Anybody else gig-less and seriously depressed?

[39martind18]

my hands wont move where my head says to go, or at least not fast enough!

I've had that problem ever since I started playing 57 years ago! In my case, my gigs are two hours max, and usually one hour (assisted living centers) since the start of Covid. My arthritic thumb on my right hand has ok days and much worse days. Fortunately, carpal tunnel that flared up in my left wrist has been dormant for a while, which I attribute to my short gigs. If I had to play a 4-hour job, I don't know if I could get through it. I'm blessed to be able to make music on my own, but there are times I would like to have the satisfaction of making music with other(s).

 

[keithb7]

We've picked up gigs again. 2 so far this spring. 2 more booked. I contracted Lucky-19 around Easter. I am still dealing with an annoying lingering cough. Singing is not going so well. We practised last week, we want to as gigs are coming. Lots of hacking still. Another practice this Thurs. Still hacking. Oh well. Hope it's gone for the next gig. May 28.

Moving to another town would be challenging. Starting over, trying to get a new band together.

 

[1955]

I don’t want to be anywhere near a stage, the general public, or a city.

 

[Adriano_shado]

I've never loved much playing live because of the practical stuff: moving two guitars and two (mini, ok) synths, computer, cables etc. But... with the band I'm playing in - It's three years now - we had just one gig just before covid then a ton of cancelled / postponed live opportunities. A disaster. So we played live on YouTube and Twitch. It's totally another story comparing to people screaming and sweating in front of you but believe me, it's cool. If you have some fan-base, it's like playing in someone's (or your) living room / garage, and you can respond to answers or just say "hello" to people in real time. It has its charm.
Of course, all this is a lot easier if you have a small band and you don't need to put 8 mikes on drums .
Ciao.

 

[Old Deaf Roadie]

I'm not 100% convinced I can stay up late enough to gig anymore. I have replaced the band with an informal jam group that "gigs" one party per year. It's not profitable, but lots of fun when we get together, and there's no listening to Mrs. Roadie being catty about the other wives.

 

[uriah1]

Talk about bummer Finally picked up a couple for July and Aug. Now I found out the location
is having a tough time and may go belly up..

Oh well

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I'm 'temporarily bummed' as I actually do play gigs a lot ( all small/modest pay, but steady)
and this is now my income. ( we live in our son's apartment- thankfully!)

But I had 2 really good-paying outside gigs get canceled this past weekend, because of rain.
One was a regular/ Sunday gig, but Saturday's was a local annual Nature Park Festival date. But because of danger.running electricity in the rain, no music, dang it!

I would have made $450 on those 2 gigs ( and of course, in my head, the $$ was already spent...)
Of course, this week is 'light'- just one gig

I'm very grateful to play as much as I do, but things can get frustrating- I'm always anxious-

 

[That Cal Webway]

Before the pandemic I was backing a singer songwriter friend up playing out mostly open mics.

Now there are definitely less open mics and my friend is not doing it anymore.
And the challenge big time has been to find someone else I can back up. I ran ads with video links.

Some great responses but nothing fitting totally that genre.
Not anything depressing and all that, maybe some disappointment- but it's fun to search too!
.

 

[MickM]

I don’t want to be anywhere near a stage, the general public, or a city.

Care to elaborate?

 

[1955]

Care to elaborate?

My work is finished on the dark carpets, the splintered stains and fog glass, sticky xlrs, the timeliness of my elbow pushing out the exit door for bleach mop highways.

They have fallen ill, lost their manners, in a hurry of sardine mischief, the fabric of common courtesy rent and hanging over the drywall mud bucket in the warehouse.

In horror my eyelids stretched in diligent study, perplexed in vexation by the empty beakers rolling away from each other, cold linoleum humanity puffing dark and rancid for the eggs of the flies.

 

[Esquire Jones]

My work is finished on the dark carpets, the splintered stains and fog glass, sticky xlrs, the timeliness of my elbow pushing out the exit door for bleach mop highways.

They have fallen ill, lost their manners, in a hurry of sardine mischief, the fabric of common courtesy rent and hanging over the drywall mud bucket in the warehouse.

In horror my eyelids stretched in diligent study, perplexed in vexation by the empty beakers rolling away from each other, cold linoleum humanity puffing dark and rancid for the eggs of the flies.

Poetry for these times.
Dark but understandable.

 

[ce24]

Well im in a house band for the open mic…..just had 2 free beers and $15 in my pocket for 1.5 hrs of 3 chord bliss. Love it….but busking season is about to begin.

 

[kookaburra]

I was feeling like this... have been for the last couple of years.

I went to see Buzzcocks last night, bumped into 2 old friends in the pub before hand both in the same position and we've decided to try and do something together, they introduced me to a new friend (who's a decent vocalist apparently) ... went to the Buzzcocks and got introduced to someone else who's a drummer and is looking to get something going, so I gave him my number.

Had a great night out and now have two new potential band opportunities. **** sitting at home, you just have to get out there, go and see local bands and meet local musicians.

How are they sounding without Pete Shelly?

 

[Si G X]

How are they sounding without Pete Shelly?

They sound fine and I had a great time.... He's missed though, on some songs more than others.

They play all the 'Steve songs' like Harmony in my head, Autonomy, Girl from the chainstore etc... which all sounded great, but on some of the classic Pete songs, Steve sings them well enough but ... I don't know how to say it... it's just not the same you know? ... it's noticable on some songs more than others. Generally though I wasn't really thinking about it. Steve was really enjoying himself and it was really loud and fun, so still a good night out for £20.

He was playing a fairly modern looking sunburst Tele and the whole band uses Blackstar amps now.

 

[57joonya]

Yup. And all the musician friends I have aren't interested anymore. Settled down, kids and "over that music stuff".

I have the best gear I've ever owned. I'm the best player I've ever been. And I'm reduced to being a bedroom axe-man...

U have to keep up on it somehow at that point - my playing drops down so quick, and inspiration. I feel like last winter I could play damn near anything I wanted ,
And now my skills have dropped considerably . My daughter can’t handle loud noises anymore ,
Like not even an acoustic guitar played downstairs,
So my playing has been dropping like a stone .
I have friends that want to jam ,
Amd I can play at their house almost anytime , but it’s hard with work right now .but it’s all good ,
I’ll get it back .
Try to keep it up if u can …

 

[Tele22]

It's been really hard getting things going again after two years. Fortunately I have a friend who is an excellent musician who likes to meet every now and then just to play, chat and sing.

Sometimes he'll say 'play softer here' or 'this is actually on the off-beat', and the song immediately sounds far, far better. I learn more in 2 hours with him than I learn in months on my own.

So playing with a good musician can be very motivating.

 

[teletail]

Not at all. I have spent the last two years practicing every day so I’d be ready when things opened up. Had about a dozen gigs each year. This year I have 40 on the books for 2022 as of now. Keep the faith!

 

[Nubs]

Started jamming weekly with a little local group. Hopefully it turns into gigging soon!

 

[bettyseldest]

too depressed to even write my tale of woe.

 

[bowman]

I’ve come to terms with it, probably because our band still gets together every Friday and we play for 2-3 hours. It’s very relaxed and fun because we’re not actually rehearsing. I do miss the interaction with other people, but I don’t miss all the other gig things: load in/out, crappy venues, low pay, shady bar owners, etc. An added benefit for me has been more time at home to play and write my own stuff, which I’m finding more enjoyable than I used to. And I’m also getting too old to be arriving home at 4:00 AM from a gig. That’s part of the fun when you’re 25, but I don’t miss it now.