This is the time of year that many musicians tend to get off the rock for a bit and play music as far away as they dare to drive. In the words of Bilbo Baggins, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door.”
But for many musicians, traveling and playing your music is a mixture of passion, art and folklore with a touch of rite of passage. I found myself playing a little music along the St. Lawrence River, at the home of the Amsterdam family, former owners of the Curry Mansion, and big supporters of art and music in Key West.
I was collaborating with longtime Key West troubadour and prolific songwriter Gary Hempsey, who was in the middle of a solo tour through the Midwest and Northeast. While Gary’s tour includes several traditional bar gigs, a fair portion of his nights are spent playing house concerts he lined up.
A house concert is just what the name implies — someone with a house pays the musicians to do a concert and their friends come and enjoy. The equipment is supplied by the musician as is, on most occasions, the responsibility of lodging. This method works well with Gary’s relaxed attitude. “This is the year of travel for me; also I’m building a fan base, meeting new people, getting my records and songs heard. These grassroots house concerts are absolutely the way to do that.”
One of the interesting aspects of playing off the island is removing yourself from routines. As Gary explained, “If you’re at home and have steady gigs, you find you fall into a routine. In Key West, it’s an easy commute. Like when I finish on Tuesday, I stop at Chico’s and bring home dinner. It’s kind of a tradition.”
Having disconnected from routine, invested in yourself and facing the prospect of less-than-entertaining hotel television, an artist can be inspired to create from a fresh perspective.
Inspiration on the road can also come from the feeling of facing the unknown. Every day is a different place with a different crowd, a different staff, owners and a different stage. The only constant is you and your ability to entertain. “It feels like a brand new ‘first gig ever’ scenario,” Gary said. “The tricky part is every region of the country definitely has different musical tastes, so if you have enough material, you can become a chameleon of sorts.”
This life isn’t for everyone. The long hours driving, questionable dietary choices, being away from loved ones, lonely hotel rooms with the aforementioned crappy television. But, when you’re out there by yourself, or with your friends, you feel like a pirate, captain of your own destiny – as if you’re standing for something, spreading your art to the world, creating the way you were meant to, sharing it like you need to, living a full life. There is a feeling that is hard to describe, but easy to imagine. Someone should write a song about it.
