Will gigs ever become too prohibitive for us steel players?

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

I read in a newspaper yesterday that an oil spokesman for Russia was forecasting the $250 barrel of oil this time next year. At the moment we are all bearing the increased fuel charges through gritted teeth, but there may become a time when it is just not financially viable for us to transport ourselves to gigs.

The big fear is that both we and our audience will become highly selective on where and when to attend gigs if the transportation becomes too punitive.

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

'fraid so. It's already happening to some degree. I/WE have raised our fees, but there is a limit to what establishments and their customers will pay as the crunch leaves them with less cash in their wallets too.

I've stopped attending most rehearsals and ask for song lists instead. I can work on my parts at home.

Also try to keep all my dates in the local area.

I enjoy spreading the sound and message of steel guitar, but I'll have to stop when it starts costing me money

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I think that if the fuel situation gets that bad, your last concern will be getting a gig. Indeed, when we, the average person, can't afford to drive, few others will be able to drive, and a serious economic collapse will occur.

Let's hope it never comes to that.

Bill Hatcher · From: Atlanta Ga. USA

This has been staring us in the face since the 70s. We have had NO leadership at all in Washington on this issue from either party or from any independants.

We are going to get what we deserve in this. Nobody has a plan......except oil brokers.

We have massive oil reserves here in the US and off the coast.

Democracy based countries in the past have lasted an average of 200 years....we are overdue anyway. When you look at how inept, inefficient, and corrupt our gov. has become, are you even surprised at any thing that goes on?

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Bill,
It is always a joy to read such encouraging words. Rolling Eyes

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I agree with Donny. If it ever comes to that level (and probably well before that level), ain't nobody gonna be thinking about going out to hear music. Our society will be in economic freefall. A lot of people will be renting 'Mad Max' DVDs...

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Just think, it could get soooo bad that people might be forced to stay home and spend more time with their families. Whoa!

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

or perhaps everyone will just say 'what the heck, let's go have a drink'...and they'll fill up the honkytonks!

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

oopsie...

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Chris,
I never gave that a thought.
It might mean that the local bars will have a chance again.
No driving to Starbucks and paying $5 for a cup of coffee.
See, it's not all bad! Whoa!

Let's see now, at $5 for a cup of coffee, what does that figure out per gallon?
Wow! $4 a gallon for gasoline looks like a bargain! Whoa!

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

Well, at least the hijacking attempt to make this a politics forum got quashed.

IMO the gas price situation, no matter what the reason, IS going to have a huge effect on people both playing and attending gigs. It's already affecting just about everything in the way of travel with almost everyone I know. We plan driving trips now to make them more efficient; have already made the decision to do internet-based shopping whenever the pricing makes sense; we're selling both our SUV's and getting hybrid with possibly a Smart car as a second (my neighbor bought one - it's not as dorky as when you first see it - tons of room inside, very stable and safe...the whole thing is a roll cage...and it'll do 90 on the freeway tracking straight as an arrow). At work, I've been driving an F250 diesel, which gets better milage than our F150 gas trucks - but we're going to use ALL the trucks only when necessary and are getting fuel-efficient cars for normal driving (I put on 100-200 miles a day easily).

I used to jam a lot 40 miles from here...that's going to be cutback, and some of us are factoring fuel costs into price quotes for gigs. Here in CA we're already over $4.50 for regular most places; diesel is up to $4.79 or so, and it was costing me TWENTY BUCKS in fuel just to get to and from the office...and that's without seeing any clients.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

well, if mid to upper scale restaurants are any indication, the gigs thing is debunked.

And don't forget Movie theaters.

Still all packed, every weekend.

Gigs have been on the decline and we can either accept them or not, we go to a gig with $3.25 gas but not $3.79 gas ?

The gigs I play are packed, they may be 50 miles away, the folks that attend are LOCAL, they are not driving 50 miles to see me , or I certainly hope they are not. Sad

I don't go play for free but if I come home with some cash after buying Gas then "life is good"

I don't view gigs as an income but rather more for enjoyment, , sure I would not drive 2 hours to a rehearsal, not for the gas issue, but for the 4 hour round trip !

my take

tp

Rick Hulett · From: Hood River, OR

I don't know, seems like a lot of great music came from the great depression. I've always heard that tough times make the bars prosper. If we're all less willing to drive 50 miles for a gig, chances are that people that live 50 miles away will be less likely to drive to where we live too. So, there may be more local gigs. I kind of see it as an opportunity to play a bigger variety of music to keep people interested. Where I live we've started doing birthday nights. On John Lennon's birthday we did all Beatles. On Dylan's all Dylan. Got Johnny Cash coming up in September.
_________________
Derby D10, Hilton, Peavey 112

Ken Byng · From: Southampton, England

I didn't want this thread to rumble into a purely political thread. Just about the practicalities of those of us on here who gig regularly - sometimes long distances - and where it may reach the point of being impractical. Thank God I have a day job. I couldn't have done this in my pro days.

