[Dixielandjazz] My Worst Gig Ever

[Louis Lince]

Hi Katie,

I, too have been through the needles of pain barrier. Ten years ago early 
january 1998. I had been playing with my quartet (cornet/clarinet/sousa and 
myself on banjo) for the openings of new branches of a chain of furniture 
stores. I was contracted via the head office of the company. The new branch 
was in Preston (North of England). The temperature was well below zero. The 
fountain in the mall was frozen solid. Our usual practice was to play in the 
store, on the move between bedroom, parlour furniture etc.

However, the branch manager was giving a pep talk to the staff when we 
arrived an hour before the opening. His motivational speech would have made 
Ghengis Kahn or Vlad the Impaler look like pussy cats. "Oh you're the band 
head office booked" was his opener, followed by "there's no room for you to 
play in my store - you'll be playing outside" I pointed out the weather 
conditions to which he replied "Tough!" We started to play outside but after 
maybe 30 seconds of agony to my fingers and the rest of the band's lips we 
had crossed the pain barrier. Forget tuning just concentrate on the job in 
hand!

But, there was a gaurdian angel that day. The electrical store next door in 
the Mall took pity on us and we played in their store to a lot nice folks. 
The manager from my client company didn't even realise that we weren't 
outside his store.

Incidentally, I later learned from the client's head office that the manager 
lasted a week!

Best

Louis