First Gig In Thirty Years!

[joecut]

Last Friday night I played my first gig in over thirty years! I stopped gigging just before my first child was born to concentrate on my family and my career. I didn't stop playing, always had the drums set up in the basement, jammed with friends, but didn't get into playing seriously.
Now that the kids are grown and on their own, and the career is almost on auto-pilot, I hooked up with some excellent players and after several months of rehearsals and personnel changes, we played out and got paid! Not much, but hey.
It was a blast! We had a good crowd and got them up dancing and cheering. Of course, most of them were family and friends, but it was still a bunch of fun.
The bar owner was impressed, paid us more than we agreed on, and asked us back. So I would say it was a successful gig. Can't wait to do it again, even if it means lugging all my stuff there and back all over again. Wasn't I supposed to have roadies by now?

[MileHighDrummer]

Congrats. That sounds like the way to come back. Keep it up. The kids should be old enough to sit in now.

[rallydrummer]

thats awesome man! more power to you! thats definitely the right way to get back into gigging!

[veafer]

I always thought that you had the kids so that the would become your roadies...........My mom had 10 sisters and 1 brother so that there was plenty of help on the farm, so, in my way of thinking, 3 kids for the drummer is just about right!

[markthechuck]

congrats, hopefully plenty more gigs to follow for you.

[itchie]

maybe you should never have stopped

I know I wont when my Mrs and I start our family

[8beat]

I think gigging is a fun thing to do. I jam or perform with lots of older musicians. I dread the day when I can't do it any more.

[EyePea]

Last Friday night I played my first gig in over thirty years! I stopped gigging just before my first child was born to concentrate on my family and my career. I didn't stop playing, always had the drums set up in the basement, jammed with friends, but didn't get into playing seriously.
Now that the kids are grown and on their own, and the career is almost on auto-pilot, I hooked up with some excellent players and after several months of rehearsals and personnel changes, we played out and got paid! Not much, but hey.
It was a blast! We had a good crowd and got them up dancing and cheering. Of course, most of them were family and friends, but it was still a bunch of fun.
The bar owner was impressed, paid us more than we agreed on, and asked us back. So I would say it was a successful gig. Can't wait to do it again, even if it means lugging all my stuff there and back all over again. Wasn't I supposed to have roadies by now?

Great story and it put a smile on my face; thanks.

All the best with it.

[CB700]

Awesome congrats.

[inthpktplayer]

Very cool. Sounds like you had fun.

[Ray on the Drums]

Never loosing the passion and worked on your licks for 30 years?
Hooked up with some great musicians with a few months to rehears?
Family and friends dancing and having a blast backing you guys up?

I bet the club owner was pleased and wants you guys back! Nice!

[weezy]

Congrats on getting back out there. It's only been a year and a half for me, but it feels like thirty.

[Ricardo]

It is fantastic to return and do it again, right ?

I played in smoky bars and late nights for 25 years and quit because I had become bored with it.................some of the boredom (now I see with hindsight) was with the band members..............especially one guy.

I did not play in a band for 14 years, although I did do enough studio work to keep me active and still have a few chops.

Until about a year and a half ago..................a studio-friend called me up and asked me to audition for his band because they had lost a drummer. Told him I wasn't interested but he talked me into it...........glad he did because I got the gig and I'm having a great time.............quality original music and good musicianship............power trio...........love it.

That first gig after 14 years was high anxiety but I've settled into it now.

Congrats to you and thanks for another successful return story.

[dt344]

Congratulations! Awesome that you're back on stage!

[Dawgkikker]

Congratulations sir ! Thats the way to do it. Have fun and if you put a little coin in pocket its a plus.

[signia fan]

Hard enough to get paid period, and you got a bonus. That is superb!!
Back around '97-98? I took a year away from the drums after many years of full time gigging. A group of guys I had been on the road years before talked me into coming back. I had not even picked up a stick in a year. Went on stage cold, no rehearsal, just a few listens to the sets in the car. It was one of my best playing gigs ever. So fresh, turned into another 12-13 years of steady gigs.

[drummerboy60]

Joecut, Congrat's on your first gig. Way to go!

[joecut]

Thanks to all for your replies. The band already has three more gigs booked, so it looks like I'm off to a good start my second time around.