Side Street Sounds-Isolation’s Silver Lining…Time
- By Steve West–
If there is a silver lining to the isolation we’re all going through right now, it’s this: we suddenly have time. In an age where we have been increasingly over-scheduled, we’re relearning how to slow down and amuse ourselves. Some have learned how to cook or bake from scratch. Others have made a habit of taking daily walks. The projects that have been saved for “someday” are starting to get done.
Working musicians often wish we could find the time to go out and hear other musicians play, but we’re usually playing at the same time in different locations so the opportunities to hear one another are few and far between. With most of our gigs cancelled for the foreseeable future, many musicians have taken to live streaming their performances on social media. The main outlets have been Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Although it’s not the same as performing in front of a live audience, it still gives the musician some opportunity to interact with those who are watching, and it gives the audience watching online the chance to see the music performed without edits and filters. Most performances are preserved when they’re finished, so you can go back and watch them again. It has the added bonus of giving us the time to listen to other musicians we might not otherwise be able to see perform.
The organization and ingenuity have been swift and impressive. There have been a number of “virtual open mics” organized online. These are events where several performers agree to play at set times, one after another, to give the effect of an open mic night. Other webpages have popped up listing scheduled performances. The most prominent in our area is the Facebook group, “Get Your Gig On.” It has been online for several years as a project of love by Randy Fluker and Christine Piano Thompson, two music lovers who post a daily list of performances throughout the region. With all live performances cancelled, they have extended their page to listing online live streaming events from local musicians. Randy and Christine receive no compensation for their efforts, other than the deep appreciation of the musicians they help to promote with their publicity.
In an effort to earn some of the money they’re losing out on by not having paid gigs, many musicians are setting up virtual tip jars by opening PayPal or Venmo accounts where viewers can make donations if they’re in a position to do so. Others are setting up paid performances, where the audience needs a password to access the concert.
Nobody knows what the local music scene will look like in the aftermath of the current health crisis we’re all going through. The economic and social fallout will certainly change the ways we gather. The one thing that will always endure is the spirit we have to create beauty. Whether that takes place in person, or in another form remains to be seen, but it will never be muted.
