…we had our first since lock-down recently - it was a private outdoor event. But no one was allowed to sing along or have a dance. All a bit odd! We even had to distance ourselves from each other in the band (which meant I couldn’t look over the guitarist’s shoulder at his tab sheet!!)
We played at a private location this weekend. I’m guessing it was right around the 250 people limit that we have in Pennsylvania currently. Everyone wore a mask and kept their distance from one another.
Is what I’d like to say…
In truth, there was closer to 400 people there, and no one had a mask on and no one kept their distance.
My bandmates and I were as careful as we could be, but the crowd was not. We were careful about sanitizing our hands and not touching our faces, and not leaning in to hear what the drunk people were yelling at us during and after the show. I don’t know what else we could’ve done. Yell at people over the mic to spread out and stay away?
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I haven’t yet played out since the virus struck hard here but I know some folks that are and they tell me that private parties and some lakeside bar and lounge gigs are having the same thing take place as Robb saw. Overcrowded venues where the customers get a little loose and forget the situation and let off some steam. The musicians just do their best to stay safe without having to be the bad guy towards the audience just like Robb and his group. The restaurants / lounges however are much more within the requested behaviors our state set out and the folks I know that are out playing think those gigs are safe to do.
Dave
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I’m in one of the hardest hit states and there is NOTHING going on, unless it is a private event, in which case, it would be exactly that. As for public venues, it is like live music never existed. Every venue that I am aware of in the 3 major cities nearest me are shut down. We are setting records for cases, hospitalizations and deaths on a daily basis, and I am not going to be one of them. I see on the news all the time how people simply don’t bother wearing masks because it is their “God given right not to”. If you add liquor to that scenario, I don’t want to be anywhere near it. I wonder if there is a market for a virtual wedding band for a virtual wedding? Anyone?..Buhler? …Buhler? 
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The venues here were opened about the last week of June. They were closed again within 2 weeks. During those two weeks, I was offered 3 gigs. I said “Hell No” cause I saw what was going on. The bands had to social distance on small stages, yet the drunks were packing the joints, no masks, and crowding the stages. Supposed “half” occupancy could have been shut down for violating fire safety laws. Beatle St is open though…major city revenue involved there.
Every house party with bands have been shut down, mainly because of huge gatherings. As one of my drummers said, as he invited me to his party, “I don’t know one person that has, or had the virus”. I am thinking…who is that stranger by the pool?
Gigging is not my current priority. After major depression in the 1st 6 weeks, I decided to practice with self-made backing tracks and learning things I’ve never tried or forgot. When gigging comes back, I am gonna be a better musician, and one bad-ass motherf***er on any instrument I play. Dig it.
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Since the slowdown started for me I have more than a dozen multi track projects going with 10 in the can and I feel like it has improved my playing as well. All home grown stuff so the styles are varied with 3 different writers. I stepped up as producer so I did distanced recording sessions at first and now I am using the web to pass around any stems that are new or redone at other folks houses where they have small home setups too. I do the main mixes here and post mp3 mixdowns to gather feedback from the artists and then use that to finalize the mixes so it has helped my studio engineering and production efforts too. A big takeaway for me was how well the B-3X sits in all the mixes I used it in, it truly has most musicians around here wondering how in hell I could afford the studio time with a real one 
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Nice Dave!!
Thanks Corky, glad you are moving forward through all this … tough times for so many so any positive word is great to hear …
Cheers,
Dave
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Just being my bad-ass self!! 
BTW…your project is almost done. I extended it into a YouTube thing, but my few video skills needed major sharpening. Glad to see you are staying busy with the multitracks. 
Stay golden pony boy. 
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Did my first one on July 20 - small theatre location, which we were allowed to fill up to 30%. Crowd had to distance.
I have 2 more, one next Saturday and one the Saturday after. Both in similar circumstances.
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That’s crazy, one of the songs I wrote is called ‘Pony’ , go figure 
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I tend to not do much music in the summer as I tend to be outside - and we have had a cracking summer, but the nights are drawing in, so time to think of what to do music wise. I can’t see the gig scene returning to normal anytime soon, and I think it will finish off even more venues. I now know professionals who are being laid off - like the professional sound engineer we used to hire for our Welsh Floyd gigs (who still liked to support semi-pro local bands). Very sad.
So what to do? I can’t see Welsh Floyd being resurrected any time soon and that is a lot of effort for too much risk in terms of getting a return right now.
