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I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:25 pm
by Slowy
Disclaimer: I've been crook with flu like symptoms but negative RATs for 3 weeks now. I'm weary to my bones and feel the desperate need for a month's uninterrupted sleep. This may well be informing my attitude.
But;
Tonight is my last gig. Tonight is the last time I will haul a collection of expensive gear through the rain, devoting half of my weekend to providing the music for parties of people who think they're doing me a favour by letting me play at their event. It's the last time I will contribute my renumeration to helping pay for PA's and lighting which singers inevitably believe are theirs by right. It's the last time I will stress about my gear being lost to or damaged by blundering drunkards.
I can't wait.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:29 pm
by robthemac
Slowy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:25 pm
Disclaimer: I've been crook with flu like symptoms but negative RATs for 3 weeks now. I'm weary to my bones and feel the desperate need for a month's uninterrupted sleep. This may well be informing my attitude.
But;
Tonight is my last gig. Tonight is the last time I will haul a collection of expensive gear through the rain, devoting half of my weekend to providing the music for parties of people who think they're doing me a favour by letting me play at their event. It's the last time I will contribute my renumeration to helping pay for PA's and lighting which singers inevitably believe are theirs by right. It's the last time I will stress about my gear being lost to or damaged by blundering drunkards.
I can't wait.
Gold watch and out, ay Bruce?
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:45 pm
by Jay
Sorry to hear that Bruce. Hopefully you will get over this run down episode soon. Happy to come over with some malty stuff and help you drink away our sorrows
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:46 pm
by Slowy
robthemac wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:29 pm
Gold watch and out, ay Bruce?
Gold watch? I'll be happy to escape without a parking ticket.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:50 pm
by Slowy
Jay wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:45 pm
Sorry to hear that Bruce. Hopefully you will get over this run down episode soon. Happy to come over with some malty stuff and help you drink away our sorrows
I have no sorrows; just a spasming cough and a desire for more that 90 minutes uninterrupted sleep. That aside, Malty stuff and a companion to share it sounds way more pleasant than another fecking gig.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2023 2:07 pm
by MikeC
Well at least you can tell the grandy's you were once a professional musician with a conscience!
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 12:54 am
by Slowy
Slowy wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:46 pm
robthemac wrote: ↑Sat Jan 07, 2023 1:29 pm
Gold watch and out, ay Bruce?
Gold watch? I'll be happy to escape without a parking ticket.
No, wait. Actually the parking ticket would be fine.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 1:31 am
by Slowy
Post gig:
Well I won't forget that in the next 2 lifetimes.
And I'm considering a new career in prophecy.
Definitely arrived in the rain. And when my stage clothes, stage light and a few other things remained in my car, I lost the keys. A thorough search later involving several eager sleuths, it was determined that I had dropped them in the carpark where they were picked up. Since they weren't handed in, it raised the possibility they had been found by a child.
I have a more sinister interpretation but if my car is gone when I get there in the morning, there's nothing I can do about it now.
Anyway, great start.
The finish was also epic.
There is a punter wearing (I kid you not) a T shirt proclaiming, "Must Not Be Released Unsupervised". He spends most of the sets playing air guitar.
On our very last song, he crashes through my mic stand and face plants my pedalboard where he manages to slice his nose open on the only glass I'd seen him holding all evening. The amount of blood was astonishing. So what do you do in that situation?
Well I was in the middle of my big solo on our final song so I played on.
Rock'n'Roll baby.
The gig itself was somewhat forgettable; I couldn't help counting down.
Still haven't got all the mess off my pedalboard but that's a Sunday job.
Oh and the lost keys cost me a $60 taxi fare.
It's really good when you can end something you value with confirmation that it's time to go.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 4:59 am
by griff
Slowy wrote: ↑Sun Jan 08, 2023 1:31 am
Post gig:
Well I won't forget that in the next 2 lifetimes.
And I'm considering a new career in prophecy.
Definitely arrived in the rain. And when my stage clothes, stage light and a few other things remained in my car, I lost the keys. A thorough search later involving several eager sleuths, it was determined that I had dropped them in the carpark where they were picked up. Since they weren't handed in, it raised the possibility they had been found by a child.
I have a more sinister interpretation but if my car is gone when I get there in the morning, there's nothing I can do about it now.
Anyway, great start.
The finish was also epic.
There is a punter wearing (I kid you not) a T shirt proclaiming, "Must Not Be Released Unsupervised". He spends most of the sets playing air guitar.
On our very last song, he crashes through my mic stand and face plants my pedalboard where he manages to slice his nose open on the only glass I'd seen him holding all evening. The amount of blood was astonishing. So what do you do in that situation?
Well I was in the middle of my big solo on our final song so I played on.
Rock'n'Roll baby.
The gig itself was somewhat forgettable; I couldn't help counting down.
Still haven't got all the mess off my pedalboard but that's a Sunday job.
Oh and the lost keys cost me a $60 taxi fare.
It's really good when you can end something you value with confirmation that it's time to go.
This completely sums up gig life in NZ.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:20 am
by Bg
It does indeed, don’t miss that aspect
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:25 am
by griff
Just add some arsehole asking for Wagon Wheel every 10 minutes
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:28 am
by robthemac
griff wrote: ↑Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:25 am
Just add some arsehole asking for Wagon Wheel every 10 minutes
That's why I tend to play it at least once per set.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:38 am
by crowbgood1
Standing applause Bruce, great effort!
How many decades of service?
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 7:45 am
by Slowy
crowbgood1 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 08, 2023 6:38 am
Standing applause Bruce, great effort!
How many decades of service?
Did my first gig at 15 so that's 5 decades.
Re: I'm retiring from charity work.
Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2023 7:48 am
by MiniForklift
Sounds like a decision well made. Good for you, gotta do what is best for you and ultimately makes you happy