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I'm in Vero Beach, FL which isn't exactly a hot spot. Our governor and local officials have been relatively progressive about re-openings. Life here is like 95% of normal.

 

The good news? We're getting hammered with requests to play outdoor venues. Even traditional indoor venues have realized they have to figure out how to do outside gigs.

 

No joke, in the last week we've gotten five different booking requests from venue owners. We're actually debating what gigs to take, and which ones to pass on. Joy.

 

The band is happy, as am I. Ain't no band drama when you see a flood of gigs after a drought.

 

Social distancing? If you're fearful, please stay home. Otherwise we plan to rock it for the folks.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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I'm in Vero Beach, FL which isn't exactly a hot spot. Our governor and local officials have been relatively progressive about re-openings. Life here is like 95% of normal.

 

The good news? We're getting hammered with requests to play outdoor venues. Even traditional indoor venues have realized they have to figure out how to do outside gigs.

 

No joke, in the last week we've gotten five different booking requests from venue owners. We're actually debating what gigs to take, and which ones to pass on. Joy.

 

The band is happy, as am I. Ain't no band drama when you see a flood of gigs after a drought.

 

Social distancing? If you're fearful, please stay home. Otherwise we plan to rock it for the folks.

 

I'm hearing the same.

Infections and deaths are going way down and the cratering of the economy is expected to bounce back quicker than it went down. Very much a good development!!

J a z z  P i a n o 8 8

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Yamaha C7D

Montage8 | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven

K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3

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The happy talk doesn't resonate with me at this particular moment in American history, but music isn't just for happy times. You can make a strong argument that it's even more important in troubled times. So I think whatever it takes to bring music to the people in a safe manner is what we should be doing. People need live music. Ask not what they can do for you.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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My next gig still isn't until November, but my original metal band doesn't play often anyway, especially in the middle of recording a CD like we are now (2 songs in the can, 2 more in the works, 1 additional started). But my friends have started landing them. Lake of the ozarks seemed to have plenty of gigs last weekend - you probably saw Backwater Jacks in the national news. Point of order on that....it was ONE place at a lake with 1,150 miles of shoreline, most of which is fairly remote. Also they were taking temperatures and handing out single serving sanitizer to each person entering. But that's OT as they didn't even have live music. Things are picking up.

 

The BIGGEST source of live music so far that MANY of my musician friends have played including one I used to be in myself, is the Metro Powerplex....pretty cool concept. They are combining outdoor drive-in theater with outdoor live concerts.....music followed by a movie. CLONK

 

It's been wildly popular and sold out consistently.

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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Some extremely limited bookings here, and I know a couple of people who have accepted a few, but that won't be me any time soon. A couple across the canyon wants to hire a colleague and me to play their Zoom wedding--us socially distant from each other on their patio, and no one else there in person. That's about the extent of what I'd do right now.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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Some extremely limited bookings here, and I know a couple of people who have accepted a few, but that won't be me any time soon. A couple across the canyon wants to hire a colleague and me to play their Zoom wedding--us socially distant from each other on their patio, and no one else there in person. That's about the extent of what I'd do right now.

 

It'll be a risk/reward calculation that gets updated every day. The risk and reward statistics are supplied by various people with various biases and various goals.

 

To me, it's a random crap shoot due to all of the biased interests.

 

To others, they watch their TV shows to get their numerator and denominator.

J a z z  P i a n o 8 8

--

Yamaha C7D

Montage8 | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven

K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3

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I was in Golden Gate park this last weekend playing my keyboard with a bass player and 15 drummers at Hippie Hill. Was amazed at how many people were outdoors enjoying the park on a beautiful day having family/friends picnics and what not. Haven't seen that kind of action for quite a few years, you could tell people were happy to be outside, with others.

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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Some extremely limited bookings here, and I know a couple of people who have accepted a few, but that won't be me any time soon. A couple across the canyon wants to hire a colleague and me to play their Zoom wedding--us socially distant from each other on their patio, and no one else there in person. That's about the extent of what I'd do right now.

 

It'll be a risk/reward calculation that gets updated every day. The risk and reward statistics are supplied by various people with various biases and various goals.

 

To me, it's a random crap shoot due to all of the biased interests.

 

To others, they watch their TV shows to get their numerator and denominator.

 

You seem to have a poor opinion of your fellow man. It's just like anything else, you get information from as many sources as you can so you can best triangulate towards the truth. That's what smart people do. Not unlike deciding whether to buy a keyboard you haven't yourself played, but with much higher stakes.

