[Dixielandjazz] Street Gigs

[Stephen G Barbone]

Hal asked about traffic passing on street gigs and posted a neat video.

Usually when we play street gigs, the street is closed to traffic for  
as long as we play. One exception.

Last year at the Old King Jazz Festival in Swedesboro NJ, I had booked  
our trio into the wine tent in a parking lot bordering Main Street  
which had been closed for the event. Other bands were playing inside  
restaurant venues. We were playing American Songbook Jazz, piano,  
double bass and clarinet. During the last hour of our gig time, we  
heard this roaring noise coming down the street and stopped playing.

A large street sweeper, rotating broom etc, was vacuuming up the  
debris in the street. People getting out of the way etc. He turned  
around and left and we continued. Then he came down the street again  
on the other side. We stopped playing, the piano player and I went out  
to confront the driver as did most of our audience. They chased him  
out of there and we finished up.

Just got re-booked for it this year and you can be sure I asked about  
street cleaning before the end of the festival. They town promised to  
keep that vehicle off the street until the end of the jazz programs.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

www.barbonestreet.com
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband