Hard work pays off in different ways to different people. Some look for monetary gain, some look for an ego boost, some do it for a sense of duty and accomplishment. I work hard for the feeling.
I sing monthly at an open mic showcase I co-run with my mentor Mwalim and it is hard work. After I leave my job at 3:30pm, it's off to the career for 4:30. Coordinating the musicians,the audio engineer and getting to the venue to set it up takes on total about 3 hours. Not to mention making sure we have adequate vehicles and spacing. After setting up the mics, drums, bass, speakers, lights, amps, audio table and sometimes even getting people fed we still have the SHOW. Running from 8:30 pm to around 1am, I am the main ringleader, the man on the microphone. Segways, sing alongs and just making sweet music is a job in itself. And THEN we have to pack it all up and put it away. So after a 19.5 hour day what is there that is left? It isn't money. It isn't fame, mostly lol. All that is left is a feeling.
How it feels to get on stage and create something, to blend with people you know but may not know what you're up to. The feeling of seeing musicians lost in their craft. Swirling notes and vibrating textures, roaming lyrics, repeating again and again until you get them right when you just had them the moment before. It is a storm of sound and power and as I sit here the next morning, entirely exhauuuusted, I can't help but miss it. If the feeling wasn't this purity, this elation, this etherial symphony I don't think I could do it again. If it weren't for the feeling, performing would be worthless.
Don't let the world's wants waste you.
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Phillip Aaron / Blog
Making It Work
Hard work pays off in different ways to different people. Some look for monetary gain, some look for an ego boost, some do it for a sense of duty and accomplishment. I work hard for the feeling. I sing monthly at an open mic showcase I co-run with my mentor Mwalim and it is hard work. After I leave my job at 3:30pm, it's off to the career for 4:30. Coordinating the musicians,the audio engineer and getting to the venue to set it up takes on total about 3 hours. Not to mention making sure we have adequate vehicles and spacing. After setting up the mics, drums, bass, speakers, lights, amps, audio table and sometimes even getting people fed we still have the SHOW. Running from 8:30 pm to around 1am, I am the main ringleader, the man on the microphone. Segways, sing alongs and just making sweet music is a job in itself. And THEN we have to pack it all up and put it away. So after a 19.5 hour day what is there that is left? It isn't money. It isn't fame, mostly lol. All that is left is a feeling. How it feels to get on stage and create something, to blend with people you know but may not know what you're up to. The feeling of seeing musicians lost in their craft. Swirling notes and vibrating textures, roaming lyrics, repeating again and again until you get them right when you just had them the moment before. It is a storm of sound and power and as I sit here the next morning, entirely exhauuuusted, I can't help but miss it. If the feeling wasn't this purity, this elation, this etherial symphony I don't think I could do it again. If it weren't for the feeling, performing would be worthless. Don't let the world's wants waste you.
Reply