New Years Eve Pay

[Musicman51]

Around these parts, we look forward to new years eve, no matter what night it falls on. This is our big payday here. Our club charged $25 a head, $40 a couple, included dinner, favors, and a drink ticket. I started playing dinner music at 5PM, and was still doing karaoke at 2AM. So for 9 hours of work, i got paid double $400. Hoster worked flawlessly non stop for 9 straight hours.

Our crowd was a little down this year however. I have an older crowd it's a VFW club. These folks are just afraid of the new drinking laws. The sheriff and state police had check lanes sat up, and pulled you over randomly. The limit here is .08, however, they said if you blow a .05, they will arrest you and jail you for "Impaired", you're going to jail. 2 or 3 drinks, you're all done. So, it's taking it's toll. It's scaring my crowd away. The older folks told me it's safer to bring in the new year at home....

[bryant]

Originally Posted by Musicman51

Around these parts, we look forward to new years eve, no matter what night it falls on. This is our big payday here. Our club charged $25 a head, $40 a couple, included dinner, favors, and a drink ticket. I started playing dinner music at 5PM, and was still doing karaoke at 2AM. So for 9 hours of work, i got paid double $400. Hoster worked flawlessly non stop for 9 straight hours.

Our crowd was a little down this year however. I have an older crowd it's a VFW club. These folks are just afraid of the new drinking laws. The sheriff and state police had check lanes sat up, and pulled you over randomly. The limit here is .08, however, they said if you blow a .05, they will arrest you and jail you for "Impaired", you're going to jail. 2 or 3 drinks, you're all done. So, it's taking it's toll. It's scaring my crowd away. The older folks told me it's safer to bring in the new year at home....

Places we played at (Suzy and I) got paid $400 each. However, there was no cover charge or reservations. Everyone makes more on New Years Eve, so should the DJ's and KJ's and Bands. We played a half hour more than a regular night. We do vfw's too.

[Lonman]

Originally Posted by Musicman51

Around these parts, we look forward to new years eve, no matter what night it falls on. This is our big payday here. Our club charged $25 a head, $40 a couple, included dinner, favors, and a drink ticket. I started playing dinner music at 5PM, and was still doing karaoke at 2AM. So for 9 hours of work, i got paid double $400. Hoster worked flawlessly non stop for 9 straight hours.

If I had started at 5 and ran 9 hours, then yes that would have been an extra charge - 4 extra hours would be equal to an extra night as far as pay goes.

[Musicman51]

Actually the length of time i'm there has nothing to do with my pay. A couple of years ago we had such a bad snow storm we had about 10 people in our VFW club, stopped karaoke just after midnight, i still got double pay. I do more freebies then anyone else on the planet....lol I visit nursing homes almost weekly, and do sing-a-longs with the old folks. I also help my church out by doing a jail ministry, and supplying the sound system. I supply all music around here for special events, including fourth of july, also fund raisers for our volunteer fire dept, and organize benefits for the families around here that fall on hard times. Such as those who have lost love ones with no life insurance, and families who have lost their homes by being burned out.

Just recently i had a very nice couple, who sing at my show fall on hard times, by both getting laid off. Their son was getting married and they couldn't afford entertainment for the wedding reception. I of course did the wedding free of charge, also my boss and i went in together and paid for the hall rental. The ladies of the club made all the food. God has blessed me, so i try to pass it along by helping others. I think if i had to do karaoke shows for a living, i'd rather be a hobo. Anyways...thats the kind of community i live in.