I used to play in bands in bars. One thing that chapped my ass was encores. I think they’re dumb, sorry if you disagree. You’re fine. I don’t think you’re dumb or anything like that.
We’d play our asses off. It’s like it didn’t even matter come encore time. Why walk off stage at all? How do we avoid this trap? We figured out a way.
We picked one song on our setlist we could rock out for nearly ten minutes and put it last. Same song, every single time. Then we never came out for encores again.
Some folks knew that was the last song from the last time they watched us. Some knew it was the last song because we jammed it so long. Enough knew, we were never asked again.
If you hate encores like me, pick a song. Make it the final song. Do it up. That way when you’re done, you’re done. None of this “icing the kicker” bullshit after an already great show.
Sometimes we have to do what’s right for us. Playing our asses off is cool. It’s healthy. Getting called back up onstage by a lot of drunks isn’t. Especially after they already got my best.
Boundaries talk again..
There’s a conversation to be had about boundaries. What are you willing to do for strangers? What are you willing to let them do for you? We don’t charge for music on Bandcamp. It’s hard, but we do not want investors. We only want listeners. Money is a contract for many folks who spend it, even on music. We’d rather do without those kinds of contracts so we can make what want. We don’t even take “gifts.” Same reason. It’s not a committee here. It’s expression.
Boundaries protect me from winding up in sticky situations or straight up quagmires. Glad for them today.
Back home.
For more talking on boundaries:
The Center for Mindful Psychotherapy is great. Good luck.