As gigging musicians, we are always treading a delicate line. The universe, in its ironic wisdom, has decreed that our musically and artistically satisfying gigs should pay peanuts. This forces us to look for better paying but artistically barren work to help pay the bills. I’m talking about private parties. Private parties are a staple of the musician’s yearly gigging income, but somewhat soul destroying for the uncompromising artist. However the hefty paycheck is often too tempting to resist, especially when these gigs can pay up to ten times your jazz club rate!
These private events are most commonly corporate events or weddings, and fall into two types of gigs:
1. The party band: playing the latest Top 40 hits at ear-bleeding volumes, while the band watches from the stage as the attendees get exponentially sloshed and writhe around on the dance floor.
2. The background music band: you play as guests arrive/mingle, playing generally inoffensive white-washed elevator-worthy jazz. (This is to jazz as a McDonald’s patty is to beef.) The French musicians have a phrase for this type of gig: A plante verte gig. (Plante verte = green plant—i.e., sit in the corner and don’t be noticed.)
Generally, gig #2 is not actually a bad gig to play... because, well, no one is listening, and you can play for each other’s pleasure, ignoring your audience just as they are ignoring you.
