I have recently come to find that playing music is not an all or nothing situation.
I love everything about music but the best part of the whole music experience is getting on stage and performing.
But there are other ways to fulfill this need to perform.
For instance, I am also a Stilt Walker.
That's right I said it...
I am a Stilt Walker.
And I found out that businesses in my local area are more interested in talking to me when I introduce them to my Stilt Walking Character than when I say that I am a musician.
So, it got me thinking about the benefits of that and believe me they out weigh not performing at all.
I would rather perform as a Stilt Walker than not at all.
It also provides me with an incredible income too.
By figuring this out for yourself, you can subsidize your musical passion.
Here are some ideas.
You could be a DJ, a Master of ceremonies, part of a play, and much more.
I have a friend who makes a nice income by performing at senior citizen's facilities.
It allows him to keep his performing skills sharp.
It is said that the successful performers play and play and play and play any where they can.
It is more about attitude.
If you are so hell bent on the venue rather than what you are getting out of the experience, that is do you in sooner or later.
I have seen too many bands and artist kill their own career just because they did not want to play a gig because it was beneath them.
I have also seen artists play house concerts that can fill 30,000 seats in one night.
So what I am trying to say to you (if you are still reading) is that you have to expose yourself to unlimited playing situations.
Playing in a back yard, on a boat, in a cabin, and more because that is what is going to make you an incredible performer when it comes to the big stage.
You will know how to captivate an audience no matter what size the audience.
By capturing the audience you get rewarded by them buying your CDs, merchandise, and tickets to your show.
No one wants to go see an artist and get out of the concert to say "I enjoyed myself because it was so boring I got in a good round of sleep".
Get really! People go to a concert and come out saying " WOW! that was the best concert I have ever seen!" I guess it goes back to the saying of "Build it and they will come" give them a show they can't forget and they will come again and again and again! When you start giving the show that you audience wants, that is when the work will start.
You will have to keep improving your WOW factor and that will keep you employed.
This is going to be a difficult part of your career and it is where most bands fail.
Once you have achieved that level of performing you will need to re-create that every night on the road.
There will come a time when the "SHOW" that was working so well for you is now not working as well, that you will have to re-invent yourself and look at your stage performance with a brand new set of eyes.
But until then you have to practice your craft of captivating the audience and that is not an easy task.
To find out how difficult it is just ask any 20 year over night success and they will tell you straight up that they never stopped believing and they performed when ever the chance came along.
Whether it is at a Car dealership opening or some civic event you need to get you stage show so well rehearsed that you could do it in your sleep!