A little while ago I started a gratitude jar.
I had become ill and I thought I wouldn't be able to sing again. Which made me realise I had taken so much - music and life in general - for granted. And that I needed to make a practice of being grateful.
So every now and then I write something on a bit of paper and stick it in the jar. And every now and then when I'm feeling a bit blue or even just having an entitled diva moment - I look at them to remind myself how lucky I actually am. And how I should stop bitching and moaning about stupid things.
So today I was having a moment - and I pulled some of the ones out just now that relate to music. And it's inspired me to write this series of thank yous.
Thank you to the freaking amazing people from the audience that I've met and gotten to know over the last year. Who show up time and time again to watch shows. The people I've never met before who say such incredibly kind things to me. Or show their appreciation via social media. You are actual heroes. You guys spend your time and your money on us. Even when times are hard. And I appreciate that so very much.
Thank you to the people who organise shows we play in. That's booking agents, as well as the driven, inspired (read: crazy) people in bands who put nights together and invite other bands to play with them. Anyone who has ever put on a show knows how much work goes into organising it - and it exponential;y increases with the size of the show - no economy of scale there. These folk bust a gut - we waltz in, show pony around, bask in the glory of doing our thing and waltz off again. They work their arses off, sometimes don't get paid and often, don't even get thanked. Well, fucking thank you.
Thank you to the soundies, the lighting techs and all the other crew who make a show happen. You make us look and sound better than we really are, just quietly there in the background. Sometimes you tell us about it (hehehhe) sometimes you don't. You arrive early, leave late and put up with all of our diva shit in the middle. You're amazing and we could not do this without you.
Without everyone above doing what they do - none of it would happen and everyone - the venues and venue staff, the artists, the punters .. even down to the people who supply the stuff to the venues that people eat and drink when they come there to watch a show, would be at home watching MAFS*. Which would entirely suck.
So thanks. I am really, really, really grateful for all of you.
* Sorry if you like MAFS - I don't mean to upset you - it's just can't think of anything I'd like less to be doing.