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Getting old is depressing


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Specifically related to getting people to gigs.

 

When I was young, especially in college and just after, it was easy for just ME to get 50-100 of my friends to a gig and that was just one of five band members. Over time, bands build fans and they come out regularly as your friends stop coming. Now here I am at 48 for the first time doing original music and feel like I can't get a friend out, even with free tickets and an early gig, to save my life! Kind of depressing. If I had to depend on my friends for music, I wouldn't play. I think I burnt them out 20 years ago.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Your friends have grown old.

 

Well, be thankful for the friends you have. Two of my best friends passed away during the last 6+ years... and as they say, "You can't make new, old friends."

 

 

 

 

 

When an eel hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a Moray.
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Two thoughts about getting old.

 

1- Youre at the top of your game musically. Technique, theory, and experience culminate and provide you with musical wisdom.

 

2- It beats the alternative of looking up at grass roots........... :w00t:

 

Jake

1967 B-3 w/(2) 122's, Nord C1w/Leslie 2101 top, Nord PedalKeys 27, Nord Electro 4D, IK B3X, QSC K12.2, Yamaha reface YC+CS+CP

 

"It needs a Hammond"

 

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Regarding playing original music, most people, generally speaking, like to hear things familiar. I'd be more inclined to insert them (original songs) here and there in my sets.

 

Regarding aging, I'm going to state the obvious stuff you've probably heard. Exercise regularly and eat a mostly plant based diet. Aging is inevitable but you can contribute efforts to minimize the effects.

 

 

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Cat Stevens song Moonshadow needs a new verse...

 

And if I ever lose my youth,

Gain some smarts, gain some couth,

Yes if I ever lose my youth,

Away ay ay ay ay ay ay ay,

I wont have to:

 

(Choose your own ending...)

 

Bar gig no more.

Dance with my hand in my pants no more.

Etc.

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I'm in a different age bracket (I turn 30 this year), but I've been seeing that shift for a few years now. I'm mostly playing original music, and when I was in (and just out of) college, I was playing bar gigs that didn't start on 10pm (if the sound guy showed up on time) and there would still be a crowd of college kids when we finished at 1am.

 

Now, my sigh of relief when we play a set from 6pm to 8pm is palpable -- not just because we can actually get our friends out (even the musicians have 9-5 jobs), but because when I roll back up to the house at 2am after a gig, my whole next day is shot.

 

To put it another way: when we play early, I have a *chance* to get people I know out to hear my band. When I play after 9pm, there had better be a walk-in crowd, or people coming on the strength of the band's reputation, because my friends are at home with their kids.

 

I realize a bunch of the more typical late-night music acts that are well-attended in my scene are frequented by people who work in the service industry, and since this is a college town, there are a lot of people who work in restaurants and bars that are not on the same schedule as I am. That explains how in a town of this size, weeknight Reggae Nights or synth jams can fill a sizable room with people I haven't met. Me, I'm already sleeping (or driving home from a rehearsal).

 

And you know, I've been working as a musician-with-a-separate-daytime-commitment since I was a teenager. I have very little concept of what a life without that is like. Makes it hard to know how to sell what I do to people who don't do it... I feel your pain, man!

Samuel B. Lupowitz

Musician. Songwriter. Food Enthusiast. Bad Pun Aficionado.

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Maybe need to change act and venues.

Due or trio instead of band.

Lower volume.

More chill atmosphere.

 

+1. I play almost exclusively duo gigs these days and the venues are generally places like wineries where the hours are either afternoon or early evening. I'm old enough that my contemporaries are empty-nesters with disposable income. Consequently far more of them come to my gigs these days than when I was playing late-night bar gigs 20 years ago.

 

Yamaha CK88, Arturia Keylab 61 MkII, Moog Sub 37, Yamaha U1 Upright, Casio CT-S500, Mac Logic/Mainstage, iPad Camelot, Spacestation V.3, QSC K10.2, JBL EON One Compact

www.stickmanor.com

There's a thin white line between fear and fury - Stickman

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Specifically related to getting people to gigs.

 

. If I had to depend on my friends for music, I wouldn't play. I think I burnt them out 20 years ago.

 

As a musician, I can see how this is disappointing.

 

Since they are friends, I would have a conversation with them.

For example, people change, change priorities, have reasons, etc etc.

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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Maybe need to change act and venues.

Due or trio instead of band.

Lower volume.

More chill atmosphere.

 

Crab cakes and craft beer. :laugh:

 

 

 

:) you get the idea. as we get older our fans do to and their tastes change.

People tire of the stage shows, clubs and dive bars, city driving & parking, the volume, shuffling in a dark crowd, the hunt for a mate, shouting these guys are great. what do you do for a living?. Theyve been there done that. Already had kids and they are near leaving the nest or out.

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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You said original music - so it's a very hard challenge to get people in general, especially non-young people to come out for that. Even if you and your friends were in their 20's, that would probably be an uphill battle I bet.

 

For cover music, it is stilll harder because us non-young people and our friends tend to go out less often and stay out less late. But in that case, the young/older difference has the opposite effect to some degree, in my experience. What I mean is that although it's hard to bring a huge crowd, those that do come out to see cover bands tend to be middle-aged and older - the young millenial generation just doesn't have the same interest at all in live bands, they weren't raised on it like we were, they just don't seem to care, they prefer EDM, deejays, hip hop, whatever it is. Most of my audience seems to be my age.

Rich Forman

Yamaha MOXF8, Korg Kronos 2-61, Roland Fantom X7, Ferrofish B4000+ organ module, Roland VR-09, EV ZLX12P, K&M Spider Pro stand,

Yamaha S80, Korg Trinity Plus

 

 

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Specifically related to getting people to gigs.

