COVID unemployment until whenever?????????

[Notes_Norton 509]

They banned live music, saying it draws crowds (we do that). They closed bars and restaurants are take-out only. They closed museums, community centers, parks, rec centers, and the entire tourist industry in South Florida. The Canadians and other tourists are gone, malls and downtowns are like ghost towns, the only place to see people are grocery stores, scrambling for what's left. It's like a bad movie.

I'm unemployed until at least August. August through mid October are comatose times for gigs here, so I'm probably unemployed until at least mid October.

And the NSC Pandemic Team was fired before the epidemic.

Sad days are ahead.

 

[JazzMastaJim 15]

The pandemic team was reorganized two years ago. Not fired.

BTW, Snopes has been caught lying often and is lying about this, in case that's your go-to "fact-checker."

 

[DeepEnd 2,283]

25 minutes ago, JazzMastaJim said:

The pandemic team was reorganized two years ago. Not fired.

BTW, Snopes has been caught lying often and is lying about this, in case that's your go-to "fact-checker."

Interesting that someone who hasn't posted in over a month would suddenly spring into action defending Trump. I presume you're referring to this opinion piece: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/16/no-white-house-didnt-dissolve-its-pandemic-response-office/

[Phil O'Keefe 12,609]

Folks, if you want to discuss politics, please take it to the political forum where it belongs.

[daddymack 2,088]

well, to be fair, Notes was not talking politics, per se, and I feel his pain. What few gigs I managed to get recently have been cancelled or put on hold...and if I was not getting social security and a small pension, with the stock markets in downward spiral, I would be very concerned about cash flow. Notes makes his living gigging, and if he isn't gigging, he isn't living...

[Mike M 25]

Well...the gigs in my area (southeastern MA/RI) are all cancelled 'til at least April 30th for everyone that I know.

I played a double last Sunday (March 15th) and literally felt like we were the last (performing) band on earth....  It felt strange......

I made a little tongue-in-cheek video before the start of the second show.

[RoadRanger 80]

I'm hearing 9+ months

[Outkaster 30]

Here in NY it's serious.  The whole scene in NYS has been brought to it's knees.  It's not good being a musician in these times, so much of what we do is dependent on other people. 

[Phil O'Keefe 12,609]

On 3/19/2020 at 1:37 PM, daddymack said:

well, to be fair, Notes was not talking politics, per se,

No, he wasn't, although part of his comment did bring up a politically-related subject, which someone else ran with. And if they want to discuss that aspect of things, it really does belong in HCPP. As far as the unemployment / dried up gigs aspect, that's certainly a fair topic for discussion here. 

 

Quote

and I feel his pain.

As do I. This really sucks for everyone, especially for those who rely on public events to make their living.  

[Notes_Norton 509]

My apologies, Phil.

There is some frustration around here.

I'm starting to book gigs for the spring of 2021.

I gave the cancelled clients a choice, either I would return their deposit since it was the governor who cancelled, or let them apply it to a future gig. Most of them have taken the second option.

Hopefully this will be over and done by then.

Notes

[Kramerguy 14]

Yep this sucks.  My band hasn't even rehearsed since the last week of Feb.  I'm in an area that had one of the first outbreaks, so we're now on stay at home orders from the governor.

Music isn't my income, but gigs did help pay for some really nice gear and let's face it, when everyone gets along and gels well in a band, it's just good times and some of my fondest life memories.  I'm so sorry for those of you who can't work   

One of my favorite inspirational quotes from a fictional character: "We shall endure".

 

[Mike M 25]

There is not much "good" about the current state of performing arts....

Although performing is not my main gig these years giving private (studio) lessons is....and that has stopped for me.....

Rather than being entrenched in despair I have taken this time to work on my chops (revisit the basics) and have been practicing daily.

Notes_Norton: I have two Legere reeds for my Bb Clarinet, Alto/Tenor Saxophones.....  I can get a good month and a half out of each Legere...  This way I can practice without blowing through my Vandorens.....

Oh yeah, and I've also been spending more time with my wife....she's pretty nice..

[Notes_Norton 509]

Leilani and I are spending a lot of our time creating new style 'disks' and fake 'disks' for Band-in-a-Box.

What spare time we have we spend goofing off and having fun.

Next week the gear gets set up so we can keep our chops up. I'll probably sequence some new backing tracks so we will have new songs to learn.

