While many artists rely exclusively on weekend and evening gigs, normal business hours actually provide a variety of lucrative options for artists looking to treat their music as more a of a day job than a hobby. Here we look at some of the best types of shows to play while the sun’s still up.
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Guest Post by Chris Robley on The DIY Musician
Musicians, what are the best gigs to play during the day?
I got an email from John Bahler, a full-time musician who makes his living playing in nursing homes. He usually performs in the morning and afternoon in the same city with a few hours to kill in between, and he was looking for advice on how to make the most of that time.
“I know that a lot of DIY musicians either have day jobs or don’t wake up in time to worry about this, but there is very little advice for those of us who are specifically looking to work during business hours.
Daytime gigs have made it possible for me to transition from playing on weekends in a hobby band to playing full time for a living without sacrificing my family. That is a dream that lots of aspiring musicians have, and it would be great to let them in on the possibilities.”
He asked that we come up with a list of daytime/lunchtime/business-week gig ideas, as well as some comments by musicians who play them. Problem is, I don’t have a ton of experience playing during daylight hours. Do you? If so, I’d love for you to comment below and describe the type of gig, plus whatever other details you think would interest fellow musicians (pay, setup, booking, frequency, etc.). Then I can compile the best ideas into the kind of list John was suggesting.
Off the top of my head, my list included:
* Weddings (though they’re usually on weekends)
* City events (such as concerts in the park)
* Nursing homes (which John had already been doing)
* In-stores (where you play at a record shop)
* In-studios (where you perform live on the radio or television)
* Restaurants (in Maine there’s a big summertime patio music scene during lunch hours)
* Office concerts (the workplace equivalent of house concerts)
* Busking (where you perform on the street, hopefully with permission)
What would you add to that list? I’m sure I’m missing quite a few options. Holler below if you have ideas.