I play bagpipes and do a lot of gigs for side cash. One regular gig that I have is on St. Patrick's Day, obviously the highest demand day of the year for a piper, that I took over when a friend moved out of state.
This friend frequently took gigs for peanuts, and this was one of them. It was at a restaurant, and the owner was paying him $400 for 4.5 hours. For context, most skilled pipers won't even leave the house for less than $300 on 3/17, and that's for an hour or less of playing (this should have paid around $1000). The first year was last minute and I didn't have anything lined up in that time slot, plus I figured it would be nice to get in with a regular gig, so I just took it for the $400.
The next year I ask for $800 and the owner (who is a chud boomer) absolutely breaks my balls. I explain to him that after his gig I go play at a house party for 20 minutes and make almost half of that after tips. He begrudgingly agrees. The whole time I'm there, he is giving me the side eye, doesn't allow me to have any drinks besides water, and tells the waitstaff to charge me if I want food.
March 2020 he called me up and I was ready to ask for $1000, but he tells me that they don't need me because they had to cancel the St. Patrick's Day dinner due to covid. Oh well. A month later he's dead from covid. Thank you for attending my TED Talk.
I did feel a little bad for his wife, who didn't seem like a horrible person. She had me come back for an hour this year, which to be honest, is more than enough bagpipes for most people.
You could follow me around with the bagpipes every day from the moment I leave my house and I'd be happy. Who are these people who only want moderate amounts of bagpiping?
Out of curiosity, where did you learn bagpipes? Everyone I've met who plays them learned them in the Not-Child-Soldiers-If-We-Do-It program my country does. Was it a learned online sorta deal or did you have a teacher?
I got a job with a coworker who played in a pipe band, mentioned I was interested, and he set me up with free lessons from the instructor. I had played woodwind instruments for like 15 years prior to that and it was an easy transition. It's a very fun instrument but you definitely need to find a good band to keep motivated.
I play bagpipes and do a lot of gigs for side cash. One regular gig that I have is on St. Patrick's Day, obviously the highest demand day of the year for a piper, that I took over when a friend moved out of state.
This friend frequently took gigs for peanuts, and this was one of them. It was at a restaurant, and the owner was paying him $400 for 4.5 hours. For context, most skilled pipers won't even leave the house for less than $300 on 3/17, and that's for an hour or less of playing (this should have paid around $1000). The first year was last minute and I didn't have anything lined up in that time slot, plus I figured it would be nice to get in with a regular gig, so I just took it for the $400.
The next year I ask for $800 and the owner (who is a chud boomer) absolutely breaks my balls. I explain to him that after his gig I go play at a house party for 20 minutes and make almost half of that after tips. He begrudgingly agrees. The whole time I'm there, he is giving me the side eye, doesn't allow me to have any drinks besides water, and tells the waitstaff to charge me if I want food.
March 2020 he called me up and I was ready to ask for $1000, but he tells me that they don't need me because they had to cancel the St. Patrick's Day dinner due to covid. Oh well. A month later he's dead from covid. Thank you for attending my TED Talk.
Bro FUCK lol.
Glad this had a happy ending for you
I did feel a little bad for his wife, who didn't seem like a horrible person. She had me come back for an hour this year, which to be honest, is more than enough bagpipes for most people.
You could follow me around with the bagpipes every day from the moment I leave my house and I'd be happy. Who are these people who only want moderate amounts of bagpiping?
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:ira:
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such a thing does not exist
I like every part of this story.
Especially that we have a bagpiper named john_browns_beard.
Now that is how you end a story. :gold-communist:
Lol one of those rare covid deaths where the person totally and absolutely deserved it. :sicko-jammin:
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Out of curiosity, where did you learn bagpipes? Everyone I've met who plays them learned them in the Not-Child-Soldiers-If-We-Do-It program my country does. Was it a learned online sorta deal or did you have a teacher?
I got a job with a coworker who played in a pipe band, mentioned I was interested, and he set me up with free lessons from the instructor. I had played woodwind instruments for like 15 years prior to that and it was an easy transition. It's a very fun instrument but you definitely need to find a good band to keep motivated.
What a beautiful ending.
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Yes indeed, I play my pipes in a rock band too.