 

I'd say CPHollis is playing his cards pretty smart taking outdoor gigs in the warm Fla sunshine.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I was in Golden Gate park this last weekend playing my keyboard with a bass player and 15 drummers at Hippie Hill. Was amazed at how many people were outdoors enjoying the park on a beautiful day having family/friends picnics and what not. Haven't seen that kind of action for quite a few years, you could tell people were happy to be outside, with others.

 

Only 15 hand drums on Hippie Hill? How on earth did they keep a beat?

 

But seriously, it sounds fun. In my previous life, before having kids and fleeing to the suburbs I might have been there with you wielding a melodica.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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There's a couple of clubs in my area that are starting to bring in single entertainers, but that's it - and probably will be for the indefinite future. Cruise ships would normally be arriving on an almost daily basis by now, but there's no way that's happening at all. The most popular tourist destinations in the Gorge are still closed.

 

What bands do - and what I do for that matter - I can't see that happening until things open up a bit, and clubs can stay open past 10pm. The requirements in Oregon for that are so stringent that it may not even be possible until there's a vaccine. Any thought that I might have had about an outdoor DJ gig this summer has pretty much vanished. The venue is right next to a riverfront park, and they're not even going to open it up for the 4th of July fireworks display.

 

Those of you who have gigs: Congratulations! :) I would if I could...

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I was in Golden Gate park this last weekend playing my keyboard with a bass player and 15 drummers at Hippie Hill. Was amazed at how many people were outdoors enjoying the park on a beautiful day having family/friends picnics and what not. Haven't seen that kind of action for quite a few years, you could tell people were happy to be outside, with others.

 

Only 15 hand drums on Hippie Hill? How on earth did they keep a beat?

 

But seriously, it sounds fun. In my previous life, before having kids and fleeing to the suburbs I might have been there with you wielding a melodica.

Cool! Well, I'd have a mic for you with some sweet 'verb on it, you need a sound boost when you've got so many drummers!

 

I've been going for the last 20 years to the hippie hill drum circle, it's probably been 5-10 years since I've seen such a festive atmosphere, folks were stoked to be out there!

Numa Piano X73 /// Kawai ES920 /// Casio CT-X5000 /// Yamaha EW425

Yamaha Melodica and Alto Recorder

QSC K8.2 // JBL Eon One Compact // Soundcore Motion Boom Plus 

Win10 laptop i7 8GB // iPad Pro 9.7" 32GB

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I resigned from my gigging band this morning. The bass player, a retired doctor, had quit a couple days ago because he didn't want to be "that guy" that held the band back. I think he knows the risks better than any of the rest of us. Band leader is gung ho and ready to play anywhere, anytime. I'm not up for being in a state of paranoia every time a gig is booked, and am fortunate that I don't need the income.

 

Feels like a turning point - I'm not sure if or when I will ever get back to playing live.

Moe

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Greater NYC area, there will be out door dining soon, restaurants have to apply for permit to see if they can do it responsibly. Mid June we"ll have a better idea if relaxing of restrictions can continue.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Everyone has their own risk/reward calculation. I get my inputs from a variety of sources as there's a bunch of well-meaning but utterly misguided information out there. Florida has been very good with data transparency, not only what the numbers are but what's included or excluded. As a result, you can make well-informed decisions.

 

Community spread cases in this particular FL county are now statistically rare. Cases of outdoor transmission of CoVID-19 anywhere are even more statistically rare.

 

Take two very small numbers, multiply them together and you'll get a much smaller number. Of course, everyone's situation is different.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Everyone has their own risk/reward calculation. I get my inputs from a variety of sources as there's a bunch of well-meaning but utterly misguided information out there. Florida has been very good with data transparency, not only what the numbers are but what's included or excluded. As a result, you can make well-informed decisions.

 

Community spread cases in this particular FL county are now statistically rare. Cases of outdoor transmission of CoVID-19 anywhere are even more statistically rare.

 

Take two very small numbers, multiply them together and you'll get a much smaller number. Of course, everyone's situation is different.

 

What do you believe the situation in FL is closer to the populated areas? Miami, Tampa, etc. How about in and around the villages where most everyone living there is in a high risk age and health group?

