’t we have the right to enter our government headquarters without being forced to declare our reason for visiting? I was merely trying to give the city money, after all. Wouldn’t they have record of my being there once they processed payment of the fourteen dollars attached to license plate “STEADY” for the ticket issued at about 9:45 this morning? Why waste the manpower of the extra step?
And the worst part of this? The officer couldn’t even give me a straight reason for the new policy. “Just doing my job, sir.”
I asked. I asked why this is happening, whose order it was and how long this has been in place. The only answer I was given was that this began last Monday.
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety” Benjamin Franklin (1759)
It’s gone from the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal and Bond Buyer magazine; now, it’s global. The Harrisburg debt crisis was featured in a piece on the BBC World News yesterday.
And here, my friends, is the clip.
James Gordon reporter, copyright BBC.
