Thought Control

The bar I work at has live music every night of the week and I absolutely love it. I am lucky to bartend next to some very talented musicians. A good band can dramatically increase the positive energy in a bar. When the guests are properly entertained and happy with the music…tips go up…the spotlight shifts from you to the band…and time crawls a little faster. Over the years I have learned to appreciate this and have developed a good repertoire with the various musicians we employ. I do my best to accommodate them beverage wise. Some of the other bartenders find their requests annoying…understandably…but I have a soft spot for them…because in the long run…they make my profession much more enjoyable and profitable. Having a strong working relationship with the entertainment is an essential aspect of my job. I have managed to make some extravagant tips by simply acting as the middle man for song requests…and in turn…so did they. So yeah…fuck it…I will happily make their espresso smoothies, chocolate milks, coffees, lattes, hot herbal teas with honey, sodas, waters, and even buy them a few shots or beers. Besides the symbiotic business relationship this creates…it also comes with a few other perks. A lead guitarist lets me doodle on his expensive Stratocaster after we close…I receive a lot of free cd’s…an introduction to the legendary Carlos Santana…but my favorite is in the tune of Another Brick In The Wall…one of the most kick ass songs written by Pink Floyd. The band that plays on Friday night knows how much I love this song and always cover it at the most opportune of times. They wait until I get completely slammed…they see me dealing with a difficult guest…or I begin losing my smile…and then I hear it…I thank them by raising my arms with devil horns attached…and they acknowledge me with rock star head bobs. It helps shorten a long night. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZbM_MIz4RM We don’t need no thought control.