Bruce Sokolovic
Fractal Fanatic
Just came here to vent a bit. As a precursor just know I’m not “too good” to play anywhere. I’ll play a phone booth so long as my bands minimum is met. I really don’t care and have no ego to speak of when it comes to this shit. I’ve said many times I’m the worlds ok’est guitar player and am just fine with my little spot at the trough.
So……..I had a GREAT gig with the country band I play with in the lobby of the Hard Rock, Atlantic City NJ yesterday afternoon. 1-4 pm played 3 sets, super professional setup no nonsense kinda deal. Everything went and sounded great and a good time was had by all. We even had line dancers going. I love that shit.
Soooo…from AC NJ I had a 3hr drive to CT. to pick up my son and bring him home. He comes once a month for a weekend. Was up there for 8pm had him home for 9. During this time, I started to develop a slight headache.
Stay with me I’m getting to the point.
Sooo….about a month ago my band was asked if we can play a few tunes at a remembrance thing a loosely connected friend who has booked my band in the past was throwing for his recently passed girlfriend. She was a sweetheart. My wife and our bands male singer agreed. I couldn’t do it due to how hectic my day already was.
My wife has some kind of bug and backed out, understandably. In an effort to save face, I stepped in with my bands other singer for 2 songs.
I pull up to the Hilltop Tavern in Lodi, NJ (I think, or rochelle park but it doesn’t matter I’m never going there again). The scene was pretty chaotic. The place was absolutely packed, but packed is maybe 30 people because it’s the size of a postage stamp. I’ve been to and played places like this before, so I set up my board (fractal AX8 and an H9) and proceeded to make my couple connections to the PA. The bartender yelled from behind the bar “don’t put that fucking shit in my PA”!
At that point, I kinda had it. Told my singer I’m packing up and going home. People tour the fucking world with an AX8 but I can’t play some dump in Bergen county. Ok.
I ended up taking a lead out of the board and going into the clean channel of a guitar amp. The house band asked and bent over backwards for me and were all cool guys.
I’ll play a shithole. I’ll play for a little less than what I think I’m worth. I’ll play with bad sound. I’ll make it work. Rudeness? After I was ASKED to be there? That is a bridge too far. I can think of nowhere else worse to be than a shithole like the hilltop tavern on a Friday night. County lockup maybe? The emergency room? I’d even take the ER if it was like a non mobility issue cut that will heal well and takes 10-15 stitches. Give me that instead.
Anyway, this is probably a long read and felt like venting. I swore off social media so…. Y’all are basically it.
So……..I had a GREAT gig with the country band I play with in the lobby of the Hard Rock, Atlantic City NJ yesterday afternoon. 1-4 pm played 3 sets, super professional setup no nonsense kinda deal. Everything went and sounded great and a good time was had by all. We even had line dancers going. I love that shit.
Soooo…from AC NJ I had a 3hr drive to CT. to pick up my son and bring him home. He comes once a month for a weekend. Was up there for 8pm had him home for 9. During this time, I started to develop a slight headache.
Stay with me I’m getting to the point.
Sooo….about a month ago my band was asked if we can play a few tunes at a remembrance thing a loosely connected friend who has booked my band in the past was throwing for his recently passed girlfriend. She was a sweetheart. My wife and our bands male singer agreed. I couldn’t do it due to how hectic my day already was.
My wife has some kind of bug and backed out, understandably. In an effort to save face, I stepped in with my bands other singer for 2 songs.
I pull up to the Hilltop Tavern in Lodi, NJ (I think, or rochelle park but it doesn’t matter I’m never going there again). The scene was pretty chaotic. The place was absolutely packed, but packed is maybe 30 people because it’s the size of a postage stamp. I’ve been to and played places like this before, so I set up my board (fractal AX8 and an H9) and proceeded to make my couple connections to the PA. The bartender yelled from behind the bar “don’t put that fucking shit in my PA”!
At that point, I kinda had it. Told my singer I’m packing up and going home. People tour the fucking world with an AX8 but I can’t play some dump in Bergen county. Ok.
I ended up taking a lead out of the board and going into the clean channel of a guitar amp. The house band asked and bent over backwards for me and were all cool guys.
I’ll play a shithole. I’ll play for a little less than what I think I’m worth. I’ll play with bad sound. I’ll make it work. Rudeness? After I was ASKED to be there? That is a bridge too far. I can think of nowhere else worse to be than a shithole like the hilltop tavern on a Friday night. County lockup maybe? The emergency room? I’d even take the ER if it was like a non mobility issue cut that will heal well and takes 10-15 stitches. Give me that instead.
Anyway, this is probably a long read and felt like venting. I swore off social media so…. Y’all are basically it.
