Instant help required - rewarding musicians?

Subject: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Penny S.
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 11:29 AM

I have a problem in etiquette. My neighbour, the one who cuts down our trees and has been rude to me in the past, runs a hotel as a pub, and sometimes has music. When this has been after midnoght and amplified, I have been one of the neighbours who has complained. I cannot go round there to drink because of this.

At this moment he has an Irish band playing in the front garden, very pleasant. If I go out in the sun to enjoy my front garden, I will also enjoy the music. Who will not be receiving any reward from me commensurate with my enjoyment. What do I do?

Penny

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: SueH
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 11:47 AM

He might be paying them to perform. On the other hand, he may have agreed to let them perform to see if it attracts custom to his pub......

I think it would be silly not to go in the garden in case he thinks you are taking advantage of his entertainment. Let's hope however, that they DO attact people into the pub, so that he books them again.

Sue

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Penny S.
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 11:50 AM

Oh I wouldn't keep in because of that. It takes his barbecue smoke to do that. I'm just concerned about the players, whom I am enjoying free.

It's not like someone's recorded music being enjoyed.

Penny

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 12:00 PM

Penny,

For starters an attentive, well informed audience, if only one person in her garden, has to be some reward to the musicians at work. God knows that can be hard enough to find when playing in a pub. As you point out, it's not your venue in which they are playing, so perhaps when they're finished you can call across the garden wall and invite the players over for a pint and a little food. Who knows, you may make some friends and a party might break out. It sounds as though the pub isn't a good neighbor, but I envy you your situation just now. Keep us posted.

Cheers, Dave

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Dave Swan
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 12:01 PM

Penny,

For starters an attentive, well informed audience, if only one person in her garden, has to be some reward to the musicians at work. God knows that can be hard enough to find when playing in a pub. As you point out, it's not your venue in which they are playing, so perhaps when they're finished you can call across the garden wall and invite the players over for a pint and a little food. Who knows, you may make some friends and a party might break out. It sounds as though the pub isn't a good neighbor, but I envy you your situation just now. Keep us posted.

Cheers, Dave

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Animaterra
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 12:14 PM

On the other hand, Penny, maybe if you go over and have a pint (or whatever) yourself and show the landlord that this is the sort of music that's acceptable to the neighborhood, it could improve relations.
Sign me
Pollyanna/Allison-always-hoping-for-the-best

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 02:19 PM

The next time the Chicago Cubs are on TV in your area, be sure to check out the buildings across the street (over the left-center field wall---Waveland Ave.) There are bleachers set up on the roof of those buildings and the building owners charge big bucks for the right to watch the games from up there.

I do doubt that any of those folks watching the game from that rooftop ever send a check to Sammy Sosa or Mark Grace out of guilt and an ethical stand!!

Penny, Enjoy the music! It's your payment for enduring stuff you aren't into. No, two wrongs don't make a right, but what the hell... If ASCAP & BMI were knocking at your door trying to collect 'bacause you were being allowed/forced to hear all of the music for free, well, then we might have something to talk about.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Instant help required - rewarding musicians?
From: Penny S.
Date: 18 Jul 99 - 05:11 PM

Thanks. As it happened, my guest wanted to go out instead of sitting in the garden, and they'd packed up when we got back. I was disappointed. It was mostly dance tunes, and I was jigging along the path at one point!

I've tried the going round for a drink solution, but, along with others from our block, I haven't felt welcome. The bar staff tend to concentrate on regulars. The regulars tend to be folk who are either deeply taciturn or regard a forced burp as the height of humour. I didn't feel like working at it. I've also tried involving the owner in welcoming our new short-let tenants, putting a piece about his family room and so-on on a sheet we drop in the door. He was agreeable to that, but it didn't really break down the barriers.

In his favour, his music sessions are now much quieter, and not so late. If I hadn't wanted to listen to the band, I could have had the TV on quietly, and the window open, which hasn't been true in the past. No fun in this weather.

Our mall has live musicians in a cafe area, and I feel deeply for them, as people pass noisily, or talk over the performance. I try to use eye contact and smile as I leave as a thanks. I'll do something of the sort next time here.

Penny