Do your parents Come to your shows?

[looper]

My parents have come to a couple of shows. Both times just before going on, my mom called me over, I was hoping that she was going to wish me luck. Instead she wanted to update me on friends of hers who had passed or were having health issues... I think they enjoyed the shows.

 

[twinjet]

Every once in a while, when I was younger. Now I live out of town, so no.

 

[sawzalot]

My mother has come to several shows. Frankly it make it hard to sing lyrics like AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long". I have to slur the entire song so she doesn't actually hear what I'm saying.

Tom

 

[Jeff Haislip]

I also had very supportive parents when it came to music. Neither of them played an instrument, but always encouraged me to play. Early on before I could drive my dad would move our gear from place to place in his truck. My dad passed away in 1994 and my mom is not in good health now but still enjoys seeing me play at festivals or just plunking around on an acoustic at home. Never underestimate the support from parents or other family members. It sure is nice to look out into a crowd and see someone that you know. Let's face it, sometimes the only reason they are there is support you.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Nope. Like an early poster said, they put up with my noise when I was learning to play. Plus, they were always the "in bed by 10" type. They've passed now, so it isn't going to happen. (FWIW, I'm 56.)

However, my Dad did get to hear one of my demo tapes back in the 90s. His wife at the time (not my Mom) said that tape was one of his prized possessions, and he listened to it all the time.

Last year my sister was in town from 1000 miles away, and came to a quiet dinner gig I played with a subset of my then-current band. I was even playing the upright. That was pretty cool! Considering my sister is 63, that's almost like having your parents come, right?

 

[Billoney]

Neither. My Dad was old time country and my Mom was big band. My siblings often came to my gigs.

 

[tubatodd]

I play with a 17 piece big band. My inlaws come to every gig that is open to the public. My folks live 1200 miles away.

 

[Versatek6]

My parents have been gone for some time (Dad in '85, Mom in '02), but they were always supportive. They were both from musical families. Dad was a drummer; Mom played piano and violin and taught theater at the high school level. Both sang well.

When I was in college, they often made the 200 mile drive four or five times a year. Mom and my girlfriend (now wife) drove all over the Midwest one summer when I was on a drum & bugle corps tour. When Mom moved closer after Dad's passing, she would occasionally come to see the originals band I was in.

It was always good to know that I had their support, but it was even better when (often because) I knew they enjoyed the shows.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

After reading some of these posts, it makes me feel very fortunate that my parents were so supportive of my music career.

They use to drive me around to gigs every weekend when I was 15 and first started gigging. Looking back, they both really did a lot to help me get where I am now.

They still come to a few shows a year, which is nice but I feel I need to invite them to a few more now!

Matt

 

[BigEarl]

I play with a 17 piece big band. My inlaws come to every gig that is open to the public. My folks live 1200 miles away.

You either don't play a lot of gigs, or they're broke.

 

[bassbully]

The greatest gig of my life was on my 50th birthday one month after my Father passed unexpectedly. They had a bash for me at the club my band was booked to play. My Sister brought our Mother out to see me play for the first time ever. It was a great night and several times I had tears in my eyes on stage.
My Mother and Father bought me my first guitar at 12 and never interfered with me learning and playing...special moument for me.

 

[rufus.K]

My parent have seen a couple show, but not their kind of music.

 

[lermgalieu]

I have been playing gigs 30 years and my parents came to one gig very recently, only because I happened to be playing at my wife's art show (and I was playing upright with a mellow trio). So really, they came to my wife's art show. I do wish they had taken more of an interest back in the day, but at the time I don't thinking I felt that way. Plus back then I was in the punk scene (late eighties), so I can see why they would steer clear.

 

[DavC]

my mom and grandmother came to most younger recitals and performances , thru college ...

folks would stop by when i was in a lounge duo thing ... mostly restaurants ...

my dad worked second shift , and mom worked days and did church type stuff several evenings ...
so luckily , they weren't at most clubs that i played ..! which was a good thing , as i barely remember the late 70's , 80's and very early 90's ... !!

 

[DreadyDiggs]

My father comes to as many as possible. My mom lives in FL but when she comes in town she's there if I'm playing.

 

[40Hz]

Yah, I still remember looking at plans my dad had for a fallout shelter, and being timed on how long it took me to walk home from school in case of The Russians.

To topic, I was permitted to take liberal arts degrees because ... girl. Not that they ever listened to a thing I played, truly admired a pastel I drew or read anything I wrote. The important thing to them was a right marriage to the right guy from the right school so we could live in the right house in the right neighborhood and go to the right church.

And then I started to listen to the Beatles, you know, and it was all downhill from there.

I think I get where you're coming from:

 

[Bodeanly]

Best thread ever.

 

[garp]

They've both been at eternal rest for a while now. But last time I checked, I got half my DNA from Mom and half my DNA from Dad. So yeah, technically, they're both at all of my shows – whether they like it or not.

(A few years before he passed, my father gave me a Sears* Craftsman-branded nylon shoulder bag that I now use to carry all of my cables, pedals, spare strings and miscellaneous gig stuff. So in a way, he comes to all of my shows.)

* Now a unit of Stanley Black & Decker.

 

[crucislancer]

I would love it if my parents came to a gig. Sadly, they have never seen me play other than when I was a teen and practicing in my bedroom. My mom has purchased some of the music I've recorded, but that's it. I really can't blame them, though. Most of the bands I've been in were heavy rock/metal bands, and that kind of music grates on them. Maybe if my next gig turns out to be mellow enough I might be able to convince them to go.

 

[RenoDave]

First I came from a musical family dad's mom played piano and mom's dad played guitar and bass.
My grandfather bought me my first guitar at 9 years old (played in country western bands till he passed at 74). I took up Saxophone in Jr. High and played it for the next 14 years. I got to set in with my grandfathers band from time to time and it was a lot of fun. I learned a lot from them.
Every time my parents or grandparents could come they were at our performances. We drove them crazy tearing apart their dining room for practices. That heavy mahogany table was moved many times to fit a drum kit in. We used that room because that is where the piano was. (Grandma taught my brother and I a bit of what she knew) But they were always there. After grandpa died I ended up with some of his gear and started playing guitar and bass. My brain is better suited for bass so that is what I play as my main instrument now. When mom got pictures of one of our outdoor gigs this summer mom called to let me know how proud grandpa would be if he was still around. I if my parents lived close by they would still be coming out when I play.