[Callers] Re: Question on Gig Requests

Just a thought. (Noting that I don't rely on income from contra to keep the beer fridge stocked) I think it is commonly understood that contra is just about as good as it gets for spreading bugs; I would, therefore, hope we aren't tempted, while we sit at this very long red light, to have the Little 4 bbl Superspreadeer Deuce Coupe in gear, the handbrake on, the clutch in while we pump the GO pedal in anticipation.. :) One way to approach the uncertainty of a restart date, and recognizing that the dates may well be staggered between cities, states, provinces, countries is to adopt the suggestion of others to make tentative, "subject to" bookings. This may have talent scheduled but what of plane tickets, etc. with cancellation penalties or room bookings (etc.) also with penalties? Not to mention last-minute scrambling. Another, perhaps complementary, approach would be for communities to, essentially, chill -- in a non-judgemental sense -- and simply wait until the "all clear" is given by the appropriate officials. Then, for the following few months, book locally-ish while the months-in-advance, trans-continental booking gets back up-to-speed. One could foresee, in such a case, having to press a second programming volunteer(s) into service so you'd have one for short-term, dealing primarily with known local talent, and the other looking after the longer term. (Realizing that some local communities have a buffet of musicians, callers and sound techs to choose from -- who may be tempted to use Tonya Harding techniques to lessen the competition -- while others have a more limited menu, but maybe good hospitals to treat mysteriously injured musicians from out-of-town) For those individuals you can imagine whining, "Oh man, is it Becky | George | Marlin | Diane | Lisa | Will | Cis | Seth | Luke | Catherine | Woody | Bev | Tony | Mary | David | Sarah | Bob | [put favourite caller name here] yet AGAIN!!! When will it end!!!" Well, as we say in Canada... Sorry! :) Just an idea of how to conceptualize a possible path through what will be a crazy time for everyone. Ken Panton Quebec