About a month ago, I’d been truly certain that all of my “live” gigs would get canceled for the summer, and maybe even as far out as the Fall and Winter. That certainty turned out to be far from true. On May 30, 2020, I performed my first “live” gig since the Covid-19 outbreak. I played on the small stage at Dragonfly Wine Market in Shelby, NC, and live streamed my hour long set onto Facebook Live and Instagram. At the time, the wine market was open at a limited capacity, with spaced out seating, so there were occasionally people physically in the store getting to hear live music while waiting for their drinks.
Playing music during a global crisis is a little different to say the least. I had to bring most of my own equipment (my own mic, stands, etc.), and with any other equipment I used, I had to wipe it down before and after. My friend Heather was in charge of handling the livestreams (which inevitably shut on and off multiple times for various reasons). In February, I was solo gigging at least three times a week, and for almost every gig I was able to handle setting up and tearing down by myself. However, with a live streamed gig, it seems pretty impossible for me to handle the constant glitching of running videos on Facebook and Instagram in the midst of playing.
Physical tips are also now being exchanged rarely, so having Venmo, Cashapp, and Paypal is crucial to a successful gig. The most rewarding part of this gig was seeing a few people come in to grab drinks, and staying to listen because this was the first live performance they’d gotten to experience in months. This couple also asked me questions about my music, and suggested covers for me to play, an interaction which made me significantly more excited to sing and play my music again.
Live music is returning slowly but surely. In Santa Cruz, live music also made its return to the Felton Music Hall. At this venue, musician Alex Lucero played a dinner set for the first time in months. According to an article in The Good Times, “The venue was operating strictly as a restaurant, with only 10% capacity. Playing solo, he provided acoustic background music for the 35 people spaced around the venue.” The Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in California also announced its reopening of outdoor concerts this week. According to their article, “Concertgoers are required to wear masks and practice social distancing, according to a news release.” Many of the potential gigs for musicians in the next few months to the next few years will definitely create a very different concert experience for both the musicians and the listeners. Musicians will have to adapt to playing smaller audiences (if any), while also taking strict health precautions for their own safety. Musicians will also have to make sure that they own a majority of their own equipment, so that they can properly social distance from the restaurant and bar employees. And ultimately, the listeners will have to decide if listening to face-to-face live music is worth the health risk.
With Covid-19 cases still rampant, and another large spike being anticipated for the Fall, we all have to be adaptable. I for one, am not a big fan of performing to an empty room and singing my own songs into what seems like a void. However, I would much rather play my own music on a stage to an empty room, than not play at all. This seems to be how my fellow musicians feel as well. We should all keep taking all of the performance opportunities we can adapt safely, and make the most of this once in a lifetime situation.
