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Post by PistolPete on Mar 7, 2017 15:10:27 GMT
A thread over on the AGF about the best receptacles for tip jars got me wondering what the general feeling is about them in the UK these days?
Anyone here put one out at gigs? How do you feel as a punter if you see one?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 7, 2017 17:27:22 GMT
I think they're a bit crass tbh. If you're gigging in some of the places that I frequent then there is every chance people would take money from the jar rather than put into it. An open guitar case or, better still, a cap placed near the performer would be better.
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Mar 8, 2017 8:45:41 GMT
Guitar case for me too, if I'm in that sort of situation. PistolPete - Welcome to the Forum Pete - hope you'll enjoy it here. Feel free to introduce yourself to all in the, er, Introductions section and maybe tell us a little about yourself, your musical tastes etc. Keith
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Wild Violet
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Post by Wild Violet on Mar 8, 2017 9:22:26 GMT
I have found that if you are being paid to play, there are definitely people (and venues) who don't like to see tip jars, hats, etc., they only seem acceptable if you are doing a free gig. I found this a bit frustrating at first as in the US we'd probably make as much in tips as we were being paid to play. Many people in the UK seem opposed to tipping in general, so maybe it's part of the culture here (probably because the waiters etc. are paid at least minimum wage, which they aren't in the US). I have occasionally been able to do a deal with the venue where if people buy me a drink, I ask them to put it behind the bar 'for later'. The pub will put the money aside and give it to me at the end of the night. Most pubs want you to actually have the drink though, and as I rarely drink and don't drink at all during a gig, I tend to turn down most offers with a thanks. I have done several free gigs with a guitar case set out in front of me and never received a penny, which was a bit embarrassing. Last St Patrick's a rather bold friend went around the pub with his hat out loudly asking for donations "for the band", it was late in the evening and people were very drunk so many put their hands in their pockets. Had this person not been in their face I don't think anyone would have given us a tip. The pub landlord wasn't very happy as he felt it made people think he wasn't paying us to play. The only time I've ever made 'tips' in the UK is while busking, but with my guitar case out and my bedraggled old lady appearance, it's pretty clear what the situation is. I did have a bit of an argument last Saturday with someone who thought I should be collecting for charity rather than myself, and if I was that poor that I needed to busk, then I wouldn't be able to afford a guitar, etc., but that's another story...
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Post by walkingdecay on Mar 8, 2017 9:44:30 GMT
If what held true in the '70s still works today a bedraggled teddy bear with a wooden bowl set between its legs can double your take.
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Post by Wild Violet on Mar 8, 2017 10:05:41 GMT
If what held true in the '70s still works today a bedraggled teddy bear with a wooden bowl set between its legs can double your take. I'm going to have to think about trying that! My only worry is that a bowl would be easy for someone to pick up and run away with, I know several people who have had their hat snatched with all the money inside. Buskers are easy targets because people know you will not generally abandon your instrument to chase them. Maybe I could drill a hole in the bowl and tie a piece of string around it connected to my ankle or something. I keep one foot on my worn out old gig bag at all times to prevent anyone from trying to make off with it, and also so I can kick anyone who tries to take money out
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Post by walkingdecay on Mar 8, 2017 10:28:48 GMT
and also so I can kick anyone who tries to take money out Hah! Good move! People must have been more honest in the '70s. I don't remember anything like that happening when my late partner and I busked around Europe in pursuit of The Grateful Dead back then. I now find myself wondering what happened to the imaginatively named Teddy. I suppose my partner's parents must have him, if indeed either of them are still alive. That bear certainly had charisma, as our take really did increase when he came into play. By the time we finished in Germany he - together with a set change to include some Bessie Smith, Cilla and Billie Holliday rather than folkie stuff - saw to it that we went home with almost as much money as we left with.
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Wild Violet
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Post by Wild Violet on Mar 8, 2017 10:45:28 GMT
I now find myself wondering what happened to the imaginatively named Teddy. I suppose my partner's parents must have him, if indeed either of them are still alive. That bear certainly had charisma, as our take really did increase when he came into play. By the time we finished in Germany he - together with a set change to include some Bessie Smith, Cilla and Billie Holliday rather than folkie stuff - saw to it that we went home with almost as much money as we left with. That's impressive. I don't suppose you have any photos of Teddy and the bowl that you could share....? I picked out our scruffy rescue dog with the intention of taking him busking with me, but he is a bit too young yet to happily sit still for a few hours and he's not that keen on strangers. I'm hoping he'll mellow enough in old age to come with me, as he's a lovely fellow and I'd appreciate his company.
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Post by PistolPete on Mar 8, 2017 15:12:06 GMT
I have found that if you are being paid to play, there are definitely people (and venues) who don't like to see tip jars, hats, etc., they only seem acceptable if you are doing a free gig. I found this a bit frustrating at first as in the US we'd probably make as much in tips as we were being paid to play. Many people in the UK seem opposed to tipping in general, so maybe it's part of the culture here (probably because the waiters etc. are paid at least minimum wage, which they aren't in the US). I have occasionally been able to do a deal with the venue where if people buy me a drink, I ask them to put it behind the bar 'for later'. The pub will put the money aside and give it to me at the end of the night. Most pubs want you to actually have the drink though, and as I rarely drink and don't drink at all during a gig, I tend to turn down most offers with a thanks. I have done several free gigs with a guitar case set out in front of me and never received a penny, which was a bit embarrassing. That's pretty much what I'd anticipated. I do however have a couple of mid-week gigs where the money is tight & an extra few pounds in a tip jar would make all the difference. Especially when everyone who wants my CD bought it last time I was there!
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Wild Violet
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Post by Wild Violet on Mar 8, 2017 16:23:14 GMT
Do people ever offer to buy you a drink? If so, you might be able to do a deal like I did and have them set the money aside for you behind the bar.
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Post by walkingdecay on Mar 9, 2017 8:47:49 GMT
I now find myself wondering what happened to the imaginatively named Teddy. I suppose my partner's parents must have him, if indeed either of them are still alive. That bear certainly had charisma, as our take really did increase when he came into play. By the time we finished in Germany he - together with a set change to include some Bessie Smith, Cilla and Billie Holliday rather than folkie stuff - saw to it that we went home with almost as much money as we left with. That's impressive. I don't suppose you have any photos of Teddy and the bowl that you could share....? I picked out our scruffy rescue dog with the intention of taking him busking with me, but he is a bit too young yet to happily sit still for a few hours and he's not that keen on strangers. I'm hoping he'll mellow enough in old age to come with me, as he's a lovely fellow and I'd appreciate his company. Sweet thang! (Great title for a song if Dottie West hadn't done it already.) Would I be won over by this dog? Definitely. I do have photos from that time, including a couple with the bear "at home" but I avoid looking at them and have never scanned them. Seeing them hurts a bit, frankly.
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Post by andyhowell on Mar 9, 2017 14:12:34 GMT
If what held true in the '70s still works today a bedraggled teddy bear with a wooden bowl set between its legs can double your take. There's a pretty good sax player in Birmingham who has been busking the City Centre for years. He has one of those dancing dogs along with him. Recently, he has added some conversational recordings to his backing tapes which make it look as if he's having a conversation with the dancing dog. Children love it. It's added another dimension to his act and I think he takes more now! So, Lynne — that's what you need. A dancing dog puppet!
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Post by 007 on Mar 9, 2017 20:08:11 GMT
no you need a dancing
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Post by andyhowell on Mar 10, 2017 9:16:08 GMT
no you need a dancing What a clever idea :-)
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