A story, an inspiration, a repeat
Before Covid-19 if you had asked me what pod people were, I would have said zombies, aliens or frightening, dangerous creatures created in a lab. My answer would be based on which horror movie I’d recently seen. I definitely knew pod people weren’t anything I would want to be a part of- no way, no how.
But now I can’t wait!!! This weekend I will be in the audience of an actual live music concert with the strictest of strict socially distanced requirements. I will be confined to my own special pod for the 2 plus hours except for when nature calls whereby, I will try to suffer as port-a-potties- yuck.
And I will be among many other pod people!!
Why I’m sharing this news is because I’m too excited about becoming a pod person to write a new blog, AND I found a link between the concert, MS and a recent article in Rock Cellar Magazine, titled “UK Survey: One-Third of British Musicians Say They Might Quit Due to Covid-19 Hardships and Uncertainty.”
Basically, without an audience, live music is in grave danger. According to the article, as many as half of British musicians have been forced to find second and third jobs and as many as one third have admitted they may have to quit all together. As the Covid-19 virus hangs around us with no real signs of disappearing in the immediate future, and it’s presence leaves unbelievably bad results and takes away amazingly good experiences, we cannot allow it to deplete live music as well.
(Music is a crucial coping mechanism. Right up there with faith and a sense of humor, 3 of my very favorites!) 
As our world changes, we need to change too. We need to be innovative and adapt and find the safest and best strategies for healing in our scary new world. These circumstances, on a much lesser scale, remind me of the adaptions folks diagnosed with chronic illness need to make on a constant and regular basis.
These changes suck.
And are exhausting.
And frustrating.
And ridiculously unfair.
But they don’t have to be the end of all great things, especially if we are willing to be open to new opportunities. 
Which is why I feel the need to highlight the steps my all-time favorite band has taken on.
(Well, my second favorite band. To quote Keith Richards, “The Rolling Stones are numero uno.”)
Adam Ezra has completed one hundred and ninety-seven live streams beginning on March 13, 2020 when his tour was forced to cancel. He has never missed a night, even when he had Covid-19 himself. His bandmates (The Adam Ezra Group,) often join him virtually and he has brought in other musicians via Skype to promote them as well. They call these nightly livestreams The Gathering and can be found on The Adam Ezra Group FB page at 7 PM (EST) every evening.
When the weather warmed, the band came together and started playing drive-in shows. Since then, they have developed a system for a live backyard concert.
They are not taking precautions lightly; there is a whole mechanism to make them safe, including grouping same home ticket holders in various pods. Finally, I get to see them live again though in an unusual but cool setting. 
It’s fitting because the Adam Ezra Group is cool. Not just rock, folk rock, classic rock cool, but outright, super classy cool. They have taken this horrible situation and found a way through.
Just like we MS’ers have to do, pretty much every freaking day!
They have learned to use their resilience, the health care system and the people who love them to spread joy and carry on.
They have figured it out.
And they practice what they preach when they sing “hold on to each other, find a way.”
(A great video if you want to check them out, Find a Way.)
That is a huge part of why I think they’re cool.
Come to think of it, I think a lot of my fellow MS’ers are pretty darn cool too!
For more on the band, check out their FB page, Adam Ezra Group, their FB fan page, Adam Ezra Group’s #$%&ing fans, or their website AdamEzra.com
Actually, years ago I discovered them in another unusual, outside, live setting as well. One that was so bizarre in my MS world that, of course, I turned it into a humor blog!
Check it out here-
So glad you are going to get to see them live. Hope you have a wonderful time.
Thank you my friend. I’m in concert mode. If you were driving I would be showing up at your door like 12 hours before- lol!
Can’t wait going to be awesome 🤗
I know- so #$%&ing excited!!!!
I so agree with how awesome Adam Ezra Group is and have been a pod person twice now.
So lucky!!! I’ve seen you at the Gathering and know you are a true Adam Ezra Group #$%&ing fan too. Nice to see you there and here!
Have a pod of a time!
Thank you my friend!!!!
Agreed. The popular groups will always survive. I worry about the small duo’s & solo lounge/bar entertainers. How are they making a living? Some are streaming to make a pittance, but others, like a guy I know who plays guitar & sings cover songs 5-6 nights a week..what is he doing?
Scary how COVID has affected so many in so many different ways.
Enjoy the show!
Thank you so much my friend! And yes, I agree and am very worried about this. Adam’s livestream is free but there is a way to donate to help out. I know they are working on a new record but when it get’s colder I do worry about them and am worried about other local artists. Music is so important! Here’s hoping they all “find a way.”
I’d never heard of AEG, but that video is crazy good and inspiring. I’m a sucker for a cappella anyway. You got me hooked, Yvonne. But you’ll never get me over to the Dark Side of the Stones! Bwahaha!!
Have a great LIVE experience.
So glad my friend- they are amazing! They are also the group that does a Boston take on The Devil Went Down Georgia called the Devil Came Up to Boston. That one gets some local, albeit bleeped out, airplay. Plus they strongly believe in philanthropy so they do a ton of stuff for charitable organizations.
I’m still working on turning you away from the Beatles dark side to the Stones but hey, that’s a work in progress! One small downside of AEG, they close many of their shows with a group sing to gasp, Let it Be. But it’ fun. I have decided that Let it Be MUST have been written by Adam instead of those other writers.
And thank you for the well wishes- I’m super excited!
Great tribute to an amazing little folk band from Boston who happen to be some of the most inspiring and kind humans I have ever met.
So glad we could share Gathering 197 with you Yvonne.
Thank you Dave, for hosting Gathering 197! It was awesome and fabulous to see my amazing AEG family!!!
So excited for you to be a “Pod” person. I’d kill to get out of this house except for grocery shopping. You have always been able to “find” a way and for that I see you as a real innovator. Have fun – take a lot of sanitizer should you have to use those porta potties. Enjoy yourself. One more thing to add to your CV – “pod” person.
Thank you so much my friend. Your kind words are greatly appreciated. And it was awesome being a pod person (even if a porta-a-potty was invlolved!!) Miss you and hope you were able to get out somewhere fun this weekend.