Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

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bloke
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Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by bloke »

I've already talked about playing this chamber orchestra version of 1812 (Memphis Symphony special concert series at this specific venue) last night at this fairly new theater venue in downtown Memphis (whereby a whole bunch of microphones are built in and there are adjustable/electronic acoustics). It's wedged in right smack dab to the old-old super-ornate Orpheum circuit huge Vaudeville theater, which - in the past - served as a Malco movie theater, and - these days - is where all of the touring Broadway productions are hosted in Memphis...

...so the perhaps 3XX-seat theater next door is called the Halloran Theater. Security is super tight - front and back. In the back, there are perhaps 25 parking places and what I would call a stage door. The stage door requires being buzzed twice to get through a gate, and then through the actual door itself. There's also a loading dock back there adjacent to the stage door. I was lucky enough to be able to park inside that gated area which also requires being buzzed in.

I found myself doing both as I say and as I do, which made me feel slightly better about myself. When there was no traffic on Front Street (the very first downtown street in Memphis on top of the Mississippi River bluff), I flipped my car around backwards, got buzzed into the gate, backed all the way up to the loading dock area, unloaded the tuba, parked the car in one of the 25 spaces, and then just pulled (pushed) the tuba past the stage door gate and the stage door which was only about 25 or 30 ft of outdoor use of the wheels. Of course once inside I was on smooth flooring and that was only about another 40 ft to the real stage door which leads directly to the stage itself.

Anyway, when I caught myself doing as I suggest others do I sort of chuckled it myself and sort of silently said "hmm".

I ~DO~ understand the temptation to park the car and then pull the tuba (hard case, or - if a bag- carry) all the way from the parked car. That temptation is - admittedly - great, but it's a habit that can be broken. It looks like I may have (??) broken it. :tuba:
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for the curious...


entrance: (Main Street)

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reverse: (Front Street rear parking - birds-eye)

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interior view from stage:

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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by MiBrassFS »

I love it when a plan comes together.
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by bloke »

I just think that we need to deal with our situation and - if it's not known to others - it needs to be known to others... and we don't need to take it out on our case, or - if we are toting a bag - on ourselves.

=================
"You're not allowed back here with your vehicle."
-----
"I don't intend on parking back there, but I just need to drop off this big instrument by that door back there."
-----
"Oh...OK."

=================

"I need to drive out to that big tent and drop off this instrument, and then come back here and park."
-------
"OK" ...
- or -
"No vehicles are allowed off the pavement."
-------
"OK then, I'm leaving my instrument here and going to park. Could you walkie-talkie that guy with the golf cart, and ask him to pick up me and this instrument to shuttle us over to the tent, please?"
==================
...etc.

Particularly those who volunteer their time and efforts to play music for other people for no money, those musicians don't need to be killing themselves (or their cases) in order to do that for other people. It's okay to ask for special consideration, or a privilege, or some help.
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by MiBrassFS »

Right on.

“good things come to those who ask” Joseph S. 7-11
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bloke (Fri May 10, 2024 3:28 pm)
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by Mary Ann »

Last Thanksgiving we ended up with a "surprise venue" for our little group that plays for Salvation Army functions. Prior gigs have been indoors, required quite a bit of walking with instrument (I had wheels) but was just fine otherwise.
This last TG, we showed up, and then were routed to an unlevel dirt space with gravel. The only people around were those waiting in line on the other side of a fence, to get in for their free meal. I'm not even sure why we were there. I won't be going back next year; we were treated this time, and the following Christmas, pretty much the same as a boombox. As opposed to the previous year in which we appeared to be appreciated.
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by Three Valves »

I'm not sure I'm a fan of that venue.

Doesn't appear to be any spaces up front for tables like the other place.... :huh:
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by MikeS »

Three Valves wrote: Wed May 15, 2024 11:58 am I'm not sure I'm a fan of that venue.

Doesn't appear to be any spaces up front for tables like the other place.... :huh:
…and no chicken wire in front of the stage.
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Three Valves (Wed May 15, 2024 1:57 pm)
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by bloke »

Three Valves wrote: Wed May 15, 2024 11:58 am I'm not sure I'm a fan of that venue.

Doesn't appear to be any spaces up front for tables like the other place.... :huh:
' hell of a nice lobby with plenty of (nice/clean) couches.

The room that the musicians hang out in is off to the side, features round tables, and is in full view (floor-to-ceiling glass) of the lobby.

As there's no privacy, the musicians refer to that room (obviously a room designed for luncheons and dinners, etc.) as "the bird cage".
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Re: Do as I do vs. do as I say (re: schlepping hard cases into venues, and being easy on their wheels)

Post by Three Valves »

One day you should all get together, start acting like the apes that you are and fling poo at them! :smilie2:
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bloke (Thu May 16, 2024 12:15 pm)
Thought Criminal
Mack Brass Artiste
TU422L with TU25
1964 Conn 36k with CB Arnold Jacobs
Accent (By B&S) 952R with Bach12
The Fourth Estate is the Fifth Column
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