Fw: [Dixielandjazz] Playing for Kids - Redux

[TCASHWIGG at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/6/04 11:06:10 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
zenith at ans.com.au writes:

> Sydney is supposed to have about 320 sunny days a year but the gig was
> rained off today!  We were to play at a jazz and blues festival in Queen
> Elizabeth Park, Canada Bay Council in aid of children's cancer research.
> The Mayor, State Members and senior scientists from the Children's Cancer
> Institute were scheduled to be present and it promised to be a big recorded
> event with video taping etc.  What is the policy in USA and UK in these
> cases ?  We will still be paid but as it is a charity event what's the
> (ethical) norm here?  Is it 'professionals take the money and run' or do we
> be nice and do the next one free?  I would be interested in lister
> experiences in this regard.
> 
> Cheers,
> Tom (Sydney Mardi Gras still went ahead in the rain) Wood
> 

Hi Tom:

Did they charge for the admission tickets in advance, and do they have the 
money in the bank?

Do they have to or did they offer to refund the ticket donation money?

In the best interest of Public Relations for the Band and your Good name, I 
would certainly avoid profiting from a disastrous situation that they had no 
control of, especially if I wanted to be hired by them again in the future.

I would offer to perform a Makeup date, however I would bridge the gap 
carefully with them about how the band incurred expenses in attending or setting up 
this event and it would be nice if they could at least cover your out of 
pocket expenses to come and perform at the next function.

I doubt seriously that any of the Charity paid staff gave back their 
paychecks for this weeks work because of it, we all do have business expenses to run a 
band, many of them unseen, not to mention the time involved, And in our 
business "Time is Money."

If you do work it out for the best interest of all parties, make certain that 
you get some good media coverage out of doing it, which will go a long way 
towards enhancing your public image with the people who will look to hire you in 
the future.

If ya wanna Dance ya gotta pay the band,   or at least you should pay the 
band.

All of these charities operate on budgets and expenses, and so they certainly 
do understand that a great portion of your fee actually goes to expenses that 
are simply not recoupable if you lose income from a gig, and have no 
opportunity to replace it at the last moment.

This situation comes under what is usually written in the small print of all 
contracts, whereby it is called an act of God, or something that prevents them 
from having the event due to public safety reasons, etc., riots, public 
disturbances, etc., are all things normally considered beyond the control of the 
organizers etc.

Cheers,

Tom Wiggins

Contrary to Australia's 320 days of sunshine a year, New Orleans has about 
320 days of rain, that's why we all moved to Sunny California many years ago.