Some weeks I have no idea what to write, so I just recap what happened in my gigs the previous weekend; this is one of those weeks. Friday night I played a venue I've written about in the past. The wait staff were always rude and pretty much every time you walk in with your guitar, they kind of act like they had no idea there was such a thing as live music. I have been playing there for a few years now and I knew what to expect. As I walked in I psychologically prepared myself to be treated like a Cylon with herpes...but this week it was different. They had all new staff who were polite and helpful. I had been thinking this would be the last time I'd play there, but now I'm not so sure. Saturday night I was just about to leave the house when I got a call canceling. The outside patio overlooks a lake and the wind was so strong that night they didn't think anyone would be sitting out there. The blog I wrote a few weeks ago about havening a contract came to mind as I watched the money I had been expecting to earn that evening, blow away like dust with the wind. Or to put it less poetically, I didn't get paid. Sunday I got to play at a brewery in Minneapolis that is fast becoming one of my favorite places. Sadly, one of my favorite bartenders let me know this was his last day as he was moving back home to Kansas City. Other than that, I had a really fun show...well fun for me, hopefully fun for the audience. But the important thing was, I got paid. So that wraps up my musician log for the last few days and I look forward to whatever is going to happen next weekend. Whatever you do, make it a good one!

Last week I missed doing my weekly blog for the first time in a year and a half. Generally, I write them on Sunday and post them Monday morning. But last Sunday I was in the recording studio all day working on a song [media] By the time I got home I was pretty beat. I thought, "I'll write it Monday morning." And I didn't. But here is what is really cool about that; it's why I am writing this post. I have always waited for someone else to book me or by equipment or pay for recording time. When I think about it, I don't really understand why I thought that would happen. Needless to say, it really didn't happen. Three years ago when I made the decision to start looking at music as, not only an art form, but a business, a lot of things changed. Even though I lost a year due to shutdowns and COVID, I didn't stop marketing myself. And during that year, I made plans on what I would do and how I would do it once the restrictions were lifted. Long story short, I have purchased much needed equipment, marketing materials (post cards, business cards, tee shirts, etc.) and recording time this past year from money I made performing. I guess the moral is...and I wish I would have realized this little fact of life 40 years ago...while parents, family and friends will do what they can to help you in your music business, the truth is, its up to you. Take whatever you have and start building on it...and start doing it today!

Occasionally I've had critics email me or write a review or even call me to tell me how the show I did the previous night was a suck fest reaching epic proportions. What they don't know is; I do not need people to critique my performances. I do a far better job reliving my mistakes and convincing myself I totally train wrecked than anyone else could ever do. Friday night I played a really nice venue about 3 hours drive away from home. I worked a partial day, got in my car headed west and arrived about half an hour before I was set to start playing. My sound system (a Bose L1 that I highly recommend) only takes a minute to set up so I was ready to start on time. The venue quickly filled up and I started my 4 hour night of music. From my perspective, I started pretty strong but the truth is, I was soooooo damn tired there was a part of me dreading the next few hours. I just wanted to make that long drive home and go to sleep. As the night wore on, I could feel the tired in me taking control. I was blowing simple chord changes and missing lines; I don't know if anyone else ever finds themselves in the middle of a song and suddenly you have no idea what the next line is so you just blurt out what ever words or sounds come to mind until you can get your head back on track. I felt like my energy level was bottoming out, or to steal a line from Steven Tyler, "my get up and go musta got up and went." Then I started to become depressed and angry at myself for sucking so much and that made me suck even more. The thing is, throughout the night, people were dancing and having a great time. The wait staff told me several times how much fun the audience was having and how many great comments they were hearing from people about my performance. Back when I first started doing stand-up comedy, long before I started music, I did a show, I felt like I was a train, running full speed, colliding into a fully packed, nosediving 737...and just to make it worse, somehow a hot air balloon was involved in the crash. People were coming up to me congratulating me on a really great job and then I'd start to tell them where I fucked up and how it really wasn't a good show and, essentially, they were wrong to think they had a good time while I was on stage. Fortunately, the headline act I was working with overheard me and pulled me aside. He told me, if someone says you did a great job, take the compliment and just say "Thank you, I'm really glad you had a fun time tonight." So at the end of the night last Friday, while I knew I sucked, all the people who made a point to come over to me and tell me how much they enjoyed my music just got a great big smile, a handshake and an appreciative "Thank you" from me. I guess the moral is: You may know all the mistakes you made but the only thing that matters is that no one noticed...so take the compliment.

It was a very busy weekend; Friday played in the afternoon then the evening, then Saturday evening and again Sunday afternoon. I am really happy with my set list over all. What I especially like is that Friday afternoon was at a senior center. After the show I had a number of them come up to me and ask when I can come back, as they had a great time. Sunday I was at a brewery in south Minneapolis. It was primarily people in their 20s and 30s. I had a great response. Additionally, I am booking a wedding from it and had a woman ask for my card because her company has events where they could hire me. Same songs, pretty much the same order but went over very well for totally different crowds. Now though, I do need to add some more contemporary music. Sorry this is such a lame blog this week. I was not able to write on Sunday as I always do. Right now it is 4:30AM on Monday morning. I should be back to my Sunday writing time again next week.

I booked an upcoming show and one of the last questions I was asked was: "Do you have a contract I need to sign?" I've had a few times where the venue asked me to sign an agreement, but I guess it never really occurred to me that I should have a contract of my own. So far I have had only a few issues pop up, but it did get me thinking: Is a basic contract, clearly spelling out all the specific details, something I need to start using? I think back, for instance, to losing a gig because I had been double booked by the venue and as it turned out the other person had been scheduled first. They got the show and I got to go home with no money and no gig (it's happened the other way around too). Or the time I wrote about in a recent blog, where there was an issue as to the amount. Online there are a lot of contract templates for musicians that are simple and cover all of the details so there will be no uncomfortable moments of surprise. But now the issue is; will I get comfortable asking the venue to sign the agreement? I suppose I just have to just start doing it and see what happens. Either way, I have no doubt I will be writing to let you know how it turns out.