How many here play live vs. do not play live?

  • As a hobby-guitarist, I love playing live for now 40 years (up to 40 gigs per year). Our last rehearsal was end of october last year (now 6 months ago !!), I miss it so bad.

    Though since last year I'm in my home-studio with my Toaster and having fun in making new songs and sounds.


    Some gigs (in autumn) are still booked, but many venues we formerly played had to give up.

    Still bad times.....

  • It's not hard to see that when live music becomes anything close to normal again people will crave getting out. At least initially, there should be a fair amount of opportunity for all levels of players.

    At the same time, I don't see normal returning any time soon. There are a handful of live events where I live - but these are limited and ticketed events. Local gig bands are largely still out in the cold and none of the clubs that cater to live music are operating. Mandates are being lifted in some areas. Texas has done so and the jury is still out, but (shockingly) they recently reported above-average case/death numbers this week.

    Not sure if this helps but I've been really encouraged in the UK that venues are reaching out now and booking gigs for later in the year.


    So far I think our band has about 6 or 7 which is only slightly less than normal for a half year ( normally do about 20 per year with The Cult tribute band) and we've not really tried to book.


    Those gigs are likely to have restrictions etc. but its a glimmer of normality. One venue we have offered to play for next to nothing to help them get started again - I just hope bands and venues will help each other.


    No doubt it will take time and some countries are at different stages to others but things will improve brother, stay positive :).

  • Around 50 gigs per year before the virus.


    7 gigs in 2020.


    2 gigs in 2021. Next one is in May 1. Maybe.


    I hope we will have a lot of work when/if this ends. Private and public.


    And yes, I think people want live music again. And they'll loose the panic and forget the virus in a few months, until the next one.

  • Gigged about 12 times a year pre-COVID. I'm definitely looking forward to being able to do so again.

    Pedal Board (Fuzz Fella>ClinchFX Pico>Flashback>Alter Ego>Unit67)>Kemper Floor>SD PS170>Kabinet

  • Played out from early 80s to '89 then stopped. Picked back up in 2009 and just quit playing out a few months before Covid hit. I'm too busy. I take care of a 98 year old mother and have other things going on.

    I may end up in a band again one day, but I got burned out on the effort it took to learn tunes, rehearse, play bars in which most people are on their phones/watching TV and for $100 a night. Not worth it.

    I'd rather work on music *I* like and get into some recording.....may write something.


    The Kemper is still there, though. Nothing touches it for killer sound at home (as well as stage).

    The key to everything is patience.
    You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.
    -- Arnold H. Glasow


    If it doesn't produce results, don't do it.

    -- Me

  • I may end up in a band again one day, but I got burned out on the effort it took to learn tunes, rehearse, play bars in which most people are on their phones/watching TV and for $100 a night. Not worth it.

    I'd rather work on music *I* like and get into some recording.....may write something.

    That's exactly the destination I'm returning from. Quit gigging for precisely this reason and have spent over a decade as an isolated studio rat.


    I play classic rock, so the few venues that still book that kind of music are less than impressive here in Atlanta, and often have more TVs than people. And of course, the money has always been crap. Nonetheless, I really miss performing live. Being in a band is also a different social experience than doing solo work in the studio.


    So, I'm now in the middle of trying to find the right guys to play with, including bands that were gigging but are down a man and just trying to put together my own thing. I'd forgotten how much fun Craigslist can be.


    This is further complicated by the fact that my preferences in classic rock aren't Eagles, Beatles and Stones for a polite restaurant gig but rather Deep Purple, Green Day and AC / DC with the appropriate levels of sweat and adrenaline. It's been a challenge trying to find people who like this genre of music but aren't too old to rock and roll. That's more literal than you might think.


    Apparently I'm an oddity in the animal kingdom, but this comes as a surprise to no one.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

  • I play in a 5pc cover band. We used to perform 1-2 shows per month pre-pandemic. Last gig was November 2020. We do have a few shows coming up end of July and August. The good thing is since we couldn't play out, we decided to focus on writing and recording original music. We are just wrapping up recording the last couple songs and then we'll start on album 2. I long for the days of being able to go out and see live music. There's a lot of pent-up demand out there.

  • Playing in 2 cover bands 2-3 times per month since November, some outdoors which is nice, and safer of course. I also do a solo piano gig once or twice per month.

    Gary ô¿ô

  • Similar boat in the same port (fellow Atlantan here). Just left may last band after about 5 years, due to a number of factors, but finding (or building) a replacement is HARD! :(


    P.S. Nothing wrong with your leanings, in my book. That's along the same lines I cross over, although, ideally, I am hoping for something a little more on the Americana meets power-pop and/or garage rock side (Petty, Drive By Truckers, Old 97s, etc.) for my next project. Maybe we should touch base and share leads and maybe even jam sometime.

    Pedal Board (Fuzz Fella>ClinchFX Pico>Flashback>Alter Ego>Unit67)>Kemper Floor>SD PS170>Kabinet

    Edited 2 times, last by LordByron ().

  • This is further complicated by the fact that my preferences in classic rock aren't Eagles, Beatles and Stones for a polite restaurant gig but rather Deep Purple, Green Day and AC / DC with the appropriate levels of sweat and adrenaline. It's been a challenge trying to find people who like this genre of music but aren't too old to rock and roll. That's more literal than you might think.


    Apparently I'm an oddity in the animal kingdom, but this comes as a surprise to no one.

    Right on Chris, you're not so odd, or rare. Quite a few of us in that boat.