Part 2 finds our fearless troubadours headed for Bourke
Gig #2 – Bourke
I’d never been to Bourke. Heard lots about it, probably only 50% or less of which is true, like anywhere, so I was keen to go. Enthusiasm for the drive was tempered however by the realisation that my carefully curated playlist would be drowned out by the sound of the van… And Dale will back me up, those speakers are in the worst place Toyota, so get your act together and think of the musos. Anyway, as we shouted at each other in partially heard conversation it also became clear that I really should have taken two guitar cases, seeing as I had two guitars, and that the unseen corrugations in the road would punish me for thinking I could lay a Maton on some soft bags and everything would be OK.
It says something about the level of confidence one has in their presentation when you decide to play where the people aren’t so as not to interrupt – but they looked like they were enjoying dinner so it was onto the front verandah of the Port of Bourke Hotel we took ourselves.
I normally don’t like to drink alcohol when I’m playing – I’m not talented enough to overcome the inhibitance – but I also don’t like 35 degree nights without a beer… only one of those two options was palatable.
Lesson #2
People won’t care about your music unless you give them a reason to. And “because they should” is not that reason. It’s hard to plan because attention these days is so split. Please don’t take this as a complaint, I love making music but if you’re hoping to do something with your music it’s so much more than that these days. An independent musician has to be a promoter, marketer, distributor and businessman among other things and, 100%, I am not as good at any of those things as I am at actually writing the songs. The Bourke audience were very receptive, more than I can honestly say I would be if someone were treating me to a two hour performance of songs I had no reason to care for, perhaps a bigger lesson is starting to emerge...
Part 3 next week!