When did you stop gigging due to age?

[mike buzzetti]

61 bad ankle playing Motown in a local band LOVIN IT ( like playing lead gtr in a rock band to me ) lowered my Equipment weight big time 2x8 Revsound cab with Markbass head 23 lbs total 350 watts just got a MB 1x12 500 watt amp , PA is 10" tablet running Reaper and a ADA8000 D/A/D mic pre and powered speakers , I'll play until I suck I guess ?? lol

 

[JamesDeGrandis]

61 bad ankle playing Motown in a local band LOVIN IT ( like playing lead gtr in a rock band to me ) lowered my Equipment weight big time 2x8 Revsound cab with Markbass head 23 lbs total 350 watts just got a MB 1x12 500 watt amp , PA is 10" tablet running Reaper and a ADA8000 D/A/D mic pre and powered speakers , I'll play until I suck I guess ?? lol

May you never suck.
I can't even get my tablet to view 4chan, and you're using yours as a PA. You have much faith in tech my friend. My boss is funny... His PA was a few Fender amps. Granted, he was gigging in 1967...

 

[EdO.]

That your tablet can't get 4chan is a huge positive...

 

[Stock]

65 still gigging and still building acts. I took ground during Covid by drilling new techniques, sharpening my marketing skills and performance branding (Tik Tok, Instagram, banners) and launching 3 branded acts around the musicians I associate with- a duo (because I believed club owners would go slow hiring full bands post Covid), a jazz/american songbook trio and a dance band aimed at galas, weddings, etc. Working on a country configuration too. I'm personally at the peak of my 45 year career in terms of my chops and versatility. The good news- very busy summer and fall. But guess what? Covid is again causing gig cancellations- we have lost 3 gig the next 2 weeks and one was a particularly high dollar affair, The January and February dates look iffy too. I'm bummed and like others here believe there will be an endpoint due to ageism. I can competently play any style any genre from Guy Lombardo to Lady Gaga and my intangibles are through the roof but who will want a 70 year old in the regular rotation of commercial performers?

 

[stringthrough]

65 still gigging and still building acts. I took ground during Covid by drilling new techniques, sharpening my marketing skills and performance branding (Tik Tok, Instagram, banners) and launching 3 branded acts around the musicians I associate with- a duo (because I believed club owners would go slow hiring full bands post Covid), a jazz/american songbook trio and a dance band aimed at galas, weddings, etc. Working on a country configuration too. I'm personally at the peak of my 45 year career in terms of my chops and versatility. The good news- very busy summer and fall. But guess what? Covid is again causing gig cancellations- we have lost 3 gig the next 2 weeks and one was a particularly high dollar affair, The January and February dates look iffy too. I'm bummed and like others here believe there will be an endpoint due to ageism. I can competently play any style any genre from Guy Lombardo to Lady Gaga and my intangibles are through the roof but who will want a 70 year old in the regular rotation of commercial performers?

> Lie a bit and shave 3-5 years from your age
> Avoid the "harder" genres, metal, punk, etc. and consider limiting band membership to country, folk, jazz, "lounge music", etc. bands
> Find and play with older musicians so as not to stand out age-wise
> Dress and put yourself together "younger", but in moderation

 

[mike buzzetti]

May you never suck.
I can't even get my tablet to view 4chan, and you're using yours as a PA. You have much faith in tech my friend. My boss is funny... His PA was a few Fender amps. Granted, he was gigging in 1967...

Well the tablet runs Windows so that might have something to do with it ?? it is super stable actually

 

[Stock]

> Lie a bit and shave 3-5 years from your age
> Avoid the "harder" genres, metal, punk, etc. and consider limiting band membership to country, folk, jazz, "lounge music", etc. bands
> Find and play with older musicians so as not to stand out age-wise
> Dress and put yourself together "younger", but in moderation

Those are all good for sure, thanks. My Achilles heal is that I had a long career fronting relevant acts and its hard to go from watching people line up to see my act and to instead be doing American Legion gigs. There is a good vertical market for geezer acts though- I can get booked in 55+ communities easily and the dough and working conditions are relatively good too. I guess there are far worse fates than getting paid to do 70's songs gigs!

 

[Marc valero]

Those are all good for sure, thanks. My Achilles heal is that I had a long career fronting relevant acts and its hard to go from watching people line up to see my act and to instead be doing American Legion gigs. There is a good vertical market for geezer acts though- I can get booked in 55+ communities easily and the dough and working conditions are relatively good too. I guess there are far worse fates than getting paid to do 70's songs gigs!

I am 67 and my band is doing a lot of those 70s songs, and doing some of those American Legion gigs. I did a wedding gig at an American Legion a few weeks ago and an older gentleman came up to me after the show asking about bass lessons, which I never did before. I finally had time to give him a lesson and setup his Squier and he paid me much more than I asked.
We had 10 shows with my classic rock band last January and we have 10 shows booked for this January, so I hope things don't get worse with the virus situation. With a good, and not loud, drummer, I am having a lot of fun.

 

[bassbully]

God willing I will be 60 in a few weeks. I have been playing seriously and gigging since I was 40. I find playing blues allows me to be old and fat. Nobody cares what old blues dudes look like.