So "many" gigs, so little stamina.

[Shaster]

I was getting pretty comfortable doing zero to two gigs a month, all through most of 2020 and 2021. April 2022 comes, and somebody switched on the lights. It's not that so much that Covid is over, it just seems like the media has stopped talking about it and so everyone is ready to go. So I did ten gigs in April and it was way too much. For the moment, I seem to have lost that killer instinct to hit the stage every day (or every other day). I guess I'm a couple of years older and maybe wiser but man, I just don't have the gig stamina that I used to have.  Anyone else lose their desire to load gear and play Sweet Caroline day after day? Okay, maybe that song was a bad example...

[daddymack]

10 hours ago, Shaster said:

I was getting pretty comfortable doing zero to two gigs a month, all through most of 2020 and 2021. April 2022 comes, and somebody switched on the lights. It's not that so much that Covid is over, it just seems like the media has stopped talking about it and so everyone is ready to go. So I did ten gigs in April and it was way too much. For the moment, I seem to have lost that killer instinct to hit the stage every day (or every other day). I guess I'm a couple of years older and maybe wiser but man, I just don't have the gig stamina that I used to have.  Anyone else lose their desire to load gear and play Sweet Caroline day after day? Okay, maybe that song was a bad example...

wrong song to reference during Covfefe, fersher, dude:

Hands, touching hands
Reaching out, touching me, touching you 😉

 

I have heard a few guys mention they feel 'out of shape' for gigging.

Me? My transition/re-invention to full-on solo is almost complete, so I will find out shortly...but as to side work, I've been fortunate...it has been slow, but predictable...if sometimes downright weird dealing with the mask on/mask off scenarios.

[Notes_Norton]

After almost 2 years of covfefe unemployment, someone turned the switch "on" in February. 14 or more gigs per month.

May starts the traditional slow season, we're doing 14 this month, but only 10 next month. But that's about 5 better than usual for this time of year. We usually make 3/4 of our yearly money between Haloween and Easter.

During the plague, we were keeping our chops up by rehearsing an hour or so per day, 3 or 4 days per week. Then in February our first gig came, after one hour we were mentally ready to pack it up!!! Stamina? What stamina?

We're over that now. It feels good to be back at it.

We play with our audience, get crowd participation, for example: They sing "Ride Sally Ride" with us, The chorus to Jimmy Buffet's "Volcano". "Boo-La" in the Rascals' "Good Lovin" (Instead of good lovin), and during Sweet Caroline they sing the horn stabs "Wo Wo Wo" and "so good so good so good".

The audience loves the tired old 'war horse' songs, and are eager to participate in the shtick that we dream up. We even call them our background singers, "The Mormon Bait And Tackle Choir" and in the winter, when the Canadians are down, 3 or 4 of them will stand next to us, sing along, and direct the newbies when to sing along.

We have other running gags, celebrate silly holidays, share lame jokes (the lamer the better), and so on. Our following is like extended family to us. One guy invites us out on his +40' boat, we know so many personally enough to share their triumphs, and offer sympathy for their losses.

We have a following, and basically, we play music and goof-off with them. It's not a gig, it's a party.

For Mrs. Notes and I, gigging is our second favorite thing to do

Notes ♫

[Shaster]

Glad you are back at it Notes, and have found your second wind, although.... that last bit was possibly TMI! Of course maybe your second favourite thing to do is play checkers, and my mind is in the wrong place

[DeepEnd]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:05 AM, daddymack said:

wrong song to reference during Covfefe, fersher, dude:

Hands, touching hands
Reaching out, touching me, touching you 😉

In the early days of COVID, Neil made a YouTube version about "Hands washing hands..." I, for one, appreciated it.

[Shaster]

On 5/20/2022 at 6:05 AM, daddymack said:

if sometimes downright weird dealing with the mask on/mask off scenarios.

I'm still playing out at the airport, and masks are still mandatory inside the terminal, but not necessarily in the hotel. I can never keep track of when or where, so I just wear my mask on the breaks. It's easier that way.

[Shaster]

3 minutes ago, DeepEnd said:

In the early days of COVID, Neil made a YouTube version about "Hands washing hands..." I, for one, appreciated it.

Cool. He seems to be a good sport about his songs. I guess if he's made that much money from them, he is happy to give back.

