The 85th Bloom
Apple Blossom just blew through town like a hurricane, but leaving no sign of destruction a day later. Chalk up another one....with no VIP privelidges, not meeting any stars, not enjoying the events fully, no special private parties, not making any money. But I did get, fighting with a neighbor. Fighting for parking and standing room. Being annoyed by street preachers and amateur drunks. I've tried since my first Bloom to do 3 things. Get in the parade, get in the program and make money. After 40 years I accomplished the program. (Note to djs & business people:)Thanks to a very pleased client from an event. She hired me for last year's Sunday In The Park opening for and playing inbetween sets from the headlining band. Of course they realized, like many do, a DJ is far more efficient than a band. So this year I got the headlining gig and a blip in the program. A flattering, well written blip.
I've tried to make money many years. From selling programs, to artwork, to setting up at the crafts show, to running paid bloom parties, to even buying 60 cases of Heineken Keg cans to take advantage of a new open container law on festival grounds that was passed. Usually it was dollars I made or loss. This year I went a different route. I got 50 t-shirts made, 1000 stickers, clean out the merch drawers in the office and whatever else I had laying around. The B&G club let me use their prize wheel and I proceeded to give away over $2000 worth of stuff. At the Park I gave away 4 free gig certificates. That was $1600 alone out of the pocket. My business thought is. I can usually get 1 to 3 paid gigs and at least some kind of money tip for the free gig I give away.
This year I also got to open up the Cinco De Mayo celebration at the local Mexican joint Los Toltecos. (another happy client) It was slow during the day, but I came back to open up for The Jokers in between them and the band Torn's set. The place was packed beyond overflow.
Friday I thought I would get the chance to enjoy a pure day of "The Bloom" Starting with the Stag. Then having a 2hr party called the Running of the Drunks to watch fellow staggers stagging down the road. From there it was to the hottest Bloom party the McKees to see my fellow musicians The Jokers jammin. Cut short we went to grab a seat at our usual site only to have an old man run his mean mouth and push the young kid hanging with me for the day. Then he offends my girlfriend as she steps up for her nephew. So the parade was ruined. We made our way home mad. Only to realize my other companion for the day had become so incredibly drunk he fell 3 times with the 3rd being a nasty fall. Only a block away I hall him up on the shoulders and get him to the property line. Where there he proceeded to fall again and knock himself cold. Eyes rolling back in the head. This caused a bad scene for me, the helping crowd and a same tramatized child. YEA APPLE BLOSSOM!!! Can't wait til next year to do it again!