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Munskin Loyal user Cheshire, UK 297 Posts |
Hi,
Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but do any of you guys work in several restaurants/bars over the course of the week, on a regualr basis? I'd love to work 5-6 nights a week, but haven't yet found one restaurant that would use me for that amount of time. Just wondered what people's attitude's were to multiple venues? Obviously, I'd be quite open about this with the restaurants, but just thought I'd sound you guys out first. Thanks, John |
greatscott Special user 595 Posts |
Yes, I currently perform at 2 different restaurants, and an outdoor mall. All of these are an every week gig. I am also looking for other restaurants to perform for.
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Bad to the Balloon Inner circle Clearwater Florida 2116 Posts |
Two days per week four different venues. 3 restaurants and a nightclub.
Mark Byrne
AKA Mark the Balloon Guy As seen on the TODAY SHOW www.balloonguy.net Creator of Bad to the Balloon DVD series Go to my store: http://tinyurl.com/Bad2theBalloon |
Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
Two sport grills and am currently negotiating with two family restaurants. IF you're a local performer that no longer wants to travel to overnight or longer gigs, holding down multiple steady restaurants is a good way to build a secure financial base.
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
One fellow here found a chain of Caféterias that booked him into six different locations each week.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
2 differnt restaurants...one 3 nights/days per week and the other restaurant 2 days per week.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
At one time I had the good fortune to be hired 5 nights a week at one place. This lasted for a couple of years, but when it went down, I found myself going from about 50K to near zero overnight. That was about 15 years ago. Although the run was good,, I decided at that point never again to put all my eggs into one basket. I have worked as many as eight different places a week. I quit working bars and restaurants about 3 or 4 years ago, and only work privates, corporates, and festivals now. Far less strolling, more fixed location shows.
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-09-20 22:52, Michael Baker wrote: This is an EXCELLANT POINT! I have been at Crystals for just over 7 years now. At one time, I was performing Wednesday - Sunday (Monday and Tuesday's OFF). I was putting in 17 hours a week over a 5 day period. When I first landed Crystals, I was only doing Friday Nights from 6pm to 8pm. I was also performing at a Golden Corale, a Red Lobster, and 2 differnt locations of Cheeburger, Cheeburger. After 2 years, BOTH Cheeburgers went out of business (owned by the same idiot) which left me with no gig on Wednesday and Thursdays. So Crystals quickly snatched me up for the days I was at Cheeburger, Cheeburger. Around the same time as losing the CBx2, Golden Corale lost their Entertainment Budget and cut me loose. So Crystals picked me up for Saturday Afternoon/Evening. So I was at Crystals Wednesday thru Saturday + I had Red Lobster on Sunday Nights. This set up lasted another 5 months or so (give or take) and Red Lobster changed owners and the new guy wanted nothing to do with a Magician...so he cut me loose. You guessed it...Crystals picked me up for Sunday Nights as well. So for about 4 years, I was performing at one restaurant for 5 nights a week. I too had the Michael Baker fear that having all of my eggs in one basket was a dangerous gamble. I decided to cut my days with Crystals to free me up to perform elsewhere. LUCKLY FOR ME, I went from performing 17 hours in 5 days at Crystals to performing 30 hours in 3 days at Crystals. WHEW! So I was now working fewer days, with more hours for more money. (Not typical I know but what a great deal!) That has freed me up to pursue other ventures during the weeknights. Having your eggs in one basket may seem like a good idea until the basket breaks and all your eggs spill out.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
Munskin Loyal user Cheshire, UK 297 Posts |
Wow! Thanks guys for all your responses. I'll take that as a big, fat 'YES' then?
Thanks, John |
slyhand Inner circle Good ole Virginia 1908 Posts |
Yea, I have 3 at the moment but the places seem to be changing lately.
I am getting so tired of slitting the throats of people who say that I am a violent psychopath.
Alec |
Michael Baker Eternal Order Near a river in the Midwest 11172 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-09-21 07:58, slyhand wrote: That is the whole point in a nutshell. This (restaurants) is probably the one business with the highest mortality rate of any out there. Good runs for good magicians is not uncommon, but even the best can find themselves out of a job overnight for reasons totally out of their control. Better to have a safety net. Although probably a crappy analogy in this day and age, but think of it like diversifying your stock portfolio, rather than sinking everything into one "sure thing".
~michael baker
The Magic Company |
Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
"Multiple Streams of Income" should be the battle cry of every serious performer. I use my restaurants as a financial base and live audition platform. I spend my mornings working daycares, libraries and schools. My festival and private gigs generally occur on the weekends. Each area endorses and supports the other. People see me at my restaurants and hire me for their daycares, schools, libraries and private events. Parents see me at these locations and hire me for their parties and PTA events. It's all about visibility and working inter-supportive venues. Never think that a few "steady" venues are enough to carry you through hard times.
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
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