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

Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
Forum rules
This section is for posts that are directly related to performance, performers, or equipment. Social issues are allowed, as long as they are directly related to those categories. If you see a post that you cannot respond to with respect and courtesy, we ask that you do not respond at all.
Post Reply
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19360
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3857 times
Been thanked: 4113 times

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:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
for the curious...


entrance: (Main Street)

Image


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

Image


interior view from stage:

Image


User avatar
MiBrassFS
Posts: 642
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:25 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 194 times

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.
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19360
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3857 times
Been thanked: 4113 times

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.
User avatar
MiBrassFS
Posts: 642
Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2024 8:25 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 194 times

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
These users thanked the author MiBrassFS for the post:
bloke (Fri May 10, 2024 3:28 pm)
User avatar
Mary Ann
Posts: 3038
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 9:24 am
Has thanked: 521 times
Been thanked: 598 times

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.
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4612
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 815 times
Been thanked: 505 times

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:
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
User avatar
MikeS
Posts: 304
Joined: Fri Sep 09, 2022 8:51 am
Has thanked: 21 times
Been thanked: 100 times

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.
These users thanked the author MikeS for the post:
Three Valves (Wed May 15, 2024 1:57 pm)
User avatar
bloke
Mid South Music
Posts: 19360
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 8:55 am
Location: western Tennessee - near Memphis
Has thanked: 3857 times
Been thanked: 4113 times

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".
User avatar
Three Valves
Posts: 4612
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Has thanked: 815 times
Been thanked: 505 times

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:
These users thanked the author Three Valves for the post:
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
Post Reply