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Interesting dichotomy.....one camp is all like, "Virus? What virus! If you're afraid of that silly little thing stay away....we're gonna party!" The other (the one I'm a member of) doesn't see the numbers plummeting like the first group seems to. Everything I read says that on the scale of what's safe and what's not, bars and restaurants (indoor) are way, WAY high in the risk department....I turned down one of my monthly gigs for July, it would have been indoor in a place that is air conditioning averse to start with. The other two guys in the band are going to go ahead and do it with a sub, and I'll revisit it in August. I figure by then things will either calm down, remain static, or it will be armageddon out there, and the decision will be made for me. My biggest thought is, even if I'M ok with the risk, I sure as hell don't want to bring it home to my wife. Needless to say, if I did that and she didn't make it I don't know how I'd ever live with myself.....
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I have an outdoor gig in 5 hours! Playing outside on the asphalt! Present temperature is in the 80's, sunny (baking the asphalt) and humid. This is what I've been waiting for ???

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 have an outdoor gig in 5 hours! Playing outside on the asphalt! Present temperature is in the 80's, sunny (baking the asphalt) and humid. This is what I've been waiting for ???

:roll:

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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Like I posted in one of those threads that got nuked because we were being too spicy with each other . . . the situation going forward is that everyone is making judgments based on their unique circumstances. Playing an indoor gig in an area where infection rates (not just total numbers, but %'s) are rising would be unwise for anyone. Milwaukee sports bar? I wouldn't touch that. Playing outdoors in a non-urban part of Florida, where rates remain very low, is probably super low risk -- so low I'd me more worried about eating bad seafood at the gig. It's the situations in the middle that would be a tough call. Individual health circumstances, yours or your loved ones, might make it easier to say "no," probably not easier to say "yes."

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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Interesting dichotomy.....one camp is all like, "Virus? What virus! If you're afraid of that silly little thing stay away....we're gonna party!" The other (the one I'm a member of) doesn't see the numbers plummeting like the first group seems to. Everything I read says that on the scale of what's safe and what's not, bars and restaurants (indoor) are way, WAY high in the risk department....I turned down one of my monthly gigs for July, it would have been indoor in a place that is air conditioning averse to start with. The other two guys in the band are going to go ahead and do it with a sub, and I'll revisit it in August. I figure by then things will either calm down, remain static, or it will be armageddon out there, and the decision will be made for me. My biggest thought is, even if I'M ok with the risk, I sure as hell don't want to bring it home to my wife. Needless to say, if I did that and she didn't make it I don't know how I'd ever live with myself.....

 

I consider myself in the camp that takes this virus very seriously, but is willing to engage in outdoor activities if the risks appear to be minimal or practically non-existent. I probably wouldn't do your indoor gig either.

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We start back up June 13. and we're off and running.

 

Night taking anything lightly, and indoor venues are taking steps. No one in my band is cavalier about it, but everyone is 100% on board to get out and play.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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I took outdoor gigs for July and August, and passed on indoor gigs. The places I"m playing have enough space so that I can be more than 6" from my bandmates and the public (while playing). I"ll wear a face mask. Long Island cases and deaths are on the decline. Seems pretty safe to me. Of course, there"s still a chance the gigs will be cancelled. We"ll see...
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My next shows are in July but don"t know if they will get cancelled. Then I have one booked in Oct - nothing else yet. The dives that are the staple of my mid-month shows are still not allowed to book bands here in SoCal. Statistics in San Diego are incredibly low - and are mostly concentrated down in South Bay close to the border.

 

I"m ready to risk it and go. one of my bands is raring, the other we couldn"t even get the drummer to do a jam rehearsal in a large garage with just the band. Everyone sees and feels it differently.

The baiting I do is purely for entertainment value. Please feel free to ignore it.
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Everyone has their own risk/reward calculation. I get my inputs from a variety of sources as there's a bunch of well-meaning but utterly misguided information out there. Florida has been very good with data transparency, not only what the numbers are but what's included or excluded. As a result, you can make well-informed decisions.

 

Community spread cases in this particular FL county are now statistically rare. Cases of outdoor transmission of CoVID-19 anywhere are even more statistically rare.

 

Take two very small numbers, multiply them together and you'll get a much smaller number. Of course, everyone's situation is different.

 

What do you believe the situation in FL is closer to the populated areas? Miami, Tampa, etc. How about in and around the villages where most everyone living there is in a high risk age and health group?

 

Southern Florida (Miami, et. al) is still a hot spot and has restrictions. We know because they drive up to spend the weekend where we are :(. I would assume Tampa is in the same situation.

 

Your question about The Villages (and other senior-oriented facilities) is spot on. Our governor mandated special protections for senior facilities (no visitors, don't send positive patients back, test everyone who enters, use the Guard, drop PPE on them, etc.) and it looks like he made the right call, FWIW.

