Still Chasing Moments at 58: The Reality of Playing in a Working Covers Band

Scott Peterson

Scott Peterson

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I'm in my 8th year with The Detroit Drive, playing casinos, festivals, private events, clubs, and acoustic gigs. At 58, I'm essentially the same kid who started performing at 14 – just with more miles on the odometer and a deeper appreciation for what this means.

I call it "the juice" – that irreplaceable feeling of performing live. More specifically, I'm chasing moments. You know the ones: when the crowd is fully engaged, the dance floor is packed, the band is locked in tight, and the energy in the room creates this perfect storm where you just surrender to it. You're not thinking anymore; you're just being in that moment with your guitar. Time stops. Nothing else exists.

But let's be honest about the other side:

The summer outdoor gigs are in crushing heat. Driving to gigs in the winter when the weather sucks, the roads are dangerous, and you know you'll be playing to an empty room. Loading in, setting up, tearing down, loading out – every single time. Running your gear, troubleshooting technical issues on the fly, managing band dynamics with different personalities, goals, and life situations, and coordinating schedules that work for everyone. Dealing with the spouse who's frustrated you're gone 2-3 nights every week. Planning every family event and vacation around whether you can find a competent fill.

The logistics alone could be a full-time job, and that's before you even play a note.

So why do it?

This topic isn't about internet flexing or ego stroking. It's about being out in the world, creating moments of joy for people – even if it's just for a few hours on a Saturday night. The world needs live music, played by real musicians who give a damn. There's something vital about that human connection, that shared experience of live performance that no playlist or DJ can replicate.

I know this has an expiration date. I'm not naive about that. Father Time is undefeated, and I have no interest in being the guy who overstayed his welcome or can't admit when it's time to hang it up. When I can no longer deliver at the level I expect from myself, I'll bow out gracefully.

But I'm not there yet. Not even close. When everything clicks – when the room is electric, the band is on fire, and you hit that perfect note at the perfect moment – that rush is still as powerful as it was when I was 14. Maybe more so, because I know how precious and fleeting these moments are.

For those of you out there:
  • If you're considering gigging, what's holding you back?
  • If you're currently gigging – how do you balance it all? What keeps you going?
  • If you've stepped back – what made you stop, and do you miss it?
I'm curious about everyone's relationship with live performance. Whether you're playing dive bars, wedding gigs, original showcases, or packed theaters – or whether you're still in the bedroom wondering if you should leap – what's your story?

Because at the end of the day, we're all chasing something when we pick up our instruments. What are you chasing?
 
Great to hear your current situation, Scott! I’m glad the fire hasn’t left you and, to be honest, I don’t think it ever will.

I’m now 65 and still gigging, albeit in a less-large format. I’m playing in a a 2 guitar, 2 vocal duo with another guitarist. We played in a popular regional band for a dozen years or so, doing 50-60 gigs a year while holding down full time careers. I retired right in time for the pandemic and subsequent annihilation of live music in my area. That band disintegrated over those dead years. There are far fewer locations doing live music these days, and those that are around are smaller and pay less. So we evolved… smaller rigs, smaller PA, tracks for a rhythm section. Not life as we envisioned it, but we still play a lot of private parties and smaller establishments. The realization, though, is that the feelings are still the same… a small crowd having a great time with the band still feels as good as bigger audiences used to. And I feel lucky to have managed to still be playing when very, very few of my teenaged and 20-something contemporaries of yesteryear (and, yes, yestercentury) have long since quit… or worse. Next year will be 50 years since I picked up the guitar. That’s a good run by any measure!

So, that’s what I have found. If you keep playing, you keep evolving. Up or down in size and scope, it’s still playing, it’s still fun, and I can still do it well enough that people enjoy it… so I enjoy it! I suppose the next stage might be even more compact, so I’m enjoying every year God gives me. It’s a good life.

Hats off to you for keeping at it, keeping the flag flying for live performances, and having a positive attitude. You’re inspiring those who wonder ‘what happens when I’m not 20 or 30 anymore?” To quote someone older than us both, you keep on rocking in the free world!
 
