Saturday 29 August 2026

Getting old sucks

My brain still thinks I am 30 and my body fights it tooth and nail. I had a band gig last night, old school 9pm to 1am. The gig was over an hour away so I loaded my vehicle at 5pm with all the PA and my gear then drove out there.  two hours to unload/setup, four hours of playing, and other hour of tear down and then another hour and 15 minute drive back home put my home at 3:15am. 10 hours for a few days of gas money.

It’s a good think I love playing music.

But I woke up today around 9am, sore, tired, and lethargic. I didn’t unload last night so I still have to do that, and I am putting off. My body hurts. People don’t realize how physical it is to be in a local band. We don’t have roadies, and instrument techs. We do more than just “stand up there an play” (which is also exhausting…if you have ever performed at a biker bar you know how energetic it gets and it is easy to get lost in the “moment”).

Yet I keep on doing it, at 60 years old. Ask me today If I want a gig this week and your would think I would turn it down, knowing how exhausted I get… but I would take it.

To be honest, I don’t know how long I can hold this pace up. I “really’ love playing for an audience. It’s like a drug. But my old, out of shape, dad bod that has ailments a lot of guys my age have, its starting to complain, loudly and clearly.

Part of me thinks I should find and pay a young person to help with the hard physical labor portions of gigging, take the pay cut and be happy with it because I am still doing what I love. I have truly considered this. But the money, while not enough to pay my bills is pretty solid income to fill in the gaps. Taking a pay cut would be noticeable I think.

I am honestly just thinking out loud here, on a day that I have been napping and nursing my old ass all day.  But getting old is become a very real reality.