 

When I was young, especially in college and just after, it was easy for just ME to get 50-100 of my friends to a gig and that was just one of five band members. Over time, bands build fans and they come out regularly as your friends stop coming. Now here I am at 48 for the first time doing original music and feel like I can't get a friend out, even with free tickets and an early gig, to save my life! Kind of depressing. If I had to depend on my friends for music, I wouldn't play. I think I burnt them out 20 years ago.

 

I can almost remember being 48. And do something about that Avatar dude....

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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I used to lobby friends to come to gigs. Not anymore. I just have no patience for that whole business. Either my music is worth listening to or it's not, I'm not going to rely on my friends to bootstrap my popularity.

 

Aging-related depression is a whole different topic. Have you tried posting half-naked pics of yourself to project a youthful image? Always works for me . . . .

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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You said original music - so it's a very hard challenge to get people in general, especially non-young people to come out for that. Even if you and your friends were in their 20's, that would probably be an uphill battle I bet.

 

For cover music, it is stilll harder because us non-young people and our friends tend to go out less often and stay out less late. But in that case, the young/older difference has the opposite effect to some degree, in my experience. What I mean is that although it's hard to bring a huge crowd, those that do come out to see cover bands tend to be middle-aged and older - the young millenial generation just doesn't have the same interest at all in live bands, they weren't raised on it like we were, they just don't seem to care, they prefer EDM, deejays, hip hop, whatever it is. Most of my audience seems to be my age.

 

 

I can underline all that. I am 100% original, 1 man band on Kronos. Even if I mix some covers into a set, I am a fish out of water.

 

In my area, i can't find enough folks that are 'open minded ' to new music. Another example, jazz is also a casualty. The venues simply

won't go for it.

 

Now if I was talking SF, Oakland or Berkeley, either would have a chance.

 

As a realist, I am better off being an " Internet Musician ".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I

 

Aging-related depression is a whole different topic. Have you tried posting half-naked pics of yourself to project a youthful image? Always works for me . . . .

 

what about getting all tatted up , wearing cargo pants, and having 3 dancing girls ? That might be a formula...

 

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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I'll give that a try

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Maybe need to change act and venues.

Due or trio instead of band.

Lower volume.

More chill atmosphere.

 

I was thinking the opposite..

 

Pull out the wig, keytar, and parachute pants and do the 80's band thing again. That's what "friends" your age want to hear. Certainly not middle aged original rock. Keep that in the garage :puff:

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Maybe need to change act and venues.

Due or trio instead of band.

Lower volume.

More chill atmosphere.

 

I was thinking the opposite..

 

Pull out the wig, keytar, and parachute pants and do the 80's band thing again. That's what "friends" your age want to hear. Certainly not middle aged original rock. Keep that in the garage :puff:

 

Well, you all may remember that this is what I USED to do up until about 7 years ago, and yeah they did come out back then.

 

 

 

For those of you who don't like my shirtless avatar, I tried to do a pantless one but it wouldn't fit.

 

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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I blame it on the internet. It's huge factor for people not going out or doing anything social nowadays. I'm sure of it.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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I blame it on the internet. It's huge factor for people not going out or doing anything social nowadays. I'm sure of it.

 

And social media. Nobody decides on anything until they collect opinions on Facebook.

 

Thus, one needs a 'promoter ' on social media to make up stuff

 

For example: " where can I find the best death metal band in my town " ?

Why fit in, when you were born to stand out ?

My Soundcloud with many originals:

[70's Songwriter]

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Could be just the hassle of going out for people. Around here too many shootings. Agressive drivers, etc.

I'm not sure I'd be happy playing in a band making more money but having to drive far on crowded roads and dealing with it. Well not really. I'm happy with current steady solo gig driving 20 minutes to a piano.

As for getting old, I'm feeling thumb pain off and on which sucks.

On the plus side, doctors wanted me on statins 20 years ago. I refused. Biked 30 miles straight yesterday no problem with the exception of the occasional rude driver that shouldn't even be driving.

Some people don't respect driving laws.

 

 

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Back in the early 90's I was playing a couple of bar gigs: one on Wed night, the other at a club a block up the street Thurs night. Saw the same people at both clubs both nights till 2-3 am. This went on for several years, and I always marveled at how these people could do that in the middle of the week and hold down jobs. Almost overnight the whole crowd seemed to grow up, get married, have kids and settle down.....BAM! No more gigs at those clubs. It was like someone threw a "responsibility" switch or some such thing....it happens.
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Now here I am at 48 for the first time doing original music and feel like I can't get a friend out, even with free tickets and an early gig, to save my life! Kind of depressing.

 

You nailed with that statement. A lot of your band friends/fan think more of bands they know as human radios playing their favorite tunes, know the band is a perk, but it's the hot songs they and their friends like. When bands start moving to doing originals mixed with covers some fans/friends start to disappear. Then when you move to all originals reality is your fans are going to drop to close friends and spouses, but on the good side you'll start building a new set of fans of your music which is cool. But be forewarned they can disappear if you original music starts changing too much. This is all about the music on whose playing.

 

One band I worked for had a huge following from school days and playing local clubs. They when thru the process or gradually mixing originals in covers some fan disappeared but the good thing was they could start see reaction to their tunes compared to hit covers. That helped their writing and arranging. Then what I think helped was when decision was made to go all originals we decided to stop taking gigs for about two months and just rehearse and write. Doing that fans forgot the old cover band and saw us a new original band and decided if they liked the band and its material or not. That time off made the switch I think better for us and the fans it also opened us up to playing clubs that had all original bands and not a audience hoping for covers, so venue is part of the switch too.

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