Has Covid ended my career?

fess

Senior Member
Ok, not much of a career, I’m retired but in 2 bands. Obviously all our gigs are on hold right now but we do have some scheduled for the summer that will most likely happen as they are outdoors.
Im approaching 70 and really don’t want to get this virus. I have no problem playing outdoor venues but both bands practice indoors in relatively small spaces. I doubt I’ll be comfortable being in a small enclosed space, especially with people singing.
Also 1 band member is a teacher and another is a school bus driver. Prime candidates to spread the virus.
I don’t see a solution to this, so I guess I’m probably done as a rock star. ☹️
 
It may take several years, but I think the numbers of new outdoor venues/events will see a significant rise due to this. How it affects those of us considered "high risk" due to our age and the other contributing factors involved in our craft, is unknown. I personally would love to play a predominance of outdoor gigs. I also think that finding safer rehearsal spaces and/or the available technology to "virtually" rehearse can mitigate the dangers.
 

While if true, this would be a life changer, the claim of "100% effective" would never, EVER be made by a credible research doctor/organization prior to complete and documented clinical trails, peer review, and federal (FDA) scrutiny. This is the way BioPharm companies pump their own stock price.
Fox News should know better than to broadcast this.
 
Last edited:
Yes, if you are about 70 years old and concerned about getting sick then I think that it is too risky. The risk / reward balance is way off. Too much risk, too little reward.
 
I’m 51 and healthy. But I’m also a husband and father, and potentially getting a deadly virus scares me. It sucks but I probably won’t play any indoor gigs - at least anytime soon.
 
My busiest band will face a similar dilemma.
We play for 50’s Rock n’ Roll dances, and our audience are mostly over 60’s who take ballroom dance classes. They dance in pairs holding hands, and swap dance partners all night. One person with the virus could easily spread it to the entire room in one evening.
So while I’m not at much risk behind the drums, its unlikely that any of our shows will go ahead for the foreseeable future.
 
My busiest band will face a similar dilemma.
We play for 50’s Rock n’ Roll dances, and our audience are mostly over 60’s who take ballroom dance classes. They dance in pairs holding hands, and swap dance partners all night. One person with the virus could easily spread it to the entire room in one evening.
So while I’m not at much risk behind the drums, its unlikely that any of our shows will go ahead for the foreseeable future.
As a drummer who is also a ballroom dancer, I can agree. I do not see any social dancing as being a reasonable risk for many months, even if I only dance with my wife. Partner dancing is on hold all over the world. I honestly can't picture any gig, indoors or out where everyone stays in their own two-metre circle. And then what if you have a big band? Imagine how much room a 24 piece band will take up.
 
Last edited:
And then what if you have a big band? Imagine how much room a 24 piece band will take up.
I direct a 19 piece big band at school. We just started rehearsals again last week. We’re spread out across the whole orchestra room, all six feet apart like a giant chessboard. Not ideal sound wise, but better than not playing at all.
 
I direct a 19 piece big band at school. We just started rehearsals again last week. We’re spread out across the whole orchestra room, all six feet apart like a giant chessboard. Not ideal sound wise, but better than not playing at all.
And now they are saying that even that, in an air conditioned indoor space, for prolonged periods, is no good. Especially when it involves blowing horns or singing. Is there any way you can take it all outdoors?
 
And now they are saying that even that, in an air conditioned indoor space, for prolonged periods, is no good. Especially when it involves blowing horns or singing. Is there any way you can take it all outdoors?
Interesting - after several weeks of shutdown, we are now allowed to have groups of up to 30 students in a classroom or large space. Singers and flutes have to keep further apart than the others. Outdoors won’t work - its winter, but we are required to open the doors and maybe a window. Our large band and choir of over 30 can’t rehearse yet.

In our state there are now no active cases of covid. Despite thousands of testsd, there have been no new cases for weeks, and the last sick people recovered last week. No cases in hospital. So while our borders and airports remain closed, restrictions within the state are being eased slightly, including opening schools.
But theatres, cinemas, venues and pubs remain shut.
 
Interesting - after several weeks of shutdown, we are now allowed to have groups of up to 30 students in a classroom or large space. Singers and flutes have to keep further apart than the others. Outdoors won’t work - its winter, but we are required to open the doors and maybe a window. Our large band and choir of over 30 can’t rehearse yet.

In our state there are now no active cases of covid. Despite thousands of testsd, there have been no new cases for weeks, and the last sick people recovered last week. No cases in hospital. So while our borders and airports remain closed, restrictions within the state are being eased slightly, including opening schools.
But theatres, cinemas, venues and pubs remain shut.

Must be nice. We’re re-opening a lot of things in Virginia this weekend, and I’m deeply worried. We’ve got many thousands of cases in this state, and we’re re-opening. It’s foolish in the extreme.
 
Ah yes Morrisman, South Australia. Your recovery curve is a bit ahead of ours here in Hawai'i, but this is one of the safest American States. I don't know, I am reluctant to return to group exercise or dancing, or large gatherings, but I feel safer in public than I did last month. I have not decided whether to find a new band after all this. I will patiently observe first.
 
While our situation is currently excellent, everyone knows that just one hidden case can set off the chain reaction again. In the state next to us things were going well, then some workers at a factory got infected, and suddenly there are 90 new cases there.

So there’s a cautious optimism. And no live gigs...
 
Back
Top