Countdown Entry #19   2:22 AM, Friday, October 29th, 1999:   HOLIDAY INN ON THE LANE Ashley's Lounge Thursday, October 28th, 1999, (9-11PM)   THE PERFORMANCE SET 1: HARRY - PARODY 1 - LOVE SET 2: RHYTHM - PARODY 2* - BURG** - ABBEY *did NOT play Chest Hair... **ONLY played Bread in the Freezer...   Whew...performance/reaction is completely tied together. I sang alright, but completely uninspired as I watched what unfolded in front of me. Felt like a black comic in a redneck bar. This section is usually devoted to how I felt the performance was. It was ok. But the audience definitely effected me. I ended the night with Her Majesty (to people in the perfect age group) and it was silence.   THE REACTION Hotel guests: 17 x $5 = $85 Other guests: 2 x $5 = $10 CDs sold: 1 x $10 = $10 Tips: $2 Grand Total: $107   $90 less than last time, but whew. No reaction. Everyone was older than 50, and could not be pleased. I have to wonder if some of them weren't just...I don't know. No reaction! Just...complete blank stares the whole night. People thought it was too loud, acted like I was doing Karaoke with 4tvs. I wonder if I need to emphasize somehow that it IS all me...and I really am singing. How do I do that? No one believes what they see anymore. Even one of my friends was amazed when I sat down on the piano at the lounge and hit two chords. "You mean you can play?" I HAD JUST DONE ABBEY ROAD. Piano driven all the way, and on the top TV to emphasize it more. People just don't believe it. Now, I'm sure it was just a bad night, but goddamn. Tonight REALLY opened my eyes. I cannot play to an older crowd. Even my Harry Connick Jr. stuff is boring to them. I went from the 40's to the 50's to the 60's...wow..70's 80's AND 90's. NOTHING. FUNNY stuff...nothing. And since the music was so LOW, I could hear the guys whining about it being to LOUD...and I was trying to appease them, all the while fucking up every word. So much was on my mind as well. (sigh) I do tend to take ANY failure too much at heart. It could very well be that a few guys had a bad night. You know? Wife left 'em...lost their job...and they were all just staring off into space. Who knows. All I know is there's only one show booked from now on. I was really depending on Holiday Inn and Signatures. Where to now? Sheesh. On the one year anniversary of the idea (November 3rd)...Im gonna be sitting at home wondering what to do next. Such is the life of risk. Payoff can backfire, take off, never come...or be huge. You just never know when it's there yet.   It brings me back to Joel the "No Entertainment Value" guy and almost anyone over 40. They just don’t like it. This guy definitely concerns me…and it makes Vegas a little worrisome. Hell even Eventco won't return my calls. I know it's still early but shit. At this point Vegas is being thrown to the waistside because of the CD101 offer, but still…let’s say that falls through. Will this work in lounges in Vegas? I mean Ashley’s lounge is a hotel lounge. It’s the closest thing to Vegas here..and it ain’t happening. Was Joel right? Have I completely missed the boat? So many concerns. I never thought this would be so difficult. A home for 4tvs…where is it? So much set-up…so much work…and sitting at a piano could very well be a better act. That stings.

 

 

OCTOBER 1999