I saw Primus at the Chicago theater back at the end of September with Marsup. Everyone appeared to be following the mask requirement, though there wasn't any proof of vax/negative test result required. Our seats were right at the edge of the balcony so I felt better about the air circulation/ventilation thing. It's been over 2 weeks and I haven't gotten sick so I think it was a success. I'm still a little wary of indoor shows and might not have gone to this one if I hadn't paid for my ticket before the pandemic kicked off.

Not sure I'm ready to perform again indoors until delta is through w/ us.

However, I did sound indoors several times the past couple of weekends. Proof of vax or negative test required but still I wore an N95 mask the entire time w/ a cloth mask over it. I'm not fucking around w/anything less than an N95 even though it's UNcomfortable for long stretches and after trying every trick I found on the internet, I still haven't figured out yet how to deal w/ constant glasses fogging. The shows were not PACKED, but certainly well-attended. There's not 6 ft of distance around the mixing console but some + barricades so I had a little space.

I don't know that I can do a set of songs playing drums in an N95, just seems too unpleasant. I should practice with one on though before I say I can't. Did a 400 mile solo bicycle trip last fall and wore a mask the entire time to kinda prove a point, but it was a dust filter w/ cloth over it and not an N95 which can be a little harder to tolerate.

I've played two shows and gone to a couple of others. All venues, bars, restaurants here are requiring proof of vax and wearing a mask if you're not directly drinking a beverage. Have heard at bigger shows that security will even flash a light on you if you aren't complying with the mask mandate.

Considering the vax rate in my county (82% of 12+ population fully vax'd) and that I don't have unvaccinated kids or immunocompromised folks at home, I feel fairly safe with these precautions at this point. Would be totally different if I was in a county/city with a much lower vaccination rate.

High on Fire at Sleeping Village in Chicago, which is a small to medium-sized venue. Proof of vax required. There was about a 50/50 showing of mask wearing.

An acquaintance of mine that lives in Des Moines had their office shut down due to COVID exposure at work. Someone on his team went to Chicago last month for an indoor concert and brought the 'roni back to Iowa. All hail the Chicago variant. oh ah ah ah ah

My first attendance was running sound for this Rakta performance in an exhibition in early september. There's been a few since:



My first as a player was last saturday, this thing:

Mercifully the few shows I had tickets to were cancelled/postponed because I'm definitely not ready, as much as I miss them.

I have Sparks tickets for late March and I'm hoping I'll be able to go.