Is Live Music Making A Comeback?

[Notes_Norton]

For us, March 17, 2020 was "The Day The Music Died"

If I was offered a gig right now, I don't think I'd take it.

Sooner or later (hopefully sooner) the plague will probably be over, just like all the historic plagues. My goal is to be a survivor so I can gig again when the plague is over and the new normal emerges.

So we rehears a few times a week to keep our chops up. When things start looking hopeful, we'll learn new songs.

Notes

[ggm1960]

Folks have taken different approaches and I have absolutely no problem with anyone determining what's in their own best interest just as I am uncompromising in determining mine, it should be understood and expected. Another thing I learned long ago is that wishing, hoping or expecting others to provide, or even care about, my personal interests or safety has always lead to failure and frustration.

Since I'd never stopped going to work this whole time I'd also done drive-thru and carry out while things were essentially shut down. Life for me never changed to the degree it obviously has for some. When the "lock downs" first began in March I was concerned and didn't disagree with the idea that this must be serious but after thinking logically about it for a while it occurred to me that there's never been a way for anyone to contain a virus after it's reached a general population and any efforts to do so are typically days, weeks, perhaps even months behind so I quickly resigned myself to any fate that might befall me and came to terms with it quickly. I reasoned that the best, and perhaps only, defense was to maintain a strong immune system and I've gone down that path. Frankly, it's a philosophy I'm surprised I haven't seen more people adhere to but oddly, to me anyway, also one that hasn't seemed to get much exposure from the typical sources. In any case, I'm aware that many would argue or disagree but that's fine, I'm only trying to express my own thoughts and I don't have any illusion that I can influence anyone else.

[Notes_Norton]

Diphtheria, Polio, Measles, Smallpox, Tetanus, and other plagues used to be killers, but we contained them without exposing the entire population to the possibility of death or permanent organ damage.

Do what you want. I'm not playing COVID roulette any more than I have to. I hope when this plague is under control, we'll both be here to talk about our differences.

Notes

[ggm1960]

8 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

I hope when this plague is under control, we'll both be here to talk about our differences.

Notes

There's no reason to think otherwise, I'll likely show up at one of your gigs!

[Notes_Norton]

20 hours ago, ggm1960 said:

There's no reason to think otherwise, I'll likely show up at one of your gigs!

I'd like that, and if possible, I'd show up on yours.

[daddymack]

ggm, just curious if you have been tested for Covid?

[Notes_Norton]

My brother-in-law is a Fox watcher, Trump fan, herd immunity preacher, anti-masker, it's just the flu believer, and other than that, an all-around good guy.

He called to say he now has a big red S on his chest, for Stupid.

His wife, son, and future daughter-in-law all now have COVID and the hospitals are so full they have patients in the corridors because there are no rooms for them.

Herd immunity sounds great until you and/or your loved ones get sick. If you get this dreaded disease there is no Ctrl+Z, Command+Z, or Undo. You can't go back and put that mask on or avoid that gathering. Instead you have to deal with the consequences and you might end up with a big S on your chest, for stupid.

Insights and incites by Notes

[ggm1960]

7 hours ago, daddymack said:

ggm, just curious if you have been tested for Covid?

I believe I posted somewhere here perhaps roughly a month ago that my wife had volunteered for testing to ad to the data, it was easily accessible for her because she's a professional at the University Hospital/Clinics. It took a couple days for the results that she was negative. I reasoned it was safe to assume I didn't have it either since she's negative and neither of us were experiencing symptoms. We both feel it's possible we'd had it around the first week of January but that's a different test.

As a critical thinker I was left wondering how contagious it actually is since for the test they must shove a cotton swab deep up into your nose. Any speculation on that?

[daddymack]

No speculation, I had the test done as did my wife, who is a higher risk than I am.

