The Gig Triangle

I have been playing music with people for nearly 40 years. That’s shocking when you consider how much room for improvement there still is.

The first gig I did was helped, not by drugs but by a feeling that I was in the right place, doing the right thing. I was probably awful but all I remember is the energy of playing music to an audience who stayed and listened.

There is a concept called the gig triangle. There are three elements: money, company and music. If at least two of the three are right, it should be a good gig. Applying this rule to what I can remember of the gigs I’ve done it seems like a workable idea.

The worst gigs have been the ones where the missing element was good company. Playing for people who don’t respect each other is miserable. Luckily that’s not been a regular experience. For a very long time it’s been good company, good music, terrible money and that’s ok (at least while I had another income).

This year I’m hoping to get more gigs done. Good company is a given, because I’m 57 now and life’s too short to work with people you don’t like. Likewise, I have no reason to play music I don’t like. Who knows what the money will be like. But if you’re reading this, you’re rich and you want some good live music from people who like each other, let me know.

By the way, for more on the gig triangle, listen to this episode of the Scotts Bass Lessons podcast.