People ask, and even expect me, fairly regularly, to play shows for the pleasure of it.
There is no shortage of craigslist ads asking me if I would like to play for "tips and exposure."
That is perfectly okay with me. I like what I do, love it, in fact. I would also love it if:
- My landlord provided a place to live for me, becuase he loves landlording so much
- My grocer, farmers, delivery drivers, cooks, chefs, etc, fed me because they love growing, farming, driving, etc.
- the 76 station would fill my tank so I can get to gigs, becuase they love making fuel so much.
- my doctors would provide medical care for me becuase they love doctoring so much
And so on... Things cost money! The real question is whether or not the general public considers music to be a profession or a hobby. This, I believe, is tied in to whether or not it is considered a service.
The following distinction has been helpful for me:
Playing whatever music I want in my own house for as long as I want is pleasure. I have no responsibility, and the ratio of music to schlepping is quite high. I can experiment, jam, start and stop whenever I want.
However, playing a show is different.
The balance shifts to a high degree of responsibility and schlepping versus music: I have to pack up, load out, and carry my equipment (which, at various times, could mean a tuba, many drums, basses and amps, etc.,) drive to the show, set up my equipment, and provide high-quality music for a specific duration starting at a specific time.
The music I provide changes the atmosphere of the venue considerably, hopefully for the better, and, although I am not a musical genius, I have been playing for over 25 years, and people seem to enjoy what I do. I bring people to the venues I play.
The music part of it is fun, but it's still a service.
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