[Voltan]

march 15th i was at universal studios and had been there for four days. i hung out with drummers from marching bands from all over the country, literally brushed shoulders with folks from all over this rock...  i observed young children, picking up skittles from the ground and eating them as their parents whisked them lovingly along their way, nuzzling and kissing them...  sharing those same whatever that was from the bottom of your flip flop...   i stared in awestruck amazement as a fully grown and otherwise apparently functional human female noticed she had a brown smear of something on her palm after holding the handrail on the power walkway...and LICKED HER PALM to get the sticky, hard to remove whatever it was... she had to LICK IT TWICE and rub it off on her pants...and made the nasty face...  omfh!  and every human being large and small must then touch the same greasy,  piece of feces covered blue and white plastic hand sanitzer god...   touch it!!!     it will save you!

i couldnt bring myself to touch the foul beast even once...  soap and water in no touch dispensers in every bathroom...  

in watching the humans i realized that there is no way, no way in hell that any of us are not going to get this...   no way around it. period. i worked in critical care...  medically fragile folks in quarantine...  i understand what it means to get things “clean enough” to not spread contagions...   and frankly, we are incapable. we cant even wear a mask without having a tantrum...  ive had to take folks to hospitals in our area for non c19 issues and youre looking at 6 to 8 hours wait to be seen...  icus are full...    fifteen minutes ago, our senior walks into the house...  he had been at graduation rehearsal at the high school...   i asked him if he was aware that we live in floridumb? the c19 spike central of the redneck riviera?  that there was, as in used to be, a reason i had sequestered myself away from family and friends...  

jellyfish have been around for millenia... no brains, no social order...  

[Notes_Norton]

14 hours ago, Voltan said:

<...snip...>

jellyfish have been around for millenia... no brains, no social order...  

So have cockroaches and red ants.

I've often thought humans are the smartest animals on the planet and at the same time the dumbest animals on the planet.

One brother-in-law is a world famous doctor among other doctors and he tells us how bad this plague is and how we need to protect ourselves. "You don't want to catch this disease" he says.

Another BIL (his brother) is a Trump/DeathSantis fan, a Faux News watcher, an "it's like the flu" believer, and an anti-masker. This BIL now has a wife, son, and future daughter-in-law all with COVID and the hospital is so full people are in beds in the hallway. It's too late for Ctrl+Z or Command+Z. He can't UNDO this. He now says he has a big S on his chest, for "Stupid."

A little piece of cloth on your face is not really a big deal, unless you want to make it one. Unfortunately those misleading our once great country have chosen to divide and conquer us.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

[ggm1960]

1 hour ago, Notes_Norton said:

an anti-masker.

 

I came up with a new term, rather than Antifa, it's Antima!

[Voltan]

2 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

So have cockroaches and red ants.

I've often thought humans are the smartest animals on the planet and at the same time the dumbest animals on the planet.

One brother-in-law is a world famous doctor among other doctors and he tells us how bad this plague is and how we need to protect ourselves. "You don't want to catch this disease" he says.

Another BIL (his brother) is a Trump/DeathSantis fan, a Faux News watcher, an "it's like the flu" believer, and an anti-masker. This BIL now has a wife, son, and future daughter-in-law all with COVID and the hospital is so full people are in beds in the hallway. It's too late for Ctrl+Z or Command+Z. He can't UNDO this. He now says he has a big S on his chest, for "Stupid."

A little piece of cloth on your face is not really a big deal, unless you want to make it one. Unfortunately those misleading our once great country have chosen to divide and conquer us.

Insights and incites by Notes

 

roaches and ant have brains, ants an incredibly intense social structure... so while i get what youre saying, jellies are about as opposite from us as it gets...  and theyve been around longer than insects, worms, dinosaurs, mammals, the list goes on...  

[ggm1960]

 

[Notes_Norton]

On 7/24/2020 at 12:32 PM, Voltan said:

roaches and ant have brains, ants an incredibly intense social structure... so while i get what youre saying, jellies are about as opposite from us as it gets...  and theyve been around longer than insects, worms, dinosaurs, mammals, the list goes on...  

You have a point.

And bacteria longer than that. And in a way, bacteria are immortal.

Think about it.

So you have this bacterium and it splits in two. Which is the original? The only logical answer is both.

So those two split now you have four. Which is the original? The only logical answer is all 4. There is no way to choose which is the original is there?

Then 16 originals, then 32 ... ... ... ... ... Down the road there are zillions. You may kill a few and yes, some of them are gone, but all the ones left are all the original.

Sometimes I think we humans are simply a life-support system for our mitochondria. All 7 species that have lived in humans since the beginning live on today.

