Don't assume every senior gig has the same atmosphere. The time of day can change the whole performance experience. I did a show this week that started at 6pm. Normally, my shows are in the mornings and early afternoons and this event was special because family's were invited to visit and the community had a buffet set up in the back with desserts and nachos for everyone. If you find yourself with an opportunity to play in the evenings, consider the following: The songs on your setlist may need to change. You're not just playing for residents, you are also helping to create memories between residents and their families. Consider including some 80s or 90s tunes and perhaps a couple children sing alongs if there are young ones in the crowd. Gigs can have a completely different energy. You may find the crowd is a little quieter, more relaxed, less social, or not as well attended. Match this energy. Consider more romantic songs, classic slow dances, or songs that fit the mood of the room. Evening performances can expose sound problems. You may notice things that you didn't during the daytime shows. Consider volume, speaker placement, and background noise. At this particular event, I noticed that children ran around for the first 10 minutes and then disappeared completely into another room and the vibe went from 'Tazmanian Devil' to 'Pink Panther' within a minute. I could hear the buzz of the mini-fridge and glasses and wrappers amidst my singing and playing. I normally prefer daytime senior gigs. But this evening show taught me something....you can't really understand this business until you experience different types of communities, audiences, and events. Have fun discovering what works!❤️

Imagine every week you have a couple paid gigs... Every week, every month, you've got income coming in from playing music and making people happy. Not in a loud smokey bar. Not late at night in a shady campground. Not at your best friend's picnic...but at a senior retirement community. Maybe you're looking to supplement your retirement income. Perhaps you want music to replace your full- time job. Or maybe you're like me and just want to find SOME way to make money doing a thing you love to do? If you're stuck in a spot like I was 10 + years ago, playing guitar as a hobby and not really taking any serious action at a performance career, perhaps your ready to level up. It doesn't take much to start and if you take a little bit of action today, you can have enough gigs to fill every month by this time next year. Step One...... Learn 10 songs that you can play and sing well and that match your senior audience. 2) Create a list of 10 communities in your hometown or very close to you. 3) Call them and ask if you can bring music to their community to cheer up the residents 4) Repeat. Progression drives growth. The more you play the more experience you gain. The more experience you gain the more confidence you gain. The more confidence you gain the better performer you become and the greater the impact of your shows which lead to more bookings. Take a small action step today and you might be surprised how quickly you will grow. Keep shining love and light!❤️