To all my friends and fans who came or wanted to come out to the show this afternoon, I really am sorry it didn’t happen. I know you all have busy schedules and when you make time to come out and see me, I absolutely appreciate it. The last thing I ever want to do is cancel a gig the day of—which is why I’ve done it about twice in my entire life. I know some of you were disappointed about today and that’s why I wanted to write a quick post to explain the situation.
When I play a show I typically have to bring out between $5000 and $10000 worth of my own personal equipment. Usually this is no big deal. It’s just part of the business. But when I’m booked for an outdoor show at a venue with no cover over the stage, I have to make a calculated decision about whether or not to risk all that equipment. Sometimes a surprisingly little bit of water is enough not only to destroy the equipment, but also to electrocute the musicians. Not only is the equipment expensive, it’s also heavy (those of you who know me well know that one of my speakers comes up to my chin). There may simply not be enough time to move the gear if we get one of those classic Iowa downpours that come out of nowhere. And there’s yet another complication. I never know where or when it’s going to rain. Hell, not even the meteorologists are that good at predicting it. So, I’ve got to make a call far enough in advance of an outdoor show to give people proper notice. On a day like today, 4 of 5 local weather stations said there was a good chance of an afternoon thunderstorm, so I made the call. It didn’t end up raining, but if it had, I’d very possibly be out my equipment. (And I can guarantee the bar that booked me wasn’t going to pay for it. )
I was playing a festival a few weeks ago in Iowa City during a rain storm. They had a small tent, but that wasn’t enough. Rain still got in – and I was shocked by my mic several times during the show. Maybe that made me a bit gun-shy this afternoon. Either way, I’m sorry if this put a damper on your Sunday afternoon plans. I promise I always do my best to try and ensure this type of thing doesn’t happen.
Cheers,
-Roxi
The Trouble With Rain
To all my friends and fans who came or wanted to come out to the show this afternoon, I really am sorry it didn’t happen. I know you all have busy schedules and when you make time to come out and see me, I absolutely appreciate it. The last thing I ever want to do is cancel a gig the day of—which is why I’ve done it about twice in my entire life. I know some of you were disappointed about today and that’s why I wanted to write a quick post to explain the situation.
When I play a show I typically have to bring out between $5000 and $10000 worth of my own personal equipment. Usually this is no big deal. It’s just part of the business. But when I’m booked for an outdoor show at a venue with no cover over the stage, I have to make a calculated decision about whether or not to risk all that equipment. Sometimes a surprisingly little bit of water is enough not only to destroy the equipment, but also to electrocute the musicians. Not only is the equipment expensive, it’s also heavy (those of you who know me well know that one of my speakers comes up to my chin). There may simply not be enough time to move the gear if we get one of those classic Iowa downpours that come out of nowhere. And there’s yet another complication. I never know where or when it’s going to rain. Hell, not even the meteorologists are that good at predicting it. So, I’ve got to make a call far enough in advance of an outdoor show to give people proper notice. On a day like today, 4 of 5 local weather stations said there was a good chance of an afternoon thunderstorm, so I made the call. It didn’t end up raining, but if it had, I’d very possibly be out my equipment. (And I can guarantee the bar that booked me wasn’t going to pay for it. )
I was playing a festival a few weeks ago in Iowa City during a rain storm. They had a small tent, but that wasn’t enough. Rain still got in – and I was shocked by my mic several times during the show. Maybe that made me a bit gun-shy this afternoon. Either way, I’m sorry if this put a damper on your Sunday afternoon plans. I promise I always do my best to try and ensure this type of thing doesn’t happen.
Cheers,
-Roxi