Famed British Stamina MC writes about his experience as a touring artist.
What nobody told me about being a touring artist⦠is that Iād feel innumerably different ways about being one over the years. Or perhaps even over the course of a week. Or even just a weekend! Of course, how I feel about it right now is somewhat forlorn. As of the time of writing itās been just over three months since last being onstage, and Iām no closer to knowing when the next time might be just yet, which would still be disconcerting under āregularā circumstances but under these exceptional ones we find ourselves in presently, itās downright weird. Nobody told me that my sense of the passing of time would be thrown into complete disarray, that every day became effectively indistinguishable from any other for not having (upcoming) weekend activities to orientate myself with, for want of a better word.
What nobody told me about being a tourist artist is that Iād ever even be one! Itās been a dream come true, clichĆ© as it is to say, though not even a dream of mine personally as such since living a performerās life seemed so unrealistic an ambition to me as a teen that I never really set my mind/heart to the pursuit of it. The lifestyle Iāve been afforded is responsible for more āpinch me, Iām dreamingā moments than I perhaps even deserve. Accepting ā eventually ā the new reality taking shape in front of me: that global destinations Iād either heard lots about or NEVER heard of, were now places that money was to be spent to take me to, none of it my own! Realizing that the memories that would last the longest from time spent in such places would almost never be the postcard destinations, but the ones where Iād encounter regular, everyday people. People that in some cases Iād come to think of as friends, people Iād be unable to imagine life without now.
What nobody told me about being a touring artist is that while I never expected it to last forever, I expected the sun to eventually set only on my endeavors, and for the party to continue without me. Instead I now exist in a time where many of my similarly āgroundedā (as in ānot flyingā) peers now attempt to ply their trade in the virtual world. For how I feel about performance, the interactivity that comes with it, sharing a space, a soundtrack, an experience with those whom music might just be the only thing in common⦠even contemplating doing that online is highly unappealing, since so much of what I personally get from doing what I do doesnāt have a great deal to do with music. Those āpeople momentsā, be it a glance, smile, passing witticism on the mic or actual dialogue, those are the things I usually ātake homeā with me, and the nights Iāll deem as having been the most enjoyable/successful were the ones where I felt like I played a part in making peopleās night out that bit more memorable or standout. Nobody told me that being in environments very much set up as to be all about ME as the guy onstage would eventually have me focus singularly on everyone else except me. And Iām kinda glad they didnāt, as learning that for myself in my own time has made it all the more valuable, I feel.
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