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For the first time in several years, I’ve been called for an Oktoberfest gig that does NOT conflict with any of the nearby orchestras’ schedules.

Conflicts have been so routine in recent years that the area’s “hot“ accordion player (good friend) died in the midst of me missing playing several jobs with them.

Another friend - who hired me for this upcoming job, next fall - said on the phone, “You can bring your tuba if you want to, but bring all of those other horns - in all those shapes and sizes - that you have, and mostly play those - because my wife will be playing bass; Maybe just do the ‘Clarinet Polka schtick’ with the tuba.”

(He himself will probably either be playing keyboard or accordion, sax, trombone, trumpet, bass trumpet, clarinet, flute, and flugelhorn.)

The drummer is the band’s singer, and the wife/bass player: her main gigs are church organist and funeral home organist.

Yes, there are only four of us, and the sheet music is either “nothing“ or “old wrinkled faded lead sheets that stay in a box”. None of us are as good at “working a room” (getting them all worked up, dancing, thirsty, and - thus - selling a lot of beer for the hall) as was the accordion player who died, but we do our best.

blokas, or blolkas?

bort2.0 wrote: ↑Wed May 25, 2022 6:51 pm blokas, or blolkas?

I guess the answer is either “yes“ or it is “both“.

A lot of people say that I’m full of schottische.

OK...

I was just offered another (fun) Oktoberfest gig...but (per typical) THIS one DOES conflict with an orchestra concert.

There just a BUNCH of orchestra concerts (yes?) in October.

"We symphony cats" really struggle to live double lives as 'wiener-snippers" (or whatever that word is...)

bloke "just a bit of self-deprecating humor, used to express regret that I won't be able to accept (at least) a second Oktoberfest gig, this year"

^^^

Those look like breakfast sausages.

Well...
To me, that looks like three brats on a hard roll (semel) with spicy mustard, but - again - "we symphony cats" are just so busy perfecting our craft (playing through the thirty-five excerpts that have stuff in them faster than half notes) that we just don't have time to be trifled with cuisine piétonne, etc. (After all, most of the things "we symphony cats" eat - along with some of the very best of boxed wines - have tofu as their main ingredient.)

bloke wrote: ↑Tue Jul 12, 2022 2:29 pm Well...
To me, that looks like three brats on a hard roll (semel) with spicy mustard, but - again - "we symphony cats" are just so busy perfecting our craft (playing through the thirty-five excerpts that have stuff in them faster than half notes) that we just don't have time to be trifled with cuisine piétonne, etc. (After all, most of the things "we symphony cats" eat - along with some of the very best of boxed wines - have tofu as their main ingredient.)

Symphony Cat or no, if the meal is gratis, there is no criticism from moi.

OTOH...

Oktoberfest gigs usually do include free food, and maybe even beer, but I’m not a beer drinker, and – though I do appreciate the food and it is pretty good - it’s rarely as good as the similar types of food that I get up in Wisconsin… I guess I’m spoiled, and shouldn’t be looking a gift horse in the mouth.