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Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 1 Feb 2021 9:48 am

7 for the whole year, 6 will probably get cancelled.

I expect maybe 4 more over the summer but thats about it unless we get some last minute fill in "duo" gigs.

When I retired in May 2015 right up thru the very beginning of 2020, I was playing 5 to 7 gigs/mth ! Who woulda thought the olden days were 2015.

For me and my bandmates the biggest disappointment is losing our 2x mth gig at the restaurant. The band was on that show 8 years, I was there for 5 years. Its not just the music I miss but we had easily 100+ regular friends coming to each show. I miss them just as much and fear I may never see many of them ever again. That gig will never return.

I may see a few stragglers at the duo gigs now and then, I hope so.

Roger Crawford · Post by **Roger Crawford** » 1 Feb 2021 2:23 pm

I’m really fortunate to get to play with three different bands. So far, I’ve got 35 gigs on the calendar. All are in places that take your temperature as you enter and social distance the seating. Here’s hoping we don’t have another setback on the virus.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 2 Feb 2021 3:53 am

Roger Crawford wrote:I’m really fortunate to get to play with three different bands. So far, I’ve got 35 gigs on the calendar. All are in places that take your temperature as you enter and social distance the seating. Here’s hoping we don’t have another setback on the virus.

NICE !

All of our summer Festivals / Parks gigs are now long gone as well , last year we probably had 15 cancelled which will never return. Those were pretty much all outdoor as well . I'm sure they could bring the music back but not the people. The music is the easy part.

I'm going to reach out to a couple of former band leaders to see how they are doing as well. I played with them on and off for a long time on the "dancehall" circuit. That circuit around here is now "DEAD". It was an every Fri/Sat night thing for many bands as well as Dancehall attendees, perhaps 7 or 8 venues across the region. Now "NOT"...really sad.

I will be grateful for a dozen gigs if thats all it is for 2021 .

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 4 Feb 2021 7:16 am

The immediate calendar does look bleak. Nothing planned or scheduled around my area and the few that survived may not continue music. I hope there's a turn around by mid year.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Mar 2021 11:48 pm

while I don't see things opening up anytime soon here in NC , we have been fortunate to book a few more "private" club gigs. One gig we have decided to bring in the whole band which includes my buddy Brett Crisp on Steel. I have no problem staying on the Tele.

We are totally saddened that our 2X month gig has ended. I was on that gig for 5 years straight, Steel and Tele. Not only the music but our friends who came out regularly who became "family" , its a hell of a thing.

I read about the Nashville players and how many national acts are getting a bit antsy, they want and need to get back to work.

Michael Sawyer · Post by **Michael Sawyer** » 28 Mar 2021 2:29 pm

We played at a club here in the northeast piedmont on the 20th,171 head count.Booked for 1 in April,2 in May.
Sure am glad to be moving again.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 1 Apr 2021 11:46 pm

Good News- we talked to the restaurant where we played our 2x month gig, they want is to come back. As soon as things open up a bit more and we are not violating any state orders, we will resume.

I was on this gig for 5 years straight, the band has been there 8 years straight. Many of our friends who came out regularly to attend are still in contact with us so its possible we may be close to picking up where we left off.

For the restaurant, these were to two busiest nights for them each month, the place was packed ! Its a win win. !

For me this is a double duty joy !

Apparently I better get busy with my Steel practice again and soon !

Apart from this gig, I have been playing duo gigs and have many scheduled throughout the year on rotation. Most are still outside. At the end of April I have 3 in a row, Fri, Sat and Sunday ! I'll need a serious nap after those 3

Ben Lawson · Post by **Ben Lawson** » 2 Apr 2021 7:24 am

2021 Schedule
Played about six so far this year
April 10, 23
May 8, 14
June 5,12
July 16,17
Aug 28
Sept 18
Oct 16
Nov 13

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 2 Apr 2021 6:59 pm

Guys that's great news. My son is doing gigs again and getting calls for more. He did a Wednesday and Friday gig this week. Things are opening up.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 3 Apr 2021 5:47 am

Things are definitely moving much more slowly here, and I suspect throughout the Northeast. There are NO indoor gigs around here, and nothing scheduled that I know about.

I have a few outdoor gigs tentatively scheduled for the summer, but nothing is confirmed yet. I've asked for confirmation so I can decide if I wanna hang around here for the summer, or maybe spend the summer in Nashville. I got my 2nd vaccination 5 weeks ago. I was just down there last week, things seem to be opening up there. And the covid rates are now significantly lower there too. It was quite the oppposite until now.

Ian Rae · Post by **Ian Rae** » 3 Apr 2021 2:55 pm

Today our band had three gigs confirmed. The first is at a local charity festival at the end of July, by which time our government is hoping that everyone's had two shots and restrictions can finally be lifted altogether.