All in all, I think social distancing is a better choice than herd immunity, though neither one is a picnic.

This too shall pass.

Notes

 

[Daniel_91au 1]

On 3/29/2020 at 7:56 PM, Mike M said:

Oh yeah, and I've also been spending more time with my wife....she's pretty nice..

Haha, good on you Mike.

This time is great for practice and songwriting, I know a lot of people and friend's who are blowing of the dust to their audio interface's while they have no work going on.

[Outkaster 30]

It's going to be interesting to see if bands can survive the time off.

[Phil O'Keefe 12,609]

On 3/25/2020 at 8:05 AM, Notes_Norton said:

My apologies, Phil.

There is some frustration around here.

 

No problem Notes, and totally understandable. 

 

Quote

I'm starting to book gigs for the spring of 2021.

I gave the cancelled clients a choice, either I would return their deposit since it was the governor who cancelled, or let them apply it to a future gig. Most of them have taken the second option.

Hopefully this will be over and done by then.

Notes

 

Well that's something I guess. Better that than them asking for their deposits back. When this eventually ends and we can all hopefully get back to normal, you'll already have some gigs lined up. 

 

[Notes_Norton 509]

On 3/30/2020 at 11:58 AM, Outkaster said:

It's going to be interesting to see if bands can survive the time off.

we should.

We've been a duo since 1985 and have a lot of steady clients. Many are condominium associations that have parties every year.

Leilani and I do what no government I know of does, we live below our means. We have an emergency fund, it looks like the gov't is gong to give us unemployment and other than my car payments, we have zero debt.

We live in Florida, don't use Air Conditioning so the utilities are minimal, the mortgage is paid off, no Cable TV subscription, no streaming subscription, and so to live, requires minimal draw from our savings.

When this is over, we will volunteer to play for free for a few weeks at the restaurants that have been hiring us for 12 years now, and help them build the clientele back up. We'll know when to ask for our pay again.

I just think helping the people who have fed us for 12 years is the right thing to do.

Notes

[Kramerguy 14]

I'm kind of hoping (maybe fantasy) that once this is all over, that the masses will crave and appreciate the performing arts and social events surrounding the arts far more than the virtual arts (youtube, facebook, etc..).

We're all getting a heavy dose of social media, and I believe the world is seeing it for what it is- a flimsy and ungratifying way to socialize, and now that it's been forced on us all by proxy, when we get past it, I think the social media sites will see a much reduced participation level than before the crisis.  The internet is a tool, and a useful one, but not the end-all for everything - especially in the arts and socializing.  I believe people are beginning to see that now.  Hopefully we all learn a lot from this experience and change our behaviors.

Yea, maybe wishful thinking

[modulusman 46]

Just found out today that our summer guest ranch gigs are cancelled until August. That was 21 dates that would have paid me about $7500.00.

[Mike M 25]

10 hours ago, modulusman said:

Just found out today that our summer guest ranch gigs are cancelled until August. That was 21 dates that would have paid me about $7500.00.

Lost just about your amount in April/May/June thus far....

[Outkaster 30]

The big unknown is large gatherings. Will people see the need to come out and crowd around stages to see live music?  Once we get the OK it will be interesting to see what happens.  Also will venues operating in the red want to pay for live music.

[Notes_Norton 509]

I figure for the venue I've been doing once a week gigs for 12 years I'll volunteer to play for meals for a few weeks until the crowds come back. They took care of me for 12 years, I'll return the favor. What is good for the house is good for the band.

 

Insights and incites by Notes

[Outkaster 30]

I just had to cancel another gig. Most summers we have 4 to 5 a month in the summer as we make the most money.  Now I have 6 this summer total.

[Notes_Norton 509]

I'm still gig-less until late October. It'll make 7 months of unemployment. And I'll only be back to work if Bands are allowed to play again by then.

I'm hoping the scientists come up with a vaccine or effective cure soon. I know they are doing their best.

Insights and incites by Notes.

[Mike M 25]

My schedule is wiped clean until September 19th....  I am doing the sound for a 5K in Boston that day...  Right now, all large gatherings are cancelled in Boston until September 1st.

Hmmmmmmm, let's see, the last three years that I did the above 5K there were 900+ attendees each time......

This one will probably be canned also🙁