I can say from personal experience that, ten years from now, load-in and load-out will suck significantly more than they do now. :)

But that “juice” that you get from playing out remains. It’s great when the crowd is engaged with what you’re doing. But for me, the real juice comes from making music with other musicians. Creating something that you could never make yourself, no matter how good you get. Listening to and responding to each other. Supporting each other. Finding ways to make the musician standing next to you sound better by playing something that complements it — and knowing that the other musicians are doing the same for you That’s the stuff that gets me walking on air, and it’s the stuff that gets you through those empty-house gigs.


A lot of people don’t gig because they don’t think they’re good enough. But here’s a fundamental truth: you’ll never be good enough to gig until you’ve got ten gigs behind you. So if you wish you could gig, go out there and do it. :) Even finding just one other musician to play with, gig or no, will bring you the juice. And elevate your playing.
 
Nothing better in the world than when the band is grooving like you mentioned! It never ceases to amaze me how I'll sometimes be tired and/or sore setting up, but once we start playing I feel like I'm 18 again. For a year I was playing in 3 bands and was in heaven when the band dynamics weren't too annoying. The hardest thing I've found in my neck of the woods is how lazy so many musicians are...happy to just wing it/get by instead of really learning their parts. Don't get me wrong, I'm no pro by any means, but I do my best to really do justice to the songs which shows respect to the audience in my mind. Due to these issues, I'm back down to one band who cares, but unfortunately am not gigging several times a week.
 
Like you Scott, I started gigging when I was 14. Sneaking into bars and playing with guys much older than me. There was a rush to it and there still is! When the band is locked in and listening to each other, playing off each other and it feels like a mistake couldn't be made by anyone. The feedback from the audience, big or small, appreciating the moments we/they are in--Priceless! It's all part of the drug....
I'm 56 and aside from a few years off to be a 24/7 father to my kids, I've always gigged and have a lifetime of experiences I wouldn't trade thanks to it. It's contributed to my growth as a musician and a human.
I'm not naive to the fact that I'm on the downside of the hill either with this and when I don't get joy from it and/or can't contribute in a positive way, I'm out to pasture as well. No regrets.
I don't know that anyone can truly sum up in words, what being a performing musician really means. Of course it's different to everyone, but under it all there is a common thread that IMO is the foundation of the pull and need to do it. It has the full gamut of experiences from completely incredible to miserable. Kinda mimics life in a way...
At the end of the day, I just love playing, making music and being present in those moments.
 
Great post, Scot. Very accurate and recognizable too, describing the pros and contras. Glad you’re still doing your thing.

I quit my regular band two years ago, because my job requires traveling abroad a lot. Also, I wanted the band to ‘grow’, while other members were satisfied with the status quo. I still fill in at occasion and often lead jam sessions.

Sometimes I watch my old band perform but I never wish I was on the stage again. The free time I got in return is worth a lot. I don’t miss the traveling to and from, the long waiting times, the tearing down at 2 AM among a drunken crowd.

I do not miss the cheering of the crowd. I miss the exhilarating moments when the band is playing so tight and together, and everything goes so well and effortlessly, that you’re floating on top of the performance, so to say.
 
Scott Peterson said:
But I'm not there yet. Not even close. When everything clicks – when the room is electric, the band is on fire, and you hit that perfect note at the perfect moment – that rush is still as powerful as it was when I was 14. Maybe more so, because I know how precious and fleeting these moments are.
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I will forever live to hear that “whooooop!” from someone in the crowd at the end of a great solo. Forever. Nothing beats it.

There’ll be gigs where I’m sweating balls and the other guys are in a mood and the tempo on Sugaree is dragging and mid-song I’ll be thinking I should just quit and get back a ton of my time.

But then we find the pocket on that Shakedown Street solo and I get a “whooooop” and that thought is gone and I’m in for the long haul.

I am trying to keep it to 1-2 gigs a month now. We’re turning stuff down which is a nice place to be. More than 2/month and it’s hard to mange work, home and band.
 
Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories here. Reading through these responses feels like sitting around after a gig, having that conversation that only happens when everyone else has gone home and it's just the musicians left.

Rick, your evolution to the duo format with tracks is precisely the kind of adaptation that keeps us in the game. "50 years since I picked up the guitar" – that's a badge of honor, brother. And you're right that the feeling is the same whether it's 500 people or 50. The juice is the juice.

Rex nailed it about the real magic happening between musicians on stage. That telepathic communication, the way you can lift each other, respond to each other's energy – that's the drug we can't quit. And yeah, the load-in/out observation... I felt that in my back just reading it. Rick's follow-up made me laugh because it's so true; we're paid roadies who get to play music in between the manual labor.

warlockII – I hear you on the frustration with musicians who phone it in. When you care about doing justice to the songs and respecting the audience, it's maddening to play with people who are just going through the motions. Finding that one band that cares as much as you do is worth its weight in gold.

Muudrock, starting at 14, like we did, creates a different relationship with this whole thing, doesn't he? It's not a hobby we picked up; it's woven into our very being. Your point about it mimicking life – the full spectrum from incredible to miserable – that's poetry, man.

yek, respect for recognizing what you needed and making that call. There's no shame in choosing your life balance over the gig. Those transcendent moments you miss – that floating feeling when everything locks in – at least you know exactly what you gave up, which means you made an informed choice.

Ian, "that whooooop!" is the shot of adrenaline that erases every doubt, every aching joint, every late night. By keeping it to 1-2 gigs a month to maintain balance? That's wisdom. Being able to turn stuff down means you're doing it right.

What strikes me as I read all of this is how we're all navigating the same waters, just in different boats. Some of us are scaling down, some are holding steady, some have stepped back entirely – but we all understand what we're chasing or what we've chosen to let go. There's no judgment here, just recognition.

The common thread is that none of us regret the path we've taken with music. The dues we've paid, the loads we've hauled, the late nights, the fantastic nights, the terrible nights – it's all part of a life lived with music at its center. Whether we're still chasing those moments or cherishing the memories of them, we're bonded by understanding what they mean.

Keep sharing your stories. This is the real stuff that matters – not the gear we obsess over (though I'll never stop doing that), but the lived experience of being working musicians in the real world, at absolute ages, with real responsibilities, still finding ways to make music matter.
 
I'm 73, started to learn at 16 and never been in a band. I put it to two reasons.
1) No interest. I've jammed plenty of times with friends and played at parties, but I never said to myself "I got to get in a band!"
2) Insecurity. I've had dozens of people hear me play and then tell me I'm crazy for not being in a band, but I never considered myself talented enough to perform for an audience.
 
All great points and questions....things I ask myself constantly.
At 51 - I'm gigging more than I expected at this point in my life. I've been in a working band (either covers or originals) since I was 21.
Am I tired - yup. EVERYTHING @Scott Peterson mentioned is on par with my experience. The effort, the balance with spouse/family...the good and bad points are all there, and I ponder them frequently.

Two things that keep me going - #1 is the Juice (when it's great, it's great). Also, it's the shark mentality - as soon as I stop swimming, I'll die. Not sure what I would do without musical adventures to keep my brain and soul moving.
#2 - there is constant demand. There seem to be less new bands in the scene, and the bars/clubs keep calling to book. I know I'll be too old for this (soon), but it's hard to walk away when there are gigs to be played!
I truly believe that with all the YouTubers (that do that, instead of gig), along with AI creating fake music - the demand for live performers is going to become more and more (valuable). 30 years from now it will be - "there is an actual live band playing tonight!"

Currently I spend most of my time doing cover band gigs. It's a lot of fun. But I also do some solo/duo acoustic gigs (I'm a guitar player / singer). I know that is path to ramp down....more acoustic gigs. Less gear, less schedules to coordinate...and earlier nights, which would be awesome. But they're just not as fun as locking in with a full band, so very hard to let go of the full band gigs.

I also LOVE to try/buy/sell gear. Being in a working band gives me an excuse (to pretend) that I'm buying and selling to use for my 'business'.
 
iaresee said:
I will forever live to hear that “whooooop!” from someone in the crowd at the end of a great solo. Forever. Nothing beats it.