Two of the pubs we used to play at seem to have closed for good, but another one which fancies itself as a new music venue offered us two dates in August and November, so it's a start.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 17 Apr 2021 1:47 am

As the weather is warming, we picked up another handful of gigs, mostly DUO . We also did just pick up 2 gigs which we can bring in the 5 piece. These are part of the Outdoor Concert Series that shut down last year. But, if it rains, NO GIG !

The primary reason we are being DUO booked in most of the venues is because if the weather is bad they can move us inside to a small footprint space.

NC is still on limited capacity for indoor venues.

These are not Steel gigs for me, I'll be bringing out the new Brent Mason Tele for these. The 5 piece gigs we will bring in our good friend Brett Crisp for Steel duty.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 18 Jun 2021 12:16 am

Just learned last night that our 2x /mth gig that I was on for 5 years resumes July 22 !

Jacksons Cafeteria, Gastonia NC, 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month resumes. 6pm to 8pm. This puts me back on double duty again, Steel and Guitar.

Will it be the same, ? will it become successful ? Will the same audience return ? A majority of our regular attending audience was older, older than me . So we'll see. Its been 17 months since our last show. A lot has happened over the last 17 months.

The big unknown

Peter Harris · Post by **Peter Harris** » 18 Jun 2021 2:14 am

Tony Prior wrote:Just learned last night that our 2x /mth gig that I was on for 5 years resumes July 22 !

Jacksons Cafeteria, Gastonia NC, 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month resumes. 6pm to 8pm. This puts me back on double duty again, Steel and Guitar.

Will it be the same, ? will it become successful ? Will the same audience return ? A majority of our regular attending audience was older, older than me . So we'll see. Its been 17 months since our last show. A lot has happened over the last 17 months.

The big unknown

Good luck and I hope it goes well...in Oz, audiences (in places where they are allowed back) seem to be making up for lost time....it's a good feeling, although everything is still very tenuous with continual 'new' outbreaks still in the news... ...sigh!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 29 Jun 2021 12:38 am

quite frankly, I went from 1or 2 / month over the past many months during Covid to too many . These were all on guitar only, duo's, private clubs and outdoor events. I think I booked too many gigs in July. NINE as in 9 , thats nuts.

But this is a good sign / indicator .

We played an outdoor stage last weekend , one of those large shopping-village-condo -homes- free events, easily 300 people came out to sit on the green-way , maybe even 400. These gigs have typically been 7 to 9, they moved it up to 6 -8 which is WAY better ! I was on Telecaster, my buddy Brett Crisp was on Steel.

Brett makes me dig deep for new phrases...

My friends band started playing the Reginal Dance Hall circuit again on the same night, he told me the room was packed to capacity. Hopefully this is a sign of things getting back to normal, or maybe better than normal.

August, I have 4 shows booked, I'm not booking anymore in August !

2 on Steel, 2 on Tele.

My Steel playing was in an OK place way back early 2020 , but its gonna take some time to polish the picks as I have not sat behind it much over the past year.

The notes are all there, but some of them are NOT good notes

Hopefully, all , or at least a good many of us , are getting called back to the stages.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 29 Jun 2021 10:07 am

Tony Prior wrote:.. its gonna take some time to polish ..

Yeah, I finally saw the inside of a bar room a couple of days ago, and had a rough time with the right hand, especially on the high energy numbers. Playing at home is just not the same.

Clyde Mattocks · Post by **Clyde Mattocks** » 30 Jun 2021 5:32 pm

Not like it was before, but I am surprised how fast gigs are coming back. Some months I have five or six. One thing that hasn't changed is the pay.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 13 Jul 2021 12:54 am

see below

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 23 Jul 2021 4:30 am

Well I retuned to my 2 x mth gig on Steel last night, it went well, the crowd returned , we had a good 2 hr show even made a few bucks. BUT, after 18 months away it wasn't the same for me. It was almost a good time but not exactly a good time. I've moved on musically. This morning I feel like I am a Hamster, I went thru the motions , the exact same motions from 18 months ago. same songs, same guests, they sang the same songs, same ole same ole. Same traffic ( actually worse), same drama. This is also an INDOOR CLOSED room event of which I am not convinced of its overall Covid factor quite yet. Room holds around 125 last night we had maybe 80 in attendance.

I'm still real busy with my primary band, duos and outdoor concerts which typically draw 300 or more now. I'm on guitar with that band and I have changed my entire approach to playing over the last year. Plus the set list is challenging, no time to take a nap during the songs , there is no auto pilot.

I gave my resignation from the 2x mth gig this morning. It was a great run for over 5 years, I can tell ya my playing evolved immensely. But all good things come to an end and this was MY decision. They will not be left high and dry, there are at least 2 or 3 other players in the area that can be offered the position,

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 25 Jul 2021 3:58 pm

thread can be closed now , thx !