 

Here is our local data site.. The fun part is if you dig down and filter through all the crap, there are real numbers there, like how many new hospital admissions, ventilator capacity, source of infection, symptoms presented, age distribution, etc. I don't need the media to tell me what to think, thankfully.

 

One example? In our county, we're getting 0-5 new positives per day, but no new hospitalizations, etc. Going further, on the barrier island where we live, there have been no new infections in over a month and zero deaths, despite having many out-of-town visitors and lotsa really old people.

 

The crowds we play to are definitely retirees, and we expect them back in force for the outdoor shows we have lined up.

 

Everyone has to make their own decision.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Don"t you cats keep up with the news? They just discovered that this virus is essentially airborne. It has the ability to stick to dust particles floating in the air and be viable for up to 20 minutes. That 6" social distancing guideline is now bogus. I would not play an indoor or outdoor venue even if you paid me...

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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I live in Orlando and no longer trust any of the numbers coming from our state government. They are actively trying to fudge them and have been caught at it several times. Florida's numbers may indeed be low--likely they are, nobody I know has tested positive or anyone THEY know--but I take anything from the gov with a grain of salt.

 

That said, once death certs get turned in I'd trust those but they can take a while. My brother's hospital (he works in ICU) has no patients so that is a good sign...for now.

 

My live playing is done for the year I'm fairly sure barring some real change in things. I won't be out at restaurants, bars, movie theaters, period; stores I'll get curbside and MIGHT go in if they require masks. Otherwise stores are out. I'm cancelling my family gym plan. I might do an outdoor gig--but outdoor gigs are awful in FLA (IMO) in the summer...boiling hot, daily thunderstorms that usually come when we are trying to play or set up (no roof helps, and there's lightning).

 

Outdoor is much, much safer than indoors it appears. Saw a real good video from Vox going through some of the reasons. Limiting amount looks to be really important--a small amount of virus from a passing jogger is very low risk, while sitting across from someone sick in a restaurant for an hour is much higher.

 

Japan, the oldest population on earth, has less than 1000 deaths. They haven't shut anything down. They wear masks, and don't talk (or sing, or shout) around other people.

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Don"t you cats keep up with the news?

 

There's your problem.

 

Maybe you missed the part where the MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS (not news reporters) have said that it doesn't transmit as easily outdoors, especially in warm climates and when exposed to UV light from the sun. If your news source is saying otherwise then you may want to consider seeking news elsewhere.

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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My big problem with outdoor gigs this summer (other than the normal Florida issues I mentioned!) are the bathrooms. As I said though studies are showing that the length of time plus proximity plus air conditions all add up to risks being high or low. Obviously data is still being formed.

 

If I do a July 15th gig at a place that is really safe for the musicians (the ones in the back at least, me!) I'll be wearing my mask while playing, if I can sing with it ok, if not I won't sing. I'll try to find a cool-looking rock'n'roll mask :D I'll be peeing in the car most likely--well, in a container in the car. The bathrooms in that place require walking a tight maze of tables and it's a tiny bathroom where you literally touch anyone else in there to get to a urinal. Fuck no.

 

The Vox vid showed how even light outdoor breezes will disperse the droplets and you don't get the concentration. Indoors is a different story. Air movement is actually a good thing as long as it isn't an AC blowing across in one static direction (this is how they think many people in a Wuhan restaurant got sick from one person, up to 14 feet away.) In that restaurant they were sitting there in one spot just breathing in the droplets over a long period of time. It doesn't seem to be a case where a tiny amount of virus is guaranteed to get you, rather your body may actually fight it off and form antibodies if that happens.

 

This is why I find Japan so interesting. Their subways have been running the whole time. Their schools have not shut down. EVERYONE wears masks according to a friend or two I have there. Nobody talks (this is partly a cultural thing of politeness, but also that right now it's risky to do so.) They have a sense of society, and frankly don't want to be "shamed" for being different (which is a mixed bag obviously...in this case, it's working out for them in this first wave.)

 

Edit: just got word that an indoor June 20 gig is "back on" for the band. It's one of the better joints we play at...this could be my ouster from the band as no way I'm going to play ANY indoor gig. So be it. They can play without me, but normally I would never be unprofessional and skip out on a gig where it was booked as a 5-piece. But this is a different situation. I've had to stop my kids from doing all the activities that they like with their friends, my wife is at-risk...so me going out and playing rock star is out. On the positive side, more money for people that need it like our drummer and guitarist.

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