Post-Covid Band Plans?

[Neil Folkard]

Looking to pick up and amp up what I was doing before. Trying to finish an album by my main band, hoping to jump start my own band's project, and get things moving with my prog/fusion outfit. Also, trying to get better at home recording.

Lots to do.

 

[SteffanB]

No Carrots?! How can we have a poll without a carrot option?
That being said -i am ready to start playing out again. Hell at this point even a rehearsal would be hella fun.
The way they are rolling out these vaccines though that may be 2024

Hella!!

 

[SteffanB]

Hug a puppy. Long walks on the beach. Cheat on my wife. Enjoy a sunset. Water balloon fights. Build a monkey piloted rocket car. Create a race of atomic supermen .Take a bull fighting class. Have a food truck that sells hard boiled eggs. Develop a superpower. Try to grow antlers. Buy the Las Vegas Raiders and move them to Antarctica. Eat more stew, and then discourage people from eating stew. Listen to 40 minutes of any podcast without falling asleep. Bring back roller blading. Invent a cure for hemorrhoids but marketed as a dog chew toy. Read Stephen King's The Stand in 23 seconds or less. And most importantly eat less Pizza.

 

[ga_edwards]

Just a few rehearsals would do for me at the moment. I've somewhat lost enthusiasm to pick up and play a bass at home. As much as this has been an ideal opportunity to learn new material, I just can't be bothered to without a goal in mind.

It's not the right frame of mind, I know. But everyone handles this crisis differently. I'm possibly not handling it as well as I hoped I would.

 

[Neil Folkard]

Just a few rehearsals would do for me at the moment. I've somewhat lost enthusiasm to pick up and play a bass at home. As much as this has been an ideal opportunity to learn new material, I just can't be bothered to without a goal in mind.

It's not the right frame of mind, I know. But everyone handles this crisis differently. I'm possibly not handling it as well as I hoped I would.

You're not alone. The long Covid work lay-off I had during last Spring and Summer, didn't yield the boon of improved bass technique that I might have hoped for. I was more inclined to get out and try and experience nature and keep active and have a sane mental outlook, during these crazy times.

Now that we are firmly in the winter months, I'm finding the space to play regularly again.

 

[kbakerde]

Just before Covid hit I was playing in an originals band for an indie/folk/pop band. We were just about to do our first live show. Shutdowns hit, and the band fell apart. In Sept I started playing in a new band, a hard rock outfit. And it’s a much better band.

 

[lbbc]

My classic rock band is still alive and well. I am the bassist, lead and backing vocalist and BL (62 y.o.). We practice weekly. This week I have been "hitting the streets" and looking for gigs. I have booked 3 so far for late Spring and Summer. I have 4 clubs interested and will be talking to them today. Many club owners aren't booking yet due to regulations of limited capacity, but I'm fortunate because we were a local favorite before the Covid shut down. Playing music in a great cover band with 3 part harmonies is what I always wanted to do, so we'll be back out. I have a lot of faith that we'll be busier than ever (soon)!

 

[2playbass]

In one of my bands, we've been recording tracks separately to stay active. Looking forward to playing together again as soon as we can. We've been on covid lockdown again since November. My wife has been happy I've been getting lots of home projects done, but the playing skills have been suffering.

My other band has been dormant for a year now because of covid worries, and probably won't re-form.

80% of the local venues where we used to play have gone out of business due to covid restrictions, so gigs will be scarce when we are allowed to play live again :-(

 

[mikeyjm2]

I went with "other". I plan to play with the same two bands (classic rock cover and original indie) I'm in now, but gigging just won't be the priority it once was. If it's only 3 or 4 gigs a year total I would be fine with that. I don't gig for the money anyway.

 

[bolophonic]

My projects all went on hiatus at the beginning of the year. We have each been trudging through on our own, but we have recently begun swapping boom-box tapes via Dropbox to lay the groundwork for the next phase of life, once it is safe to do so. We are all late-40’s, early 50’s, so we have to stay focused on our families. I have an album’s worth of songs to prepare.

 

[Kevin Teed]

I voted "Hang it up I'm done".

Probably just keep my favorite P, my B-15R and a my Martin D-21.

Maybe join the old folks band when we move into the retirement community.

 

[baileyboy]

Our band did have a few gig offers for this upcoming summer, but some members are wary about signing any contracts with such uncertainty lingering. So we declined and told them we needed to see how 2021 unfolds before committing to any gigs. We do take a risk that we won't be asked again, but we have to all be on board with any band decisions.

 

[foolforthecity]

Same as before/during the bug. Keep on keeping on.

 

[Marc valero]

Nice to hear some of us are still consistently playing out live. Make the most of it!

I feel like I'm in Grapes of Wrath. "Muscles aching to work; minds aching to create."

What is interesting, since the summer, we have picked up three local places (that we never played before) to fill in our schedule. We had been playing a lot of shows in the town that is 50 miles to the east, but two places that we played monthly are still not doing bands and another place got sold and I don't know if they will be doing bands. I am hoping when things get better we can get back to those venues.

 

[ELG60]

I've come to the realization that my career/businesses preclude me from the likelihood of being in a band at this time, so when my outlet for playing live music died out in the aftermath of the Covid shutdown, I found no less than eight open jams which allows me to play live at least 4 nights a week, and I was notified of another at a jam last night . . . More than enough to satisfy my desire to play out.

It also leads to good connections whereupon I can snag the occasional fill-in or hired gun gig. Also, learning songs on the fly, and with players of different skill levels, improves my abilities as a player. Of course, this sometimes leads to trainwrecks on my part or on that of others, but it's all part of the deal.

I think that it will let me reach equilibrium at a happy medium. And I get to video and upload the jams on YouTube, thus allowing me to promote the scene in some small way, which helps keep live music alive. (I hope)

 

[Medicine Man]

I started a top 40/pop type thing with all instruments run direct and electronic drums to be able to perform at small volumes.

 

[G On Bass]

We will start rehearsing after the idiot-induced Holiday surge decreases. Based on when the band I'm in last played live, only 2 'original' members are left: both guitarists. I came on right before the virus really hit and gigs were on the books but eventually cancelled. Since then, our crappy drummer quit and we have rehearsed with a new, massive upgrade on Drums. Our lead singer is moving away and we are waiting to rehearse with our new singer/guitarist. Once things lessen we'll rehearse. Once things open we'll gig.

 

[darren1970]

I'd be happy just to get back to rehearsal at the moment, as due to various restrictions in the UK we haven't been able to meet up since our last gig in February.
After that gigging again would be awesome, although I can't see that happening in the UK until May or June

 

[CapnSev]

Post COVID? I’m going to grab the AK and wander the wasteland.

 

[TinIndian]

Hmm. I've been playing out steadily since just before Halloween.