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A Gig Hiatus

2020 January 26
by Mike Vial


It’s times like these where I must publicly thank my wife for putting both kids to bed so I can play a gig! Thanks Fauser family for snapping a photo of me at mash. My next mash gigs are Feb 22 & 29. And then, I’m taking a break from gigging, between March-June, to work on songwriting.

This is my third year in a row teaching at a new school. Each year has presented new curriculums, new classes, new names of staff…My head is full, and I need to clear some space to write.

My writing routine has suffered over the years. I’ve given most of my free time to lesson planning, thinking of ways: to make The Crucible exciting to 15-year-olds; to make Greek mythology relevant to seniors; to make the difference of phrases vs. independent clauses apparent to freshmen; to persuade juniors to care about the SAT (and more importantly, teach them the art of rhetoric)…

When I’m doing my best teaching, I’m requiring my students to be creative. Those activities also activate my antenna for writing ideas, but the only way I’m going to explore these potential song ideas is if I decline gigs for a while. (I’m privileged that I can afford to do so.)

However, Mike Gentry and I are planning projects for late fall/early winter. In 2021, I want to collaborate with musicians I’ve been unable to see once I got back in the classroom, artists like Carrie McFerrinJosh RoseAcoustic AshCory GloverSpencer Michaud…a trip back to Ontario to work with Michael Chambers…This list goes on…I miss you, #giglife warriors.

Who knows, maybe I’ll get asked to create the soundtrack to Trolls 3 with Justin Timberlake.

OK, I have 14 essays about MLK’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech to read before first hour tomorrow. See you soon!

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