There’ll be gigs where I’m sweating balls and the other guys are in a mood and the tempo on Sugaree is dragging and mid-song I’ll be thinking I should just quit and get back a ton of my time.

But then we find the pocket on that Shakedown Street solo and I get a “whooooop” and that thought is gone and I’m in for the long haul.

I am trying to keep it to 1-2 gigs a month now. We’re turning stuff down which is a nice place to be. More than 2/month and it’s hard to mange work, home and band.
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You're a NH guy right? What's the name of your band? I've been playing in Dead bands off and on in NH for 30+ yrs
 
Rex said:
But for me, the real juice comes from making music with other musicians. Creating something that you could never make yourself, no matter how good you get. Listening to and responding to each other. Supporting each other. Finding ways to make the musician standing next to you sound better by playing something that complements it — and knowing that the other musicians are doing the same for you That’s the stuff that gets me walking on air, and it’s the stuff that gets you through those empty-house gigs.
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This - absolutely - for me!

I started an originals band in 1993 and the drummer and I were the constant core until about 8-9 years ago when he changed jobs and could no longer commit as he moved too far away.

In a typical year we would only do maybe 10 gigs - especially after we started focusing on family oriented events like fairs and civic events. The bar scene wasn't worth it for us...

There have been many periods where we couldn't gig because of personnel rotation. Singers were the Spinal Tap drummer for us! :)

We managed to have fun and record 4 albums over the years (over about 12 years mid-career).

COVID and other things have had an impact and we actually didn't gig for a number of years though we were still playing together (minus a singer).

At the end of last year I found out that I'm going to be moving out of state soon for work and the other guitarist decided he was retiring and also moving out of state.

I decided I really wanted to do at least one more gig, so I reached out to a forget singer and she agreed to do any gigs I booked.

It turned out to be only one - the a Sacramento County Fair. We scrambled to be ready with only a single rehearsal with the singer and pulled off a great 1 hour set.

That will probably be the final gig with this band I've led for 32+ years...

I'm now 57 and my relocation is still pending (probably within the next year)... I'm struggling a bit to decide what's next as I'm not ready to give it up and I'm not a covers guy.

I'll probably try to find an original artist who needs a guitarist once I move, or maybe start a jam band.

I'll be moving to the Houston area so at least I'm hoping there's a big pool of musicians and hopefully venues, too!
 
Tonedeaf said:
I'm 73, started to learn at 16 and never been in a band. I put it to two reasons.
1) No interest. I've jammed plenty of times with friends and played at parties, but I never said to myself "I got to get in a band!"
2) Insecurity. I've had dozens of people hear me play and then tell me I'm crazy for not being in a band, but I never considered myself talented enough to perform for an audience.
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As long as #1 is the thing, then you're living the life! That #2 though... you owe it to yourself to feel that connection that happens when music is shared with an audience. I feel the butterflies before every show, that bit of tension on how it's going to go. But it's just because I care about doing a good job. I'm never going to be the best guitarist or singer, but I've learned people want to be entertained... they want you to do good! Give it a try sometime! And give yourself permission to be the guitarist you are, and not a Lord of the Strings. You are enough.

@unix-guy Let me know when you get something happening in Houston. It's about an hour away, and I'd sure make the drive to hear you play.
 
Rick said:
@unix-guy Let me know when you get something happening in Houston. It's about an hour away, and I'd sure make the drive to hear you play.
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Will do - would also be interested to hear/see you.

Work is in Houston. Not sure exactly where in the surrounding suburbs we will end up yet :)

Where are you?
 
I was in a cover/original band that was gigging 6 nights a week/4 weeks per month in the late '70s and early '80s. We did a self-produced EP and toured the Rocky Mountain states for a bit over a year. We had a lot of success, but the local booking agent didn't favor us because we didn't play the Top 40 songlist he wanted, and as a result he started cutting back on the number of gigs we were getting. (He had exclusive contracts with most of the venues in the area.) The band eventually broke up and I stepped away from the music business for nearly 40 years.