Notes

[Mikeo]

On 7/23/2020 at 7:22 PM, Voltan said:

march 15th i was at universal studios and had been there for four days. i hung out with drummers from marching bands from all over the country, literally brushed shoulders with folks from all over this rock...  i observed young children, picking up skittles from the ground and eating them as their parents whisked them lovingly along their way, nuzzling and kissing them...  sharing those same whatever that was from the bottom of your flip flop...   i stared in awestruck amazement as a fully grown and otherwise apparently functional human female noticed she had a brown smear of something on her palm after holding the handrail on the power walkway...and LICKED HER PALM to get the sticky, hard to remove whatever it was... she had to LICK IT TWICE and rub it off on her pants...and made the nasty face...  omfh!  and every human being large and small must then touch the same greasy,  piece of feces covered blue and white plastic hand sanitzer god...   touch it!!!     it will save you!

i couldnt bring myself to touch the foul beast even once...  soap and water in no touch dispensers in every bathroom...  

in watching the humans i realized that there is no way, no way in hell that any of us are not going to get this...   no way around it. period. i worked in critical care...  medically fragile folks in quarantine...  i understand what it means to get things “clean enough” to not spread contagions...   and frankly, we are incapable. we cant even wear a mask without having a tantrum...  ive had to take folks to hospitals in our area for non c19 issues and youre looking at 6 to 8 hours wait to be seen...  icus are full...    fifteen minutes ago, our senior walks into the house...  he had been at graduation rehearsal at the high school...   i asked him if he was aware that we live in floridumb? the c19 spike central of the redneck riviera?  that there was, as in used to be, a reason i had sequestered myself away from family and friends...  

jellyfish have been around for millenia... no brains, no social order...  

 disgusting

My buddy teaches HS in the area here and although we have done ok in the Northern Hillbilly Berkshire, the schools are working on a game plan. 

HS graduation for his student was this weekend 2 months behind the normal.

There will be a whole protocol  with the students and cleaning all surfaces before and at the end of each class, masks will be worn at all times.

I asked him, do you think you'll be dead before or after Christmas. He replied, probably before Thanksgiving.

Everyone agrees that kids do better and learn better in a classroom environment, but still.

 

Now there's 2 people on my street that work at Williams College. Just in case folks have never heard of this private liberal arts college, it's about 55 grand to attend. The word is they are opening and all classes will be online. The students I guess get to remain in the 12X8 foot rooms.  Not everyone has to shell out the full costs, but the 2000 students come from all over the 4 corners of the globe. The gal I know is a bit scared and says this should be interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Notes_Norton]

Another problem with opening schools is that they are air conditioned and not built for fresh air anymore.

It's been proven that the air conditioner, unless equipped with hospital grade filtration systems (read: very expensive) simply recirculate virus cells around and around causing a build up on the people as new exhalations add to the total quantity.

Our governor in Florida is pushing to open schools, but none of the children in his extended family are going to sit in classrooms. I doubt that the children in Trump's extended family are either.

The leader should not ask others to do what he/she does not do.

And yes, I know children do better in a classroom situation. But a sacrifice for a year seems to me would do less harm than catching and spreading a very contagious disease that can result in death and/or permanent major organ damage.

Back on the thread...

Which is exactly why if I get offered a gig, there will be a lot to consider before I accept or reject it.

Right now, they would have to be outdoors, no Air Conditioned gigs for me. I can't wear a mask and play sax or wind synth. Social distance needs to be in place as well, the closest human to the band should be at least 10 feet away and downwind.

There are no good answers, but our leaders need to choose the lesser of the evils for the population, not the best solution for their bank accounts (which is what too many of them are doing).

Insights and incites by Notes.

[daddymack]

1 hour ago, Notes_Norton said:

...but our leaders need to choose the lesser of the evils for the population, not the best solution for their bank accounts (which is what too many of them are doing).

Insights and incites by Notes.

and their re-election campaign coffers...

I was surprised that Trump actually is finally agreeing that wearing a mask is a good idea, four months later...but the damage he already has done can not be undone.

[Notes_Norton]

22 hours ago, daddymack said:

and their re-election campaign coffers...

I was surprised that Trump actually is finally agreeing that wearing a mask is a good idea, four months later...but the damage he already has done can not be undone.

He "Changed His Mind" because they finally convinced him the denial was hurting his re-election possibilities. Hopefully the damage to that re-election is already done.

At the last minute, the Elephants will put out fraudulent press on Facebook, Fox and worse to discredit the other side. By doing it and blitzing it the other side doesn't have enough time to defend themselves.

