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[Dave Bigelow]

Just curious what you've run across and where, union or non-union.

I know that some of you have got to have some good, funny, or scary stories.

[Mac Kerr]

I can say I had a pretty good crew in Louisville a few years back when I was there for 5 weeks with the John Deere National Sales Meeting. Were you maybe on that show? I have always liked working in Orlando because of the high quality labor pool. Vegas can also be good, but is not as consistent. Local 16 in San Francisco has always been good. New Orleans and Miami are also consistent, but for different reasons.

Mac

[Ivan Beaver]

Actually one of the best crews (non union) was a bunch of girls.  I was doing a kinda lesbian outdoor festival so I just brought 1 other helper with me.  I have never had a crew so eager to help and they jumped right in and unloaded the truck-stacked the PA, pulled feeder and snake humped FOH across trhe grass etc.  We just wired it up.  They ran the show really tight and kept the bands right on schedule. They delt with any band that was not on time and kicked them off the stage when needed (2 things I don't like to do). It was a 2 day festival.  When it was over, they were just as good helping out and the truck was loaded in no time, and I didn't even break a sweat!  Just told them where it went.

Now there are all sorts of remaks you all can make, but they beat any crew-union or not- that I have ever worked with.  They were a real pleasure to work with, and yes they were all lesbian.

[Dave Bigelow]

Mac Kerr wrote on Sun, 05 June 2005 16:37

I can say I had a pretty good crew in Louisville a few years back when I was there for 5 weeks with the John Deere National Sales Meeting. Were you maybe on that show? I have always liked working in Orlando because of the high quality labor pool. Vegas can also be good, but is not as consistent. Local 16 in San Francisco has always been good. New Orleans and Miami are also consistent, but for different reasons. Mac

Can't say I was on that one, that was back in my days as a house guy.

[Scott Helmke (Scodiddly)]

Ivan Beaver wrote on Sun, 05 June 2005 16:43

Actually one of the best crews (non union) was a bunch of girls.  I was doing a kinda lesbian outdoor festival so I just brought 1 other helper with me.  I have never had a crew so eager to help and they jumped right in and unloaded the truck-stacked the PA, pulled feeder and snake humped FOH across trhe grass etc.  We just wired it up.  They ran the show really tight and kept the bands right on schedule. They delt with any band that was not on time and kicked them off the stage when needed (2 things I don't like to do). It was a 2 day festival.  When it was over, they were just as good helping out and the truck was loaded in no time, and I didn't even break a sweat!  Just told them where it went. Now there are all sorts of remaks you all can make, but they beat any crew-union or not- that I have ever worked with.  They were a real pleasure to work with, and yes they were all lesbian.

I've had that experience too - pretty much every lesbian / "womyn's music" person I've worked with was extremely professional.

[Wade Biery]

Worst, union crew at Beacon Theater, I was bass player at a concert there, the place was absolutely insane for the guy I was playing with (Miguel Mateos - latin rock guy) and when we ran ofstage at the end of the show, the crowd was going BONKERS for an encore, and the crew literally slammed the door shut in front of us and demanded a shitload of money to even do one more song.

We couldn't get back out to the stage until they had cleared the building, it almost caused a riot, I've never seen such an incredible pile of wet assholes before or since.

[Bennett Prescott]

I've been working with Local 333 in Charleston, SC for the last month and they're all spectacular folks. Easy to work with, always glad to lend a hand, and they know what they're doing. If anyone comes through the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, tell Bobby and crew I say hi.

[Phil Ouellette]

[quote title=Scott Helmke wrote on Sun, 05 June 2005 21:49
I've had that experience too - pretty much every lesbian / "womyn's music" person I've worked with was extremely professional. [/quote]

Maybe there is a marketing angle here, sort of like "Amish built".

"And our crews are all hardworking lesbians!"

Hope this doesn't take off, I don't know about you, but I look pretty bad in drag.  

Phil

[Dave Nolan]

Phil Ouellette wrote on Fri, 17 June 2005 12:03

I don't know about you, but I look pretty bad in drag.

Maybe if you waxed your chest & legs you'd stand more of a chance?  

Maybe not.

Dave M.

[Dave Stevens]

STILL wrote on Fri, 10 June 2005 09:32

Worst, union crew at Beacon Theater,

I did a tour with Miguel in the late '80s that ended up imploding after a couple of weeks.  Too bad, he was a nice guy.

As for the Beacon, there is a hard curfew and the venue follows Local One work rules in addition to a few specific to that venue.  Your production manager and stage manager should have known what the deal was and communicated it with you.  Hard curfews and penalties are still pretty common in larger venues.

Dave