After 20 years of living out of state and rarely picking up my guitars, I moved back to my hometown and ended up going to sit in one night in 2013 at a local bar with an acoustic trio that was fronted by the bass player I'd played with in my old band. It was an acoustic gig and I showed up with my electric guitar. :) I sucked at that gig because I was so rusty, but I got bitten by the live performance bug really badly. It was also great reuniting with my old bass player. We still had the psychic connection when playing, where we could both anticipate what the other was going to do. I was never asked to join the band but I kept showing up at their gigs. Before long, they started paying me. I also did a lot of woodshedding and got most of my chops back. (Still can't shred like I did in my 20s, but shredding is overrated. lol.)

12 years later I'm still playing with the same bass player. He and I are co-leaders of the band, just like in the old days. The rest of the personnel has changed at least once in that period of time, and the band evolved from an acoustic act with an electric guitarist on the side to a full electric band with a single guitar and keys. We're considered an A-list band in this town and have a great fan base, much like things were back in the '80s. We do 1-2 gigs per month and rehearse about as often, and that's about the right amount for everyone's schedules and physical willingness. As Rick mentioned above, we play for free but charge to move our gear. ;)

About 9 months ago we dropped our second guitarist and coaxed a longtime friend out of retirement to play keys with us. Like me, he had forgotten how much fun it is to play in front of a cheering audience. He's super pumped to be out playing live again, and his enthusiasm has fired up the rest of us, too. Adding keys has also opened up a lot of new possibilities for songs, and we're capitalizing on that now. The bass player and I have been playing together off and on for 50 years now, and as we approach our 70s, we both realize this will be our last band. And we're both good with that. 👍🏼
 
Scott Peterson said:
I'm in my 8th year with The Detroit Drive, playing casinos, festivals, private events, clubs, and acoustic gigs. At 58, I'm essentially the same kid who started performing at 14 – just with more miles on the odometer and a deeper appreciation for what this means....
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Man Scott - we have a LOT in common - not just the Fractal stuff. You guys were supposed to be at Beachy's a bit ago - that was my home this summer with my duo and a few shows with the full band!

I do have a love/kind of dislike relationship with the whole thing, but, I mainly love it. I love going to new places that I've not played at before and seeing what kind of madness we're walking into. I've been playing with my full band for a long time now - probably 15 years on and off but mostly on (Mandi Layne and the Lost Highway) and we don't do too many bars - mostly outdoor stuff and festivals so it's cool. I don't think I could do it playing bars all the time with that particular band but when we go out of town it's fun to meet new people and hang out with each other.

I'm going to be honest, things got a lot more fun for me when I got the AX8, and then the Axe-Fx III and that's not just cause we're on this forum. The one thing I never have to worry about is what I'm going to sound like and that made a HUGE difference for me and let me worry about other things, like - am I going to fall AGAIN on stage? or will I break 3 out of six strings? You know, normal stuff. haha.

A few years ago, I decided to play just the shows I wanted to play, as opposed to when I was a little younger maybe (I'm 56) and played ALL gigs regardless of what they were. At Beachy's for example - we played there a LOT this summer but I took a lot of weekday shows, a few Sundays, and maybe 1 Saturday. With me doing all the booking for the acoustic stuff, and the full band not really doing every weekend, there is plenty of time for me to actually be home on the weekends with my wife and lead a somewhat normal life. And the winter, I don't book anything that is a far drive - I'll play local for a couple hundred bucks to avoid driving to 2.5 hours to Grand Rapids in the middle of winter.

I'm in the same boat as you though - I don't plan on stopping any time soon. If I can retire and start growing my hair so it's long and white, I'll go until I literally can't play anymore. haha!

I love what you said about that perfect moment - they are so rare - you can have 8 crappy shows and be ready to quit, and then it happens and you're like "Ok - I'm back in for 4 more years!!" - At least that's what happens to me.

We're heading to Auburn Hills tomorrow to that Downtown Concert series - not sure if you're around there but if you are, come say hi!
 
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