I have been threatening for a long time to put together a small electronic music solo show for my local venue. I can offer that as a freebie for a private party first and see if it goes down well. So that is what I think I will be doing. I have a stack of ideas (sometimes just nice sound combinations I have noted) that I need to work through.
So that will be my objective to get back out there in a low key manner.
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That’s cause I am Psychic…er rather, Psycho. 
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Only a private party. 30 People…
Great to play live a bit.
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Nice thing about being/getting old is that time flies. 2021 will come as quick as next month’s bills.
Of all of our gigs that canceled (who offered us to keep their deposit) I told them that we will apply their deposit for their booking us in 2021. That keeps the hooks in for next year. They overwhelmingly thought that it was a great idea.
I am cool waiting until 2021. I have dialed in the best performance setup I have ever had, so far.
We have reconfigured our band, had time to integrate a young female vocalist, and are ready to go for next year. We have shed some of the negative dross in the band, and this break has given us the miracle of not having to back out of gigs, allowed us to retain our customers, keep the hooks in with the deposits and not miss a beat. So, it’s all good here, so far.
I cleared with the police for us to do a regular monthly “live rehearsal” in our drummer’s community. Word is getting out, and more people keep showing up for a free concert from 6-9pm once a month from his carport. The police actually thanked us for bringing some positive vibes to the community.
That’s just me.
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Glad you are able to do that. People are so needing normalcy, and live music is good for a shut down soul. Small communities seem to be more relaxed…less people, less Govt interference. Not gonna happen here. I am considering rehearsals again, but many of my band mates are not quite ready yet. I am also seeing a few changes in band personnel lately. Been sharpening my rusty instrument skills, but neglected using my voice at all. I found out how terrible it was laying down vocals recently. Ugh! Will take awhile to get it back. I guess I have time though. 
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My sons are both musicians, one of whom works for a studio in SF City as a recording engineer and the other is recently out of the Marines, but my son in SF sent this MEME to my other son and said, “Show this to Dad, he will understand.” I had to laugh! I tried singing on one of my recordings and my sons laughed when they heard it! If you can sing, you are very valuable!
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Hey John
If you have a minute…
There is guy I played with a short period of time. Was never a musician, but someone musta complimented him when he was a karaoke junkie. He worked his way on stage in every live venue around. He and his wife hounded venue bookers until they caved in. He got a band to back him, so now he puts on as if he has been part of the music scene for 50 yrs. Sings very flat, has no personality, and is very obnoxious. He worked his way on stage with one of my bands, and wouldn’t leave. So, I called break time. He came over to me and started talking “back in the day” crap. I had enough, and unloaded on his BS. I’ve been playing in this city since I was 17, and was somewhat offended by his delusions. He then asked to join the band. I told him he had less to offer than the other members. They play an instrument AND sing. I told him “you are just a singer(in his own mind)” and bring nothing more to this band. He went away sulking. He needs the book Homer is reading.
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That is funny! We are looking for a singer in my area, and on my Bandmix.com in no uncertain terms, I indicate that if you suck, we will be sure to let you know. I interview all potential band members and replacements, so I hear you on that!
This reminds me of a gig where a sort of wealthy dude at a Marina (not a Yacht club), approached me at the side of the stage to ask if he could play sax on one of our songs. So I said, “Sure. How bout Mustang Sally.” He said, “Sounds good. Can you play in Bb?” I said, “Of course.” Next thing I know, our audience is splitting apart as we are playing, and this guy is pulling his sports car up to the stage through the crowd to dramatically get out and play sax with us. When he came up, I stopped him at the edge of the stage and said, “This is not your show, I’ve changed my mind about you playing with us.” I was very terrified and furious at the same time. After a few words in front of our audience to show his displeasure, he backed out, angrily. I was worried about the impression i left with our venue, until I noticed that everyone was happy about the boundary we set (even though I was literally shaking with fear and anger). We got the gig later that year and the following 2 years.
I hate that stuff!
I have a dead mic that I talk to the band through their IEM during songs, and on a song after that instance I said in the dead mic, “I think I saw that guy put a rock with a rope around his neck and jumped off the dock.” They were laughing hysterically.
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That’s great 
…and made me remember playing in one of the big venue hotspots here. Old dude staggers up on stage with a sax, and takes over the stage. Drunk as hell, and was playing and singing, even though he had no knowledge of the song we were playing. Again, I called break time. Dude thought it was open mic night. Felt sorry for him, but he was part of the Stax scene in the late 60’s, and everyone just kinda gives him a free pass, and buys him drinks. So did we.
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