high class gig; cheesy pay

[catherine-rogers]

Could you have asked for overtime? Or did you and he refused? Maybe he was just nuts. Poor bride!

[carl-swanson]

David- Did your contract have an overtime clause? Did your contract state how long you would play/be available for the amount of money they initially paid? I’m not saying this was your fault. It wasn’t. But that would have been your best defense, that you had done what the contract called for and if they wanted more music, the contract clearly stated the terms and conditions for that.

[Evelyn Tournquist]

David, Wow! That’s a pretty amazing story! Groomzillas – there’s an idea for a new reality show.

[David Ice]

Aargh….Carl, I had written an explanation, then the website crashed and along with it everything I wrote!

Yes, I did have a contract.

[Amber M]

Wow, that’s terrible!!

[unknown-user]

If you should like to find me a job for better pay than please do Ms. Evelyn.

I have been paid higher for others but the owners of the restaurant I play at are friends and I plan to find other gigs to compensate.

This was also my first “regular” job and I couldn’t demand $250 an hour when I’d had no past experience, $75 is enough for me. I’m multiplying a 17-year-olds average pay ($7.50 an hour) by 10!

I can’t help but feel insulted by the way you phrased your response so I’ll stop here. God Bless!

— Natalie

[unknown-user]

I’m so sorry you had to go through this! But personally if that man started screaming at you, you should have walked off. You fulfilled your contract, and you tried to be polite and SANE. But this groom sounds like he needs anger management, you shouldn’t have to work with someone like that. Good job on being brave and standing up to him!

— Natalie

P.S. Consider a contract that mentions that if the bride/groom go insane you have the right to tell them so… ;P

[kay-lister]

WOW David, that had to be such a HORRIBLE situation to deal with!

[kay-lister]

[David Ice]

I do have overtime clearly spelled out in my contract, but I guess you can’t anticipate every single event (i.e. “no refunds if physical violence is threatened towards the artist”).

I guess I’m kind of like the characters in the old Warner Brothers cartoons….you know, where their heads turn into a giant lollypop and they have a sign hanging around their necks that says “SUCKER!”

[Cheryl Z.]

Hi David,

What a nasty situation to deal with no doubt.

[jessica-wolff]

Just unbelievable! I too would worry about this wacko’s taking it out on the harp if I just walked off. And I would not like to have him driving behind me on the expressway. He’s flat-out crazy.

[carl-swanson]

David- I think the only answer to your wedding-from-hell gig is to make sure you have a well written contract that covers all the bases, so that when someone makes a last minute demand or tries to rip you apart in the middle of the gig, your response is simply “It’s not in the contract.” If the person throwing the fit continues, even just verbally, I would immediately pull out my cell phone and call 911.

[David Ice]

Hi everybody,

Thanks for your input.

[carl-swanson]

David- In 1984 Maxmillian Schell made a film biography of Marlene Dietrich. She participated, but only for voice overs, and would not allow herself to be seen. Throughout the movie you hear Schell and Dietrich talking in voice over, and occasionally he says to her “I wish you would let me show you.” Each time she answers “It’s not in the contract!!!” That has to be your response from now on.

[Author]

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