When I first came out to the coast, it was just for a long weekend! My band had been booked at a regional songs festival.
At the time all of us thought this could be our “large break” but it turned out that all of us were one of 40 bands playing that weekend.
All of us realized a lot of those bands were better than all of us were, plus had the collective realization that all of us wouldn’t be finding a large break! On the other hand, I fell in love with the town, so as soon as I could I moved back. I was still trying to be a songsian, plus started to book gigs with numerous strange local cannabis dispensaries. This was not something that happened in my ancient town, but out here numerous cannabis dispensaries had a smokers lounge where they would host live comedy, songs, or open mic nights. My favorite location to play is a cannabis shop called Old Head, because it replaced the oldest “head shop” in the city, but back in the day before legalization there were no cannabis dispensaries, only head shops where you could get rolling papers plus glass bongs. This cannabis dispensary pays in money, but they also have an choice to take your pay in discounted weed. I can take home a hundred bucks, or I can take a hundred plus forty dollars worth of any cannabis I choose. You believe I option cannabis over money every time! Cannabis doesn’t pay the bills, but when I am stoned then all of us don’t care so much about the bills I cannot pay.