Like they did with Clinton's e-mail server which she got from Rice and which was installed by Powell. It was OK when they did it, and a big crime with she followed suit. Remember, she wasn't convicted of anything and was way ahead in the polls before that fraud happened.

Without the Internet, they've done these dirty tricks since at least Reagan.

And if you don't want to lose your social security read this WIKI page and then follow it up with your own research elsewhere.

Notes

[ggm1960]

On 7/26/2020 at 11:37 AM, daddymack said:

and their re-election campaign coffers...

I was surprised that Trump actually is finally agreeing that wearing a mask is a good idea, four months later...but the damage he already has done can not be undone.

 

On 7/27/2020 at 10:01 AM, Notes_Norton said:

He "Changed His Mind" because they finally convinced him the denial was hurting his re-election possibilities. Hopefully the damage to that re-election is already done.

At the last minute, the Elephants will put out fraudulent press on Facebook, Fox and worse to discredit the other side. By doing it and blitzing it the other side doesn't have enough time to defend themselves.

Notes

I'm seeing a lot of references to politics, have you typically turned to politicians for your behavior modeling?

[daddymack]

no, but unfortunately it was politicians who allowed this situation to get where it is by not listening to the experts. Other countries recognized the pandemic early on and made the right choices, and they are in a far better position now than we are...which includes the fact that we don't have gigs. Can't fly to Europe, either...

As an aside, please have a look here...https://www.saveourstages.com/

Independent venues are failing, they need help, ours, fans...everybody.

[ggm1960]

1 hour ago, daddymack said:

no, but unfortunately it was politicians who allowed this situation to get where it is by not listening to the experts. Other countries recognized the pandemic early on and made the right choices, and they are in a far better position now than we are...which includes the fact that we don't have gigs. Can't fly to Europe, either...

As an aside, please have a look here...https://www.saveourstages.com/

Independent venues are failing, they need help, ours, fans...everybody.

I actually do have gigs, doing another this weekend at a place on Lake of the Ozarks.

 

Blaming politicians just seems so nonobjective and narrow minded to me, after all, when have politicians ever been able to stop a global pandemic? Let's also not forget that China seems to have attempted to cover up the apparent severity and the USA had allowed itself to become heavily dependent upon imports from there! 

According to time lines that are verifiable:

December 31: Reports emerge that China investigating illness 
Reports emerge that the Chinese government is investigating an "outbreak of respiratory illness in the central city of Wuhan".

January 6-8: CDC issues a series of warnings, alerts
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues travel warnings for Americans wishing to go to China to take extra precautions. It also says it is closely monitoring the virus, but there are no known cases in the US. 

January 16: CDC says US will screen passengers arriving from Wuhan
The CDC holds a briefing on the virus and officials say the US will start to screen passengers arriving from or connecting through Wuhan. 

January 21: First US case confirmed
The first case is confirmed in a traveller who had recently visited China and returned to Washington state.

January 29: US coronavirus task force created
The White House starts its coronavirus response task force, headed by US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. 

January 31: Trump blocks travel from China

Trump issues an executive order blocking entry to the US from anyone who has been in China in the last 14 days. It does not apply to US residents and family members or spouses of US residents or citizens.

Nancy Pelosi Visits San Francisco's Chinatown Amid Coronavirus Concerns
By NBC Bay Area staff • Published February 24, 2020 • Updated on February 25, 2020 at 7:05 am

"Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi toured San Francisco's Chinatown Monday to send a message. She said there's no reason tourists or locals should be staying away from the area because of coronavirus concerns."

Just trying to present some alternative perspectives based on what appears to be factual data.

[daddymack]

yes an all through January, until he had no other way out, our President said it was a hoax, that it would go away, that only a few people had it...all the while the CDC and WHO were telling him and leaders elsewhere it was a potentially deadly pandemic. South Korea beat it. New Zealand beat it. The yare far closer to China than we are...but their leadeship took the advice of the experts. Ours didn't and we have 150,000 people dead, that is like a small city of dead people. 

I get it, your state, for whatever reason, likely lack of tourism, may not be seeing the numbers that Florida, NY, Texas, California and others are seeing, but mark my words, you are not impervious. No one is, no place in this country is safe from it. I blame politicians because had the Feds and Trump given a unified view from the start, without all the hyperbole and lies, yes lies, Trump foisted on the ignorant, things would be better now.

