It’s almost a year now since I stepped out of my shell and started playing gigs. I feel like I’ve played (or at least applied) in every pub in Melbourne that allows/encourages original music. Aside from playing in pubs, setting up your own shows at music venues, and joining other artist’s gigs, I think I’ve ran out of options. It’s all good though, as I still hit my 1-2 gig a month quota. At least for now.
I feel like a lot of things around making and sharing music involves money. I guess it’s pretty obvious, but I never really saw it that way. For the first 36 years of my life, I was a consumer of music and a hobby musician. I bought cassette tapes in the 90s, CDs in the 00s and now have streaming subscriptions. I bought guitars and other gear to fulfil my passion for playing and making music. I paid to watch concerts.
Now that I’m sort of a working musician getting paid to play and earning a tiny profit out of streaming, I see things differently. Every single thing seems to require money. And the more you put into it, the more likely your chances are of being heard.
Unfortunately for me, I do not have a lot of money. 99% of what I do is DIY. I started this whole thing during the lockdowns, when everyone was bored and social media usage was higher than normal. If not for this larger than normal FB following, I never would have realised that some people actually like my songs. And I never would have started playing gigs.
It’s been fun so far, and I’m really grateful for everything that has happened. But sometimes I wonder - How far can I really take things? If I want more gigs and more exposure, I have to be prepared to spend more money. Which I don’t have. So what now?
Rest assured that while I am a poor bastard, I am and will always be a hardworking one. So I’ll make it work. I’ll keep making music, growing my audience, and doing what I love with whatever resources I have at my disposal. Thanks for following my journey and I hope you stick around.