Bob Popyk

Member Local 78 (Syracuse, NY)

How Accessible Are You?

October 5, 2015

How accessible are you? A good musician who gets lots of opportunities is usually one that is easily available to get in touch with. So are you accessible?

Show Me The Money: More Examples of Memorable Gigs

September 14, 2015

There are definitely some memorable gigs that the people performing will never forget and here are just two more examples such strange gigs.

Local 257 All Stars a Hit at Nashville Summer NAMM

August 10, 2015

The National Association of Music Manufacturers (NAMM) held its summer trade show at Nashville’s Music City Center in July. NAMM, comprised of 9,200 member companies from 99 countries, is no small venue, and there were almost 500 exhibitors, 1,600 brands of instruments and accessories, and talent beyond belief. This year more than 13,000 people attended, including […]

Hanging Out with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers

May 28, 2015

There’s a little theater/showroom off the beaten path in Weirsdale, Florida, called the Orange Blossom Opry. It’s a small venue that hires a lot of union musicians, including many classic country artists who have had strings of hits throughout the years

Your Best Gig Could Be Your Next Gig

May 1, 2015

Over the past few columns I’ve talked about crazy, memorable, and terrible gigs. That’s life as a working musician. I appreciate all the letters, calls, and e-mails about out-of-the-ordinary playing jobs. They are too numerous to mention here, but I am retaining many of them for future columns.

Crazy Gigs Can Be Learning Experiences

March 25, 2015

Thanks for all the e-mails about the memorable, out-of-the-ordinary, and crazy gigs. Many of these events become learning experiences for the musicians involved.

Get It in Writing

February 26, 2015

I think the best way to deal with a botched verbal contract is to avoid the whole mess in the first place. Get it in writing. I personally learned this the hard way.

Crazy and Memorable Gigs

January 27, 2015

For the last couple of months I’ve been writing about awful gigs. I know that, as an AFM member you’ve also had funny gigs, crazy gigs, and memorable gigs. I’m sure that, as a professional musician, you’ve played them all.

Awful Gigs Some AFM Members Have Experienced

January 1, 2015

Last month I wrote about Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld talking about awful gigs. Jay talked about a bad gig he had done, and Jerry said, “Hey you got paid didn’t you? Don’t complain.” Well, in that respect he’s probably right, but some gigs are definitely worse than others. My e-mail inbox filled up over the past few weeks with your stories about bad gigs. Here are a few examples:

Had Any Awful Gigs Recently?

December 1, 2014

Jerry Seinfeld does a show called Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. You can find it online at: ComediansinCarsGettingCoffee.com. The basic format is that he picks up a well-known comedian in an old classic car, and they talk and joke on the way to a coffee shop. They banter back and forth when they get there, […]