[Notes_Norton]

You can't talk about COVID and it's implications on working musicians without talking politics.

I'm a +50 year registered independent, moderate voter and I reserve the right to blame people from either party.

The present administration thought their self-image and personal financial gains were more important than the lives of their constituents and thousands died because of that. It's not the first time the present administration put their personal needs above the law and their constituents, and by not pointing that out, we run the risk of rewarding them with a re-election. That will make our return to gigging pushed much farther to the future.

The present administration touted non-mask wearing, injecting bleach into our veins, it's a hoax, it'll be gone by April, take hydroxychloroquine, don't listen to the scientists instead listen to the real-estate salesman, and on and on and on and on.

Thanks to Trump and his anti-mask Republicans and Fox propaganda station my sister-in-law, her son and his fiance have COVID because Trump and Fox told them masks were unnecessary and they believed the propaganda.

I criticized Obama, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Reagan for what I thought they did wrong, but none of them were as totally incompetent as Trump and his GOP sycophants. After all, what kind of a businessman can bankrupt a gambling casino? And why would anyone vote for someone who previously had been found guilty of fraud multiple times? Oh that's right Hillary used the server she inherited from Rice who inherited it from Powell who installed the first one. Duh.

If we don't realize the incompetence of our present rulers, we won't learn our lessen and we might re-elect them so we get another 4 years of selfish greed and incompetence.

Trump and his GOP Cronies are the reason why the USA is THE hot spot of CORONA in the world. Poverty stricken India with a billion more people than us has far fewer COVID deaths. China with a billion more than us has a fraction of our deaths. Other countries have this almost under control, and their live music will go back to work probably years before we do (there, I'm back on thread).

I'm sorry, this is the fault of Trump and his Republican sycophants and if we don't get them out of office, we won't fix this problem.

I'm sorry DM if I stepped over the line, but somebody had to say it. I'll try to be good now.

Insights, incites and a minor rant by Notes

 

[ggm1960]

5 hours ago, Notes_Norton said:

You can't talk about COVID and it's implications on working musicians without talking politics.

I'm sorry, this is the fault of Trump and his Republican sycophants and if we don't get them out of office, we won't fix this problem.

Insights, incites and a minor rant by Notes

 

I'm going to agree, however, from a completely opposite perspective. Ever since Trump won the election the left has been beside itself, in fact, democrats appear completely willing to allow the USA to be destroyed if that will bring him down. There hasn't been anything like it since they attempted to break from the Union to preserve slavery. They've tried "election interference", Russia, impeachment, smear campaigns and anything else they can think of but nothing could damage the strong economy and America first agenda until a new idea came to them sometime between the end of February and mid March. Between the time Nancy Pelosi was running around Chinatown telling everyone not to worry because Trump was just a fear mongering racist for closing down travel from China and St. Patrick's Day someone saw a new golden opportunity, ie; let's make 'rona the scariest thing since Jason Voorhees. Actually it was brilliant because they knew the media was more than willing to jump aboard and, surprisingly to me, a large segment of the population are so gullible they will just believe whatever their TV's tell them. It's the only rational explanation because the numbers and data just don't add up.

A little history to supplement and substantiate my theory may be in order. Back in 1968 I was eight years old and attending Saticoy grade school in North Hollywood. In September of that year the first occurrence of the H3N2 virus (Hong Kong Flu) appeared in the States. According to the CDC site here it took out 100,000 Americans with an estimated 1 million people worldwide and, of course, it still exists today. Much like COVID-19 it appears to have been worse for folks 65 and older. Through it all life did not change for anyone I knew.....at all, nothing was shut down, school went on as always and I never saw people running around with masks on, even in the crowded Valley and beyond. I don't even remember hearing about it but certainly I've just forgotten, I was particularly young.

Fast forward to 2009 and we have the H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic. According to the CDC site here it was particularly dangerous for children whereas COVID-19 is not despite the big argument now occurring over children returning to school. Although the death rate was much lower there were an estimated 60 million cases and again, stores, businesses, schools, government offices and everything else remained open.

"There are 219 virus species that are known to be able to infect humans. The first of these to be discovered was yellow fever virus in 1901, and three to four new species are still being found every year."

How are any of us still alive?

I know this will not resonant with you, or others too deeply steeped in partisan politics, but I believe it's important to get this information out there for others to see because the panic and hysteria just needs to stop!!