[Dixielandjazz] Strange Gigs

[Gary Kiser]

Great thread.  I've had plenty, but have a hard time selecting one.

We were hired for a marriage reception down in a château in Cantal.  We 
show up and catering explains that cocktails will be in the garden and 
dinner would be inside.  Great, so we setup an await the guests.  Cars 
start pulling in and the guests file straight to the dining room.  No 
one was smiling, no one was speaking, no one stopped for a cocktail, 
ambiance was closer to a funeral than a wedding.  We keep playing, 
'cause that's what we were hired to do.

At one point, the bride's father says something into our trombone 
player's ear and slips an envelope into his pocket.

After the tune, we all gather around Pierre to find out what's up.  As 
it turned out, there was a joint family lunch where the bride and groom 
to be got into a brawl and they called off the wedding.  As the 
(non)bride's family had reserved the château, the catering and us a year 
in advance, they decided not to let the money go to waste.

Everyone ate and drank, but it would be hard to say everyone was merry.  
Probably the most glum public anyone could ever play for.

All the best, Gary