Gig Life
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Gigs. I don’t like doing gigs. Correction - I don’t like HAVING to entertain people for a specific amount of time on a specific day, singing specific songs. I’m an artist who loves to create moments with my art.
What is a gig exactly? The Oxford Language Dictionary defines it as the following:
a live performance by or engagement for a musician or group playing popular or jazz music.
a job, especially one that is temporary or freelance and performed on an informal or on-demand basis.
As a musician, both definitions would actually apply if you’re a working (a.k.a. “gigging”) musician. Your professional life is mostly made up of the 2nd definition, with the “job” of the 1st definition.
I guess the more time passes and the longer I’ve been in the music industry, the more I just wanna do what doesn’t feel like “work”. I’m sure many of you are able to relate. I want to share an experience with people. A genuine encounter. I wanna tell a story while exchanging energy, transparency and passion. I don’t want to have to make the people dance, or have to set a specific mood. I want anyone in attendance to walk away grateful that we shared this time together. Glad they didn’t decide to stay home instead. Or grab that movie. I want there to be a sense of feeling “alive, energized, hopeful, seen, encouraged…loved even.
Don’t get me wrong, I like gig money. Helps pay the bills. Aside from money, gigging definitely has it’s benefits. Gigs are a good way to stay sharp. Constantly practicing and using muscle memory. You become a part of a community. You can even build life-long relationships with other musicians. Learn to become a team player. Gigging also promotes discipline. When others are relying on you and your contributions to create a special moment, it tends to light a fire up under you.
Singers: You do, however, have to be careful with the types of gigs you accept. Some clubs and venues have absolute TRASH sound systems (and/or sound engineers). That’s why it’s important for gigging singers to have some sort of vocal training/study to help understand how to approach singing in those environments. Proper singing technique and vocal health can afford you a lifetime of singing music at peak performance!
FULL-TIME GIGGER/ARTIST
So you’ve lost all sanity and have decided to take a leap and do music full-time - Welcome! If you’ve made this exciting and sometimes lonely decision, here are a few tips:
Be sure to save money from each gig. We have to save money for retirement, special occasions, in addition to day-to-day stuff. Be prepared to cover the unexpected. For instance, the engine died on my car. Insurance doesn’t cover it. Guess what - you gotta get the money from somewhere.
Be sure to either know how to do your own taxes or get a tax accountant. Do yourself a favor and save receipts for all expenses that are work-related. Since we don’t work a regular 9-5 job that takes the taxes out of your paycheck every week, you have to put a little aside for your anticipated taxes owed at the end of the tax year. You know Uncle Sam stays having his hand out, and in your pocket.
The IRS says in order for a purchase to be deductible it must “be a business expense that is both ordinary and necessary.”
Here is a list of items you can write-off on your taxes (forbes.com):
Property taxes
Mortgage Interest
State taxed paid
Homeowner deductions (Insurance premiums, mortgage interest, real estate taxes paid during the year)
Charitable contributions (includes church tithing)
Medical expenses (as well as medical mileage - travel to doctor’s visits or hospital appointments)
Lifetime learning credit/Education credits
American opportunity tax education credit
Retirement credits
IRA contributions
Self-employment health care premiums
Meals (in direct connection to business dealings - i.e. business lunch, meals while traveling for business)
Student loan interest
Insurance
Insurance always feels like a heavy lift when you don’t have a company taking care of the payments. But we all know how important it is to have. So get to it if you don’t have any!
Here are a few sites that help musicians either get insurance or advocate for your medical needs.
Music Health Alliance https://www.musichealthalliance.com/how-it-works/
American Association of Independent Music https://a2im.org/a2im-now-offering-members-access-to-affordable-insurance-via-a2im-benefits-store/
Takeaways
Gigging can be a good source of income if you can build a good network around you.
Be sure to save for the unexpected, and future expenses.
Save your receipts and write-off what you can.
Get your own health insurance plans. Not having a 9-5 is no excuse for not having health insurance.
Honorable mention: Don’t forget to get life insurance! You don’t want to become a burden to your loved ones after you depart.
Now go out and gig responsibly!