The place is called Al Forno Ferruzza. I worked a week for them promoting the show cleaning the joint out and hiring bands.
Showday I walk in 4 hours early and this lady I never met layed into me about how lewd my show is. I always hype it up but my show is cool for all ages.They fired Christopher the manager for hiring us and I couldn't pay the bands or myself at the end. The three clowns all have merch so we made daily bread but got rocked for all last weeks work.
What a ride! I went into the place I have been working all week on and the owners canceled the show! They were very rude and called my show names like "Nasty" and "Vulgar" and they thought the band " a dirty little Christmas" was sacrilege.
They were so VERY barking up the wrong tree about us. When you assume you make an ASS out of U and ME.
I was asked if we would do the show without the mild nudity and I said NO!
I was respectful because they were much older than I and we were in their place but I had to protect myself. The truth was they were reading the hype at face value without talking to "the man behind the curtain" it was like talking to red neck mentality. I think she may have been insulting me to help stomach them breaking a contract.
Was it a written contract? well it's on paper for all to see all up and down Alberta street in poster form bearing the time date my name and them HAHAHA(see the post below).
Posted all over the city on poles and in windows everywhere.
I worked all week on the show THEY asked for. I rose to the challenge and was punished for it. As the lady talked at me I didn't feel any anger, I was just sad for her. I had to blurt out "I'm very glad that I'm not the man that your brain thinks I am" it wasn't a line...it was the reality. I just have to deal with this pushy person briefly...others have to deal with her ALL the time.
Oh NOW THEY TELL ME...
As I walked down the street on Alberta I know LOTS of people and they all ask me "Wutz up clown" and I tell them why I'm on the street crying and they say "Oh yeah Ferruzza is shady they don't pay any of the employees and they treat people terrible". That isn't the charming old fellow I met could I be mistaken?
They made no offer to reimburse me for my work.
As I was loading equipment out a friend stopped and asked whats up.
I told him about getting stiffed by the venue and he offered to help carry the heavy speaker. On the way he got on the phone and started working his magic. He convinced a lady who owns a cafe in his building to let us move the show there for the night.
We made the same deal we made for the other place and managed to get the internet to help us get people to avoid the original place altogether!Problem is we couldn't charge at the door of the new place so we lost a bunch of money on the deal.
The show went off like gangbusters. About 50 people were there over the evening(amazing) and a great many of them had Grey hair. A charming couple came with a 2 year old who at one point stole the show. We did our music and stunt show. Our partner Firefly had wonderful hustle all night and she looked fantastic. We did her act where we painted a giant clown on her chest...I can't say what we did next..you gotts come to a show. My audience was nothing but delighted and after the show many people came up and handed me little wads of money while thanking me.
People came up to Olive Rootbeer asking "Was that Real? Really was that REAL?"
and we all had fun. It still sucks to be stiffed by a venue.
I am pretty glad to be home!
What a great colorful experience for all of us! Out of the ashes a new flame. Thank You Esmerelda Strainge for playing so well and being so easy to work with I'm so sorry Ferruzza stiffed us...DITTO Dirty Little Christmas your band is so resilient and uncomplaining!
Your bands name was part of why we were fired NEVER change that name! When they had a problem with your bands name it gave a window into what THEY have in mind, you are innocent and the name you your band reflects a time frame not anything about religion.Thank you all!!!!
Home! Bloody, battered, disheveled but feeling good.Tonight I did the Plate Break without my banjo protecting me. It feels like a hand grenade went off on my chest as Olive slammed a bowling ball on me, held from over her head while standing on a chair. I got punctured fingers, face, big ones on my chest. I wish my girlfriend didn't think that a bunch of scars are sexy .The crowd reactions made it worth it!
My little show got attacked by small mindedness. The show that was killed for lewdness just happened in front of a 2 year old and parents who loved it. Props to Star E rose for making your neighbors folly your financial gain.All of us made some money the crowd had a blast and we have a regular gig now.
I'm looking into legal aid to recover my money spent and work. Going to court sucks but I have no choice. I have children support and bills so I can't afford to lose a weeks work. I will let you guys know what I find out. I'm pretty well connected in Portland and lots of local lawyers hate it when beloved local clowns who entertain local community for over a decade get burned.
The next week I got a nice letter with a $50 bill attached. They also made a kind offer to work together in the future. Thats pretty cool.
