Written by Ted Goslin
Picture this: you arrive to an upscale venue for a corporate event. There is an in-door area with tables for dinner, but you are asked to play outside. It’s day time, the sun is shining brightly with moderate heat and you are in a tight space performing for cocktail hour. But there’s something missing: shade. You’re exposed and have no one to blame but yourself. Now what?
We all have brain farts now and again and forget an important requirement for a gig. The key is first not to blame yourself for the mistake. The level of the error can play to your favor in this case. It’s not like you forgot your stand and have to play on the ground! Get past it quickly and figure out your options because the client is waiting.
First, assess the layout of the venue. Are you in a corner? If so, which corner? Can you move to a different spot? Consider asking the host for an alternate spot to set up in that has a little shade. If the client won’t let you move, explain the situation, apologize for not informing them during the initial discussion and see if they can provide some sort of shade. Depending on the venue, this may be possible as most hotels and wedding halls have umbrellas or EZ Ups to loan. However, if you’re on the beach or in a remote area, you might be out of luck. As a precaution, always bring a cover of some sort, whether it be an EZ Up pop-up tent or a Pan cover. Even a towel will suffice, so long as there is some protection, otherwise you’ll likely end up out of tune and out of work, instead of passing out those cards and meeting potential future clients.
The best solution, however, is to prevent this in the first place with good planning. If you don’t already have one, make a pre-gig checklist. Use this when setting up the gig with the client. It should include things like pricing options, set list, instrumentation, attire and logistics, including power source location and (surprise!) shade.
Remember, you’re the last line of defense between having a successful gig and losing out on that client and a whole crowd of potentials forever. Take the time to properly prepare and protect yourself and nightmares like these will become a distant memory.