I paid the equivalent of $100.00 last Thursday in petrol to get to and from a one nighter in South Wales, 50% of my fee. Great gig, nice crowd and enjoyable music. But I ended up clearing less money than I should do when the driving times and performing times are taken into consideration. It will reach the point somewhere where we zero out - where we pay more to play than we get back.

Scary!!! Sad

Dick Wood · From: Springtown Texas, USA

Ken,

It's already having an effect and as gas rises,there will come a point when profit versus expenses will make it impractical to work gigs in all but the best paying ones.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Why don't the steel players in this world gather together in a unified effort to make a global change?
We could enhance travel while reducing reliance and costs for automobile fuel......and, ALL IN THE NAME of STEEL GUITAR.

WHY? Hasn't any of you steel players commented on the new rage, WATER4Fuel? It has been established that this new form of fuel enhancement can increase mileage in a typical vehicle by 30-60%. It's non polluting, you can get up to 900 miles on a single fill-up.

An average shade-tree mechanic can install the $50 worth of parts (acquired from the local hardware store) in less than an hour. It's not dangerous!

Okay..........all of you negative thinking pickers.
FLAME me, if you will. But before you start, just remember, piston powered airliners were using water injection for additional take-off power more than 50 years ago. With gasoline, it offers tremendous power in an engine. It's not a NEW technology but rather, one that was shelved, most likely at the encouragement of BIG OIL and Detroit.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Oh Boy!

Talk about topic drift!!! Whoa!

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

I tho't the topic dealt with HIGH Fuel costs, and with the distances steel players are sometimes required to travel to get to their gigs.......????

I tho't in good faith I was offering an alternative to think about other than, high gasoline or diesel fuel costs? I didn't realize I had made a crucial mistake and created an inexcusable topic drift.

As an added note: Forumites have long questioned WHAT they could do as steel players, to make the steel guitar a MORE VISILBE INSTRUMENT and thereby more easilly recognized by the general public.

I tho't I was offering an ALTERNATIVE that was well within the scope of this post.

To ALL, I offer my sincere apologies for blundering.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

Ray,
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pick on you.
I appreciate your posts very much.

I just get rather weary of these "schemes" that are always being presented to power up your car with anything from water to horse manure.

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

I thought you were "on topic" Ray.

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Me too, and I'd like to know if you have installed this personally on your own car and have seen the results yourself? If so, please send me (or post) a link to how to get and do this. I've always thought that if it was that easy and cheap to boost your mileage, Detroit would have already done it to help meet the CAFE standards. But perhaps I'm wrong. If I can find one person who has had positive, personal experience with this technology, I'm all for it. Let us know, Ray!

CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I think I can still find you some cow magnets at the local farm/fleet store that will improve your mileage.

All you have to do is tape them to your gas line and somehow (magically) they will align and straighten out the gas molecules and you can increase your gas mileage expotentually.

And if it doesn't work it's because you taped the cow magnets on backwards! Whoa!

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

NO! I haven't got it installed on my vehicle as yet but........ as soon as I can find a knowledgeable mechanic with tools, I'm going to do it.

The reason you've never seen any of this stuff is due to Detroit and BIG OILS conspiracy to KEEP IT OFF of the market. You're seeing a lot of BIG OIL's propaganda about how little money they're making today with crude going for what....$136.00 per barrel? Exxon admited recently they'd made something like 43 MILLION in profits during the first quarter of the year. POOR OIL BARDONS!

Be critical of my post but take the next step and verify thro' any veteran aeronautical engine mechanic and you'll see the validity of water/fuel blends and how they were functioning safely in large airliner engines during the early 1950's.

And what do you have to say about the CHINESE (sp?) announcement that they will be selling AIR POWERED family vehicles within days/weeks/months. They will get a two hour range but can replace the air for as little as $2.25 per fill-up.

I'm not selling anything........ Just wanted to mention an alternative for our concerned Forumites with respect to driving to/from musical gigs.

For those that want more info', just go to Google and check on WATER4Fuel.

Bill Myrick · From: Pea Ridge, Ar. (deceased)

Do any of you have rigs that you have converted to L. P. Gas ? I had a friend that had the kit on his car and traded every two years and had the kit moved to the new one every time. It had a switch that moved it from the L.P. back to gasolene when needed.
L.P. is running less than 3.00/gal right now.

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