"Trying to figure out whether that was tongue in cheek or if Holiday Inn is something worth aiming for?"

Work is work, money is money, bills have to be paid. In all seriousness work out what you're trying to do and them aim for it. If you want to be be an "artiste" that's one route and one set of venues, if you're a jobbing musician with bills to pay that's another set. From my perspective, if I'm offered my fee then so long as it's not illegal I'll do it (one greedy bank manager to support)

All the best

Steve Ogden