Long-ass Weddings

This is the second time this summer I will have had to play a wedding gig that lasts more than 6 hours. In the past we have maybe had to show up early to set up (you don't want a bunch of road-weary musicians dragging equipment through your wedding reception), but we only played for 3 or 4 hours at the end of the night. The wedding earlier this summer, and the one today, are 9 hours long.

I don't think people realize that playing a musical instrument is a physical activity and that it takes a lot out of the players. Certainly a trumpet player can't play for 9 hours without getting seriously fried by the end of the night. As a guitar player I get pretty shot after about 4 hours. My fingers start to hurt from the knuckle out to the tips and it gets harder and harder to play.

I know I shouldn't complain, as I am being more than adequately compensated, but I don't like these long-ass gigs. And to top it all off I will be in a tuxedo all fucking day. I hate wearing a tuxedo, the jacket and shoes are very uncomfortable, and George (my boss) won't let us shed the jackets later in the evening -- like all the wedding party men do.

At the first long-ass wedding of the year the couple was very nice and it was very relaxed, I only hope the couple today is. We've worked for some very uptight people in the past -- one couple had their wedding itinerary planned out to the minute! If these people are uptight it will make today suck, suck, suck!

Comments

Muggsy said…
The wedding turned out to be fun, but still a lot of work. God, do my feet hurt today from being in tux shoes all day yesterday!!
August 26, 2007 at 11:08 AM
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