I remember playing singles bars, 9PM to 2PM was the norm.
Latest one was The 4 O'Clock Rendezvous (we called it the 4 O'clock Club) in Fort Lauderdale FL. Two bands, rotating hour sets, one hour on, one hour off.
The first band started at 10, to watch the bartenders set up the bar, never more than a couple of customers. At 12 we had an OK audience. At 2AM when most bars had to close it got full. At 4AM when they were the only bar left open in the county, the place was packed. We drove home to the sunrise.
Another late one was 3 bars in one building in Miami. We played in one, accompanying strippers. Another had duos or trios, and the third, no entertainment. We got off at 2, but the no-entertainment bar had to be closed at 6AM and couldn't open again until 7. So they made an announcement, and locked the doors at 6 and didn't open them until 7, technically obeying the law. The drinking continued.
As time went by and the then future Mrs. Notes and I decided to form a duo, and play the +50 year old market in Florida, we usually played until midnight. In the summer, when business was slow, we played Elk's lodges and other 'animal clubs' and they always went until midnight.
Now, we're still playing the same venues as we did in the 1990s, but we rarely play later than 9PM and usually only 3 hours per gig.
It doesn't matter to me, the good thing is we are still making a living doing what we love to do.
We started this duo in 1985 when we were both in our youth, and the only time we were out of work was during the COVID lockdown. We still play to gray hair and glasses, but when we started it was Glenn Miller / Frank Sinatra music, now the music is mostly from the 1960s to the 2020s
A few weeks ago, we did an afternoon party about 25 miles from home, in the next city. We got packed up and hit the road at 4 - rush hour. Man! Traffic jam time, more time stopped than moving. Am I ever glad I don't have a real job - what a waste of time. It took about a half hour to get there, and almost 1 1/2 hours to get home.
Life is good today.
Notes ♫
