Two summers ago, Susan and I were playing at a local farmers market. A lot of the vendors liked us and we had a good time and made some money (we were doing the market to practice newer stuff in a setting where no one was paying a lot of attention). One week another musician showed up and started to play. We had been letting the managers know when we were coming and getting official approval for being there. This other fellow had not done any of that. Then he started complaining because we had sound gear and he didn't. I talked to him after we were packing up and said we would be willing to trade off days when we were there and he was there. He seemed willing to do that. The next week we were not going to be there, so we told the managers to tell the other guy that we would not be there that week, but would be there the next. The next time we were there and set up, he showed up, stoned and started yelling at the market manager. No one had passed on the message. Then another fellow showed up and said they had told him he could play that week. At this point, we decided that since the managers couldn't find their ass with both hands, and that we didn't see playing music as a blood sport, that we would pack up and leave, letting the other two guys figure out what they were going to do. We offered to help coordinate a schedule of performers with the site manager, but no one got in touch with us. The next summer, we got contacted and they came up with a system of approving musicians. The other guy showed up unannounced and was told he couldn't play there. Anyway, we haven't had anything that bad happen since.
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