Milt Hathaway wrote on Wed, 13 September 2006 18:41 |
Why wouldn't you want to spend time doing what you love to do with lifelong buddies. Sure, the other 23 hours of the day may suck sometimes, but for real musicians that hour on stage more than makes up for it.
I did a Kansas show a few years ago when they had just put out their symphony album, and were playing with local symphonies. That show ranks among the top 3 I've ever attended and/or worked. The crew was great, the band was very personable, and it was obvious that everyone loved what they did.
Speaking of people who certainly don't tour for the money: Marvin Hamlisch. He could just sit at home and roll in the piles of royalty money that's still flowing in, but he truly loves to perform, and loves everything about the rest of the day too. He's always a joy to work with, and he loves to chat with whomever is around, whether they be the promoter or just the lowly crew.
I also live for that hour or two of performance, even if I am stuck off to the side somewhere. I've even learned to enjoy the rest of the day also.
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I'm all about living your life now and loving what you do if not doing what you love.
I mean no insult to Kansas and it was obvious by their performance that they enjoy their craft and appreciated the energy received from the crowd. I as well totally enjoy my admittedly low level of involvement in the industry hauling around gear and mixing for my wife's band once I get past the butterflies of anticipation before each gig.
I make Jewelry for my living, and love the benefits of working for myself and being creative, but along about the fourth week of nose to the grindstone hours getting ready for an upcoming show, there's no denying the fact that what I usually enjoy has become just a job that needs to be done and it needs to be done for the money.... Admittedly better than having to do what I don't enjoy just for the money like many people, but still, there is a reason we call it work and performers get to the point where it is work as well. I know there are performers who live for road and stage yet I can't imagine that the majority of 50 year old once were huge acts book this schedule of touring away from home and family purely for the love of performing. A command performance at Carnegie Hall, every few years a Reunion Tour or even something like playing Corporate party gigs makes sense to me, but at some point, another bus ride just can't be as much fun as it once was.
2006 KANSAS TOUR DATES
USA - August 2006
Date Day City State Venue
8/1/06 Tues Mason MI Fair
8/3/06 Thur Baltimore MD Rams Head
8/5/06 Sat Anderson SC Fair
8/7/06 Mon New York NY BB King's
8/9/06 Wed Alexandria VA The Birchmere
8/10/06 Thur Bethleham PA Festival
8/11/06 Fri Cumberland MD Fair
8/12/06 Sat Malone NY Fair
8/18/06 Fri Red Bank NJ Count Basie Theater
8/19/06 Sat Atlantic City NJ Trump
8/25/06 Fri Oklahoma City OK Zoo Amphitheater
8/26/06 Sat Orlando FL Festival
USA - September 2006
Date Day City State Venue
9/1/06 Fri Virginia Bch VA Festival
9/4/06 Mon Lincoln NE Fair
9/8/06 Fri Anaheim CA The Grove Theater
9/10/06 Sun Murphys CA Iron Stone Amphitheater
9/12/06 Tue Salt Lake City UT State Fair
9/22/06 Fri Bakersfield CA Fair
9/23/06 Sat Las Vegas NV Station
9/27/06 Wed Austin TX One World Theater
USA - October 2006
Date Day City State Venue
10/6/06 Sat Iowa City IA University of Iowa
10/7/06 Sat Destin FL Morgan Sports Complex
10/13/06 Sat South Padre Island TX Festival
10/14/06 Sat Houston TX Arrowfest
10/18/06 Wed Ridgefield CT Playhouse Theater
10/21/06 Sat Reading PA Sovereign PAC
USA - November 2006
Date Day City State Venue
11/3/06 Fri St. Petersburg FL Janus Landing
11/4/06 Sat Homestead FL Festival
11/11/06 Sat Kansas City MO Ameristar
11/16/06 Thur Erie PA Warner Theater
11/17/06 Fri Burgettstown PA Pepsi Cola Road House
11/18/06 Sat Glenside PA Keswick Theater
Check back soon for updates to the KANSAS Tour Dates
We will post them as soon as they become available.
Now booking that level of touring because like many people they made poor financial decisions in their past and blew wads of money on toys or up their nose rather than investing it makes plenty of sense to me. Hence my wondering about just what the economics of the State Fair level gig circuit are. Heck I still have to work for money, being a Rock star can't be cheap maybe they do to.
If we knew then, what we know now, youth wouldn't be wasted on the young. Winston