"Does anyone in any country anywhere really care if musicians make $70 in their nonnative land?"

exactly. last time we tried to cross the border, we played it totally straight. told them where we were going and what we were doing, and they still treated us like we were going to come into the country to molest children. and when we told them only expected to make about $75 to cover gas costs, the response was "why would anyone play a show somewhere if they're only getting paid $75?!". yeah you got me...it's not like the experience would be worthwhile or maybe we could meet some cool like-minded people. no, we should all wait until that $10,000 guarantee is feasible.

meanwhile, I have to ask: why would anyone work a thankless shit job protecting the borders of America's Jan Brady to the north from musicians who might make more than a pittance on the road if they're lucky?