The Last Mexico Post - Strike Four!

If you follow the blog you know my recent experience in Mexico wasn't good. I had done the month of September there last year. Things were sketchy then, now it's worse.

On arrival, I was left at the airport with no pickup. Never informed about the (new policy) one hour bus and taxi rides. STRIKE ONE!
Got shocked three times during a performance at a resort. STRIKE TWO!
After being told the system was repaired I got the big 120 volt shock the following week. Paperwork and a trip to the hospital. STRIKE THREE!

I told the US based agency I was done and wanted to go home. Considering everything, the agency said they understood. I let them know I didn't want to perform again at the resort with the electrical problems.
They do require a minimum of one month for their contracts. Trying to do the right thing, I said I would finish out the month and give them time to find a replacement act.
No mention was made about any consequences or penalties.

The moment I got home on July 1 the phone was ringing.
I was told they (the agency or resort) would not be paying for repair or replacement of my fried microphone receiver damaged in the power surges at the resort. - $550.00 and
I was responsible to pay for the flight for the replacement entertainer! - $545.00 . . .
STRIKE FOUR!

Unbelievable! I've been a full time entertainer for over 30 years. I've dealt with good and bad agencies before, but never like this! They are trying to "teach me a lesson." 
They've only hurt themselves. I have many, many entertainment connections.

Mexico, the Last Straw!

MEXICO, Tulum Resort
June 19, 2014

My talent agency contact was told last Friday about the shocks I felt when playing the Tulum show on June 12.
Matt (Juggler) said he was shocked twice when he did his show on Monday, June 16. (His Vocoder unit is now fried from a power spike and won’t even power up.)
The Tulum resort entertainment lead (Orlando) was emailed last Friday about the electrical shocks.

I arrived on the 19th, ate a fast meal and started setting up my equipment.
Before plugging anything in I asked the sound man:
“How’s the electrical?” He said: “It’s good!” I took that as: “It’s been looked at and fixed”
I was crouched down near the receiver, he was standing.
“Which XLR cable should I use for the receiver?”
He pointed to one of the three cables.

I picked up the end of the XLR cable and felt 120 volts.

The pain ran up my left arm and threw my head back like a whiplash.
You read about not being able to release a cable or “hot” wire.
I was able to let it go but it was thrown and not dropped.

I was stunned. It took the entertainment crew a moment to realize what had happened.
I sat down and felt like I would throw up. I felt twinges in my jaw. I had no gripping strength.

Calls were made and the three resort medical reps showed up 10 minutes later. They gave me oxygen and took my blood pressure. She said my blood pressure was very low.
I filled out an accident report and didn’t sign any releases.
They suggested I go to the Hospital. I didn’t want to go. I was angry but kept my cool.

Two resort electricians showed up to check the system after I got hit!

I started feeling a little better and stood up. I walked toward my driver and felt dizzy. I went to the lobby and sat down for 20 minutes.

What amazed me was the show went on! They had a dozen kids on stage dancing.
There are imbedded lights set into the stage floor. Those lights had better not be on the same circuit as the mixer power outlets.

One of the medical staff insisted I should go and get a check up at the Tulum Hospital.
I was tired and noticed pain in the base of my left thumb. The roots of my teeth and eyes hurt like a very bad sinus headache. I never get headaches, but this was a big one.

My driver, a resort rep and I drove 10 minutes to the Hospital in Tulum.
All the nurse did was take my blood pressure again. The pain in my hand was now spreading to my thumb tip and the inside of my left arm. She gave me a prescription for pain pills and B vitamins.
She said the pain in my hand and arm was normal after a large electrical shock and suggested an EGK. She also said a “stress ball” might help with movement.

I never saw or heard anything from the resort entertainment staff lead.
He’s setting a very poor example for his employees. He screwed up big and knows it.

We got in late. The agency rep wanted to talk tonight but I need a night’s sleep to cool off.
Tomorrow (Friday) is my day off.

My driver should be commended. He went above and beyond to help me to and from the hospital.

STRIKE THREE!

More Adventures in Mexico

June 12, 2014, Puerto Adventuras, Tulum 

I started my show to a small crowd, lots of kids 5 to 8 years old and parents.

Anytime I touched anything hard wired to their board - My guitar or MP3 player - I got a strong electrical shock. It was hard to concentrate on the show! 

This was not a small static shock, but it actually hurt and I could feel it run up my arm. I wasn't able to touch the guitar, mic stand or MP3 player without getting zapped.

I kept thinking my equipment could be fried at any moment.

Add to that, two short rain showers and my instruments were wet.

Wet conditions and electrical shocks? Not a good night.

By the second rain shower some of the audience had left. 

I finished five minutes early after dragging my instruments and cases under the overhang.

This stage could be a dangerous venue for any act. The sound man didn't know what was causing the shocks or how to fix them.

I never should have taken this two month contract.

EDIT: I think the sound man has the Phantom Power switches on. Phantom power provides a 48 volt signal down the mic cable to boost expensive studio microphones. Not enough to electricute you, but enough to scare you and possibly destroy equipment plugged into the soundboard. 

I'm using the term "sound man" loosely. Last week before being promoted to sound man, he was in the kitchen washing dishes.

Mexico Whining

Time to vent!
Last Friday night I did a show at the Secrets Silver Sands Riviera Resort near Cancun.
The showroom had a roof, but would be considered open air - a roof, but no walls and no air conditioning.

From 8:00 until 9:15 p.m. is a good Mexico Folkloric show with dancers and a trick roper. I was scheduled to go on at 9:30.

Check out the unintentional tie dye treatment on my T-Shirt! I have new red shirts for the shows here.
I normally don't sweat on stage, but it's pretty hard not to with the heat and humidity!
The red shirt dye had bled through onto the T-shirt.

In the thousands of shows I've done, I don't remember ever sweating this much on stage.
The four new Arrow shirts were made in Bangladesh, who knows what they used for the red dye.

These new shirts had better be washed separately!

Show Business Is Not Pretty

I arrived in Cancun about 7:30 p.m.
Got my suitcases and instrument cases and wheeled them outside to meet the driver. It is hot and raining.

I waited for an hour and a half - nothing.
I know both the drivers and their cars. They never showed up.
I figured they might be late or dropping off another entertainer at a nearby club for the nightly show.

My phone didn't have a signal - No contact
I stopped at the Starbucks inside the terminal, their internet wasn't working.
Two swipes of my charge card in a pay phone got nothing. Well, except for two $4.00 charges on my card.
By this time I'm pissed. It takes a lot to get me angry. I was well past that point.

I found the number of the driver, Christian. I borrowed a phone and called him.
He said there was no more airport pick ups. I had to take the bus to Playa del Carmen, one hour away.
Then find a taxicab and go to the apartments.
Take the bus? What bus? To where? Who's paying for the bus and taxi?
Add to that I'm dragging around two Anvil style instrument cases, two suitcases and a computer case.

I was never told about the new "No courtesy drive from the airport."
2 1/2 hours lost in the heat and rain.
I was tempted to sleep at the airport and fly home in the morning.
Entertaining in Mexico always seems to have it's challenges, but this was beyond belief.

I arrived at the apartments around Midnight. All I want to do is take a shower and go to bed.
The shower has no hot water. My room mate Karl says it'll be fixed in a few days.
Welcome to Mexico.