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The on-line world could be a scary place. For me, one of many web’s most dismaying corners is a members-only discussion board on Fb referred to as Bandwiches. It’s a portmanteau phrase, the crashing collectively of “band” and “sandwiches”, coined by the saxophonist Stan Harrison after a very dismal expertise. It celebrates or, to be extra actual, bemoans the grim high quality of a lot of the meals supplied to musicians on gigs in UK hospitality settings. Listed below are quite a few pictures of horrible, chilly mini sausage rolls the color of yesterday’s porridge. There’s a meagre plate of biscuits alongside some orange juice with a handwritten notice saying: “Outdated. Assist your self at your personal peril.” There are polystyrene containers full of a tiny variety of indeterminate deep-fried issues. And, after all, tons and plenty of horrible, floppy sandwiches made with the pappiest of pappy white bread. It’s all so rattling beige. And the parts! So small!
This could possibly be dismissed because the nichest of area of interest issues. Then once more, the Bandwiches Fb group has 4,300 members. That’s a major slab of the UK’s gigging musicians. And even when it’s a aspect subject, it’s my aspect subject. I’m each a jazz musician and a journalist who writes about meals. If I don’t complain about this, who the hell will? Individuals within the hospitality business do their jobs round meal instances. For a few years the meals supplied each to waiters and kitchen employees was a significant subject. Too many eating places merely didn’t appear to care. Fortunately, that’s typically no longer the case (though there are nonetheless exceptions). Musicians, those who work in bars and eating places, lodges and occasions similar to weddings, are too typically the forgotten hospitality employees.
There are good tales. Let’s hear it for the Pig Resort and the magnificent unfold they laid on not too long ago for the Jools Holland Huge Band. I do know from expertise that devoted London music venues similar to Brasserie Zedel, Boisdale and Ronnie Scott’s take care of their performers. However there are such a lot of different really awful tales. The worst offenders are sometimes on the very prime finish. A pianist pal not too long ago performed a four-hour solo piano wedding ceremony gig at one of the vital garlanded and costly resort eating places within the nation. (I want I might title and disgrace, however legal professionals get twitchy.) His lunch: a single, clingfilm-wrapped sandwich.
One other musician posted a picture of an empty desk at a major London restaurant world occasion. They’d supplied him exactly nothing. Then there are the horror tales from weddings, particularly when you’ve got the audacity to be, say, a non-meat eater. At finest it may be a case of: you possibly can have a go on the buffet however solely as soon as everybody else has completed at 11pm. As one musician put it: “We price lower than the flowers, however we’re the factor your company will bear in mind. Present us slightly respect.”
We’ve all heard of the gig economic system, with the implied problems with power job insecurity. Musicians know all in regards to the gig economic system, as a result of that’s what being a musician is. It implies that complaining about shoddy therapy is hard as a result of they want the work. Therefore, I’m complaining for them. Please god, let’s abandon bandwiches. Away with the beige. Provide a sizzling meal. Briefly, in case you are reserving musicians for an occasion don’t overlook to feed the piper. And the guitarist. And the pianist and the remaining. They’re there to deliver your company important pleasure; don’t make their lives a distress. In any case, it’s referred to as the hospitality enterprise. Which means being hospitable to everybody.
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