I learned something today

[solarbird]

So I got the go-ahead from management at Country Village Farmer's Market to work that market, so I went ahead and ran up there for a shortish session of playing, to check out the market.

Well, I've learned something today. Specifically, that if you play a market with paid music later, people will assume you're part of the paid music, particularly if there's a sign up talking about the sponsoured music from 4-6pm, even if it's only noon. They'll stand around, listen to you play for a while, then look over at the sign, read it, and you can actually see the "ooooh" on their faces as they've learned something wrong. Then they don't give you any money.

As far as the performance goes, I was a bit off my best today, which doesn't surprise me, but I think I did okay despite that. Again, the vendors liked me; one of them gave me food (cherries) and one said I was a lot more enjoyable to listen to than the people they usually have in the sponsoured music slot. (Oh ho.) They also suggested I look at Edmonds and Snohomish markets - they say the turnouts there are a lot better and the get a lot of musician traffic. And the management - which was great, and let me use their tent even so I had guaranteed shade - says next time I can take down their signage and put up my own so that people know I'm not being paid.

So I'll give it another go next week, Friday, starting between noon and noon-thirty, and hopefully not having misleading signage up near me will help, and maybe having my own signage will help a little beyond that. Also, my next scheduled spot is looking rather unlikely - it's still tomorrow, Woodinville Farmer's Market, Noon, but only if I can somehow get some shade - the weather forecast is not promising. Otherwise I'll have to cancel.

Anyway, the flute setlist today was the same as last week, the mandolin setlist also the same except for adding the new untitled song I've been working on lately (which went over well) and not doing either "Captain Kidd" or "Pirate Bill and Squidly."

Comments

[firni.livejournal.com]

The turnout up here is great, if you like people in huge pickup trucks with confederate flags in the back.

[solarbird]

This is Snohomish Market, then?

[firni.livejournal.com]

SnoLOLmish = pickup trucks, yes. And confederate flags and underage drinking everywhere you look. Oh, and they still have plenty of leftover illegal fireworks, too.

GOOD TIMES

[solarbird]

I've sent mail asking how it works, we'll see whether I get a reply.

[firni.livejournal.com]

Let me know if you do, because I sometimes get the impression I'm the only one up here who has internet access. I mean, other than the kids who leech the wifi at the library to dick around on Myspace.

[kissare.livejournal.com]

Good luck with less misleading signage - hope it goes better next week!

[solarbird]

Thanks - hopefully so! ^_^