Zak Claxton Happy Fun Show on Facebook (03.14.20)

You can watch the entire show above, at least as long as Facebook keeps it available.

Truth: I'd been planning on doing a Zak Claxton Happy Fun Show (the silly name for my live video shows that I do on random occasions for over 10 years) since the start of 2020. It had been a pretty long time since my last one, which was in May of last year. But suddenly, I had a very specific reason to do it; much of the nation -- and indeed the world -- has gone into a period of voluntary self-quarantine due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

This brings up a topic that I've mentioned before. Do we, as performing artists, have any responsibility to the world at large? Logically, the answer is no. We put on whatever kind of show we do, people choose to experience it or not, and the world keeps turning. But ethically, I think the answer is different. I think that much like Spider-Man said, when you have a skill/power and you choose not to use it to help people, you are complicit in their misery. It was with that in mind that, thinking of many people who would be stuck at home without a lot of their usual entertainment being available, I'd put on a free video show that anyone on Facebook could watch. The thing I like about Facebook as a live video platform is that there's a decent degree of two-way interaction with the viewers. From time to time, I can look at people's comments while I'm doing the show, and respond in various ways.

So, yesterday at noon, I did a ZCHFS on Facebook. I spread the word about it pretty wide in case anyone was looking for things to replace what they'd usually be doing in the middle of a Saturday. We'd all seen the massive list of things being canceled, from sports to music festivals to conferences of all kinds. While some people continue to ignore the government's strong suggestion for social distancing, a good number of smart people are paying attention and acting accordingly. So, they're stuck at home, they feel like they have nothing to do, and perhaps they're already reaching a point of being somewhat annoyed by being cooped up. Why not do what I am completely capable of doing, and give them a free show to kill an hour?

A happy Zak plays live for the smart people who stayed home on a Saturday. Screen capture by Kat.

What's the Big Deal? Why Stay Home?
I'll say this as simply as possible.

• COVID-19 has a high rate of transmission
• It is highly dangerous to elderly people and those with compromised immune systems
• Even if you don't feel sick right now, you could be contagious with the virus
• While you probably won't die, you can pass it along to those who can

While it's not a likely outcome, the worst-case scenario for COVID-19 is very, very grim.

• 210 million Americans might contract it
• As many as 21 million might require hospitalization in the USA
• 1.7 million American people might die
• Worldwide... "If the virus only kills 1 percent of those who contract it, somewhere between 14 million and 42 million people are at risk."

The takeaway is that you need to take this seriously. Limiting exposure by simply staying away from large groups of people can have a huge effect on limiting the effects of the disease. I don't know what it will take, with the federal government declaring a national emergency and emergencies being in place at most state and local levels as well, for people to take this seriously. I'm not advocating panic; I'm suggesting that people simply follow the recommendations of officials and treat your friends and neighbors with compassion. If nothing else... stay at home whenever you possibly can. Yes, a lot people will have to go into work. Yes, you aren't able to live without human contact. Please just try and minimize any contact with other people to whatever degreee you can. Thank you.

Thanks for watching form the safety of your own home. Screen capture by Kat.

Live Zak, Fleshy Style
The show itself went just fine. Unlike my Second Life shows, where I am just depicted as a cartoon avatar of myself, for video shows people get to see the actual me as I sing and perform live on my guitar and occasional harmonica. I decided, as I have at other ZCHFS shows, to not use headphones. It's risky because I can't hear the mix between my voice and my guitar, and indeed, the guitar was a little too loud in the mix. But that's a small price to pay for having the freedom to move around and rock.

Musically, the show was similar to any of my shows, with a purposefully eclectic list of tunes that spanned about 50 years and multiple styles. I had intended on doing a larger percentage of original music by myself and They Stole My Crayon, but I tend to pull out songs as I feel like playing them, and I just ended up doing more covers, which was fine. We actually had a pretty large and lively audience, with some 200 views of the video (and quite a few more since then, with it being archived on my Facebook page and shared by a number of other folks).

Feeling good while enjoying some live music and the online company of friends. Screen capture by Kat.

Can one rock at home? Believe me, with the right mindset, you can rock no matter where you are or who you're with. Screen capture by Kat.

ZCHFS COVID-19 Edition set list...
Sugar Mountain (Neil Young)
Things Behind the Sun (Nick Drake)
Longing On (They Stole My Crayon)
Among the Leaves (Sun Kil Moon)
Save It for Later (English Beat)
So. Central Rain (R.E.M.)
Say Goodbye (Beck)
Airport Bar (Martin Courtney)
Pancho & Lefty (Townes Van Vandt)
Don’t Let It Pass (Junip)
Blew the Dust Away (They Stole My Crayon)
Your Song (Elton John)
Shame Chamber (