While I was in the Navy I had a couple of bands that I played with. Out in Idaho, we were called the Idaho Spud Machine (Gloria Estefan already Had the Miami Sound Machine!) Any way we played in a little Quonset hut bar out near Atomic City. It was the only place out there and was on the way home from work. Many people stopped there on their way home. We were good and made some money. Not you could live on it money but it was fine. As military bands go, we all transferred away in time. When I got to Virginia late 80's early 90's got another band going. We were a country band as that new wave of country artists were hitting it big. Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn and many more. So we got steady work on weekends mostly. Again it was not making a living type money, but it was steady extra money. Of course, we were all on a ship so we did have to go to sea, which would put a damper on the playing. We had a couple of civilian guys in the band, bass and drums, so they had to find other work while we went to sea.

Most places have single, or duo acts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, afternoons and evenings. There are 2 or 3 places here in town that have full bands several nights still. And we have a big park that does live shows on Friday nights with bars, food trucks all that. These bands do quite well. All cover bands.

You can find places to play and get paid for it. If that is what you want. You need to have a good act and sound and in most cases be non-intrusive as you are really just background.

My wife asked if I had seen the dog bowl. I told her I didn't even know he could.