[alanross]

Glen, you're definitely on the right track by purchasing Hoster. I've been using it for a couple of years at my shows and I'll never go back to lugging disks around. It's the best show program on the market and you'll never second guess that decision.

As for bar fights... well, experience has taught me to shut the music down and let the bar staff handle it. You need to protect your equipment. If the fight is away from you, jst keep the music off until it's all over and the idiots are taken out. Then you can make a humourous remark about their stupidity and continue your show.

If the fight is near your equipment, jump in front of your equipment and if the tumblers get too close, give 'em a big shove to push them in the other direction. They'll never even notice you as they continue struggling with each other in the direction you shoved them.

If, however, the fight breaks out near the end of the night, you may want to think about ending your show a little early that night. There's no sense in trying to bring the crowd back into it if there's only 15 minutes left in the night.

The rest you'll discover through experience. Oh, and it never hurts to take a business course so that when tax time rolls around, you're not scratching your head and forking out extra cash to an accountant who will have to try to separate your business expenses from your personal.

- Alan