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Anybody gigging?

#22
Bookings starting late March with a couple in May (one or two pending in April) June pretty much every weekend and more through the summer. Twelve dates on the calendar so far with more pending, almost all outdoors except the March date (old large theater with enforced distancing). Seems several of the more established acts locally are gigging some but we've avoided playing indoors for the most part and haven't gigged since cold weather set in.
 
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#23
I had a couple of private outdoor gigs this summer, one outdoor bar gig, a couple of jams... I have been rehearsing with a group, half of which is now vaccinated (not me). We just did a FB live from the local music store (sans audience). It'll come back, but it's all about the summer here. I don't think we're going to be completely back to business by June, and that's gonna hurt. Doesn't hurt my wallet that much- my day job has never been busier. My psyche is another story...but we're in the fifth or sixth inning, right? Sure hope all the venues that have made it this far can stick around!
 
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#26
In Central TX we have some outside gigs booked starting in a couple of weeks, because we've had mild enough WX the last number of years. But, Tuesday's low here is going to be 5f, freezing all week, then 61f Saturday. So booking outside can be a little sketchy. COVID rules the indoor venues for now.
 
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#27
I haven't been gigging. I live in North Carolina. In my area a few places never stopped having bands while many others have been shut down for around a year now. It's different based on how the venue is classified. The "private clubs" are all closed. They aren't being allowed to open at all which means the original music scene around here has been pretty much completely shut down for almost a year. "Venues" classified as "restaurants" were only closed for like a week and then they opened back up with restrictions like closing the bar at 11pm instead of 2am. The last few weeks in particular I haven't heard of anyone around here gigging but that's mainly due to weather. We've gotten a lot of rain lately and February also tends to be the coldest month of the year here. The places people are playing are like restaurant patio type gigs so those people not gigging has more to do with the weather than the shutdown stuff. I mostly gig with original bands that play "private clubs" so we have no venues to play right now. I've played many cover gigs in the past but they were never a consistent thing. It was like once or twice a year if that where with originals bands I used to play 3-5 times a month.
 
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#28
icebox said:
Here in Canada we are in a lockdown of sorts, depending on what part of the country you live in. But, NO ONE is gigging as far as I know. I'm curious if anyone in the US or Europe or Australia is able to gig, clubs, concerts etc.
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Unfortunately the singer in our blues band has chosen to live under her bed since March and we have only done 3 gigs since. I have a friend who plays bass in one of the most popular tribute bands here in Dallas and since around May they have played big gigs more weekends than not.
 
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#29
I giged up till March. The Celtic band that I play with was booked solid thru St. Patty's day. Then Boom all canceled... I did a wedding over the summer with another group. It was socially distant. Just booked my first gig for June. Hopefully more will follow.
 
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#32
band practice.jpg
 
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#33
Here in Portland, OR we are one of the few bands still working. We're typically a blues band with 5-8 members (depending on the gig) but now it's just me and the singer/guitarist as a duo. We were in the regular rotation as a duo at a regional casino and when they started to open back up in the winter they brought us in as the regular band. We played there every week for several months, as well as NYE. Now we're down to every other week as other acts start booking there again.

We have a weekly gig at a local bar, they built outdoor tents and we're back to keeping up our weekly rotation, but with just the two of us.

There have been some grants from the city that paid acts for short outdoor performances around town, so we snagged a few of those as well. Some bars are just starting to open back up at limited capacity and we'll be playing as a duo there as well. At some point we'll bring a drummer back, but we're planning ahead to book winery gigs and similar stuff as a duo through the summer, not expecting that a 5+ piece band will be appropriate anytime soon.

And yes, being out in public is dumb, even with masks and lots of precautions. I'd rather be hunkered down at home, but it's my job and I have to pay the bills. So I'm working, and it's good to be the only act in town still making a living; I just hope it doesn't kill me.
 
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#37
We are not working. A few of my band mates are doing solo performances for close to zero pay but are happy to keep the community together and slowly moving forward.
We had a rehearsal a few weeks ago and it was great to see my band mates and play some tunes.

Be safe everyone.. better days are ahead..
 
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#38
I haven't gigged since March 14. However there are bands in my area that are taking advantage of the letter of the law, which says that as long as you are eating you don't need a mask, and they are gigging to lots of seated people who are "eating" all night long. Makes me angry.
 
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#39
Last gig was a year ago after 2x a month for a year! What a letdown! We have had a back yard rehearsal and a driveway concert for the neighbors. Don't expect to gig before Fall at the earliest. Not worth the chance unless it is an outdoor gig.
 

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