[Notes_Norton]

I guess people just got sick of hibernating, figured COVID is here to stay, most of us got vaccinated, and we figured the jab should keep us from dying, so we might as well get back to living.

Whether we are right or wrong, it will be judged in the future.

I'm fortunate to live in coastal Florida where there are so many outdoor gigs. Outside it does seem safer. Of course, the salt-air is hard on the gear, but the gear can be replaced much easier than lungs can.

 

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

[Notes_Norton]

Our one-day-per-week outdoors (under cover) at the hotel on the beach has turned into to three days per week. Two afternoons and one morning for brunch.

Plus the RV Resort and a few other places. It's summer, supposedly slack time, and we're doing 15 or more gigs per month, that's like the winter season work. It's tiring, but delightful. (It's a good kind of tired.)

Here's where we gig 3x/week. Facing south - the public beach is directly to the east, and the picture is taken from the edge of a huge public park.

It's open-air, good restaurant, and full bar.

The booths out front are add-ons, each holds 6, and they rock. To the left (stage right) they bring out picnic tables with umbrellas for the overflow. It's a fun gig.

 

Notes ♫

[Shaster]

Nice work if you can get it - and you obviously got it! Looks like a cool little spot.

I've been playing this private members club that restarted about a month ago, supposedly for their patio. The weather has been so bad up here, that so far, all the gigs have been inside. I'm supposed to do a different "pop up patio" gig this Friday, but the weather isn't looking all that great. Oh well, at least our fire season might be lighter this year.

[Notes_Norton]

We almost got rained out yesterday.

It's the rainy season in Florida, and the arrangement is, if we set the gear up, we get paid.

Florida is unique. The peninsula heats up in the summer, and the hot air rises. The cooler air from the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast, and the Atlantic on the east, rush to take its place. This creates huge thunderstorms. Then as the storms cool the land, the reverse is true and they slowly move to both coasts.

Sometimes they hit us, sometimes they miss and hit others.

The places where we play have protection from 'normal' t-storms, but every once in a while we get an extremely violent one with 60mph wind and up to nickel sized hail. We had one of those on Monday - thankfully we weren't gigging on Monday afternoon. All the industrial, drop-down plastic and canvas shades aren't enough for something like that.

We also carry a huge tarp to cover our gear - just in case.

[Shaster]

Good rain policy re: if the gear is set you get paid. My Friday gig was cancelled today, and the most I can hope for is a rebooking. Here's a shot. Not sure what kind of car(s) are in the pic, but they usually don't park your car out front unless it's a least a couple of hundred thousand. Yep, it's that kind of a place, which is fine by me. The really wealthy people are often very relaxed and friendly.

 

Edited June 10, 2022 by Shaster

[Notes_Norton]

I played at a grand opening of a club in Palm Beach many years ago. It was by invitation only and Rolls-Royce's, Ferraris, and Maserati's were common. By the third set, over half the people were either naked or almost naked. It was a good party. Definitely not stuffy rich people.

I've also played in mobile home parks where retirees can't afford much else, and that's fine with me too.

As long as the audience is having fun, I'm having fun. And if the audience isn't having fun, either I'm totally mis-booked, or it's my fault.

 

Notes ♫

[Notes_Norton]

On 6/10/2022 at 12:05 AM, Shaster said:

Good rain policy re: if the gear is set you get paid.  <...snip...>

We loaded the van last night, drove to the gig site, which is outdoors but on a large covered patio. Torrential rains, mph winds, no way to stay dry.

So we didn't play, didn't get paid, didn't have the fun of performing, did half the work by loading the van at home, and unloading it when we got back.

The restaurant and waitresses didn't make any money, either. These things happen.

It's the rainy season in Florida, and the past few days have been wicked. At least our regular gig has enough area to keep us protected for all but the most extreme rains. We did that on Thursday, and stayed almost dry.

Notes ♫

[Notes_Norton]

Afternoon gig went OK. Rain to the north, rain to the south, and we were spared. The one last night sported +60mph wind gusts, according to the newspaper.

I'm getting to like post-COVID outdoor day-gigs, but I get nervous about the water and my ability to keep my gear safe.

We carry a big tarp and plastic bags for security, and try to keep our eyes open so if one comes up in a hurry, it won't surprise us.

By mid-July, the storms should be less violent (if it's a normal year - but with climate change - will it ever be normal again?)

Notes ♫