As I sit here in the workshop, with the seabreeze keeping the worst of the summer heat away, I look back on 2020 with mixed feelings.
The terrible bushfires of December/January 2020 caused me to temporarily close, as I had to evacuate three times.
With February, toward the end of summer came the welcoming rains that would extinguish all fires gave me some breathing space, and the opportunity to re-open and catch up with the servicing I needed to do.
Then....
March, bringing with it the Coivd-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, border closures, both international and domestic, social distancing, working from home, closing schools, shops and businesses, seemingly putting the fear of God into us all.
Amongst the hardest hit was the performing and creative arts sector. Concert tours were cancelled, gigs were lost as live performances were cancelled because of Covid.
And yes, people like me were affected. Not just because I live on the South Coast of NSW where the local economy had taken a huge hit, but, if musos and bands weren't getting gigs, then I didn't have any equipment to service for them.
As international flights dried up, the length of time to get parts lengthened.
I relied on other sources of income to keep the wolves at bay, but indeed times got very hard.
By October, the second wave, which had hit the State of Victoria the worst, was beginning to recede. Slowly, work started coming in. Customers in lockdown had discovered the joy of vinyl and record turntables needed repair. Stereo amplifiers needed restoration. Then a studio sound-desk with multiple problems needed repair.
Gradually, things are starting to return to "normal". Clubs and pubs are opening, the possibility of live entertainment is coming back - just in time for Christmas.
What have I learned through this? Just how amazingly resilient human beings are! Not willing to shut up shop, bands would jam over Zoom and upload the performances. When you consider the logistics of trying to rehearse and play in your own little room with other band members in their socially-distanced world, that's a big ask.
Dance and music teachers continued classes with students online. Having a dance teacher in the family, I can sure tell you first hand how challenging that was! Small businesses found creative ways of marketing online.
So as we approach the close of 2020, I firstly want to offer a huge shoutout to our performing and creative artists. You somehow found a way for the show to go on. For those of you who didn't make it through, well done anyway, you gave it your best.
Secondly, as live performances slowly return, don't forget to get your gear good to go. If your guitar amp is playing different tunes - I'll see you on the dark side of the moon - um oops, slight diversion, momentary lapse of reason -there I go again! Guess you know one of my fave bands. Anyway, back to the guitar amps, if indeed it's playing different tunes, or the sound desk doesn't sound good, or the pedal has lost its effect, I'm open and ready to repair.
Lastly, I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday break, and a good 2021.
Cheers.
The terrible bushfires of December/January 2020 caused me to temporarily close, as I had to evacuate three times.
With February, toward the end of summer came the welcoming rains that would extinguish all fires gave me some breathing space, and the opportunity to re-open and catch up with the servicing I needed to do.
Then....
March, bringing with it the Coivd-19 pandemic and the lockdowns, border closures, both international and domestic, social distancing, working from home, closing schools, shops and businesses, seemingly putting the fear of God into us all.
Amongst the hardest hit was the performing and creative arts sector. Concert tours were cancelled, gigs were lost as live performances were cancelled because of Covid.
And yes, people like me were affected. Not just because I live on the South Coast of NSW where the local economy had taken a huge hit, but, if musos and bands weren't getting gigs, then I didn't have any equipment to service for them.
As international flights dried up, the length of time to get parts lengthened.
I relied on other sources of income to keep the wolves at bay, but indeed times got very hard.
By October, the second wave, which had hit the State of Victoria the worst, was beginning to recede. Slowly, work started coming in. Customers in lockdown had discovered the joy of vinyl and record turntables needed repair. Stereo amplifiers needed restoration. Then a studio sound-desk with multiple problems needed repair.
Gradually, things are starting to return to "normal". Clubs and pubs are opening, the possibility of live entertainment is coming back - just in time for Christmas.
What have I learned through this? Just how amazingly resilient human beings are! Not willing to shut up shop, bands would jam over Zoom and upload the performances. When you consider the logistics of trying to rehearse and play in your own little room with other band members in their socially-distanced world, that's a big ask.
Dance and music teachers continued classes with students online. Having a dance teacher in the family, I can sure tell you first hand how challenging that was! Small businesses found creative ways of marketing online.
So as we approach the close of 2020, I firstly want to offer a huge shoutout to our performing and creative artists. You somehow found a way for the show to go on. For those of you who didn't make it through, well done anyway, you gave it your best.
Secondly, as live performances slowly return, don't forget to get your gear good to go. If your guitar amp is playing different tunes - I'll see you on the dark side of the moon - um oops, slight diversion, momentary lapse of reason -there I go again! Guess you know one of my fave bands. Anyway, back to the guitar amps, if indeed it's playing different tunes, or the sound desk doesn't sound good, or the pedal has lost its effect, I'm open and ready to repair.
Lastly, I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday break, and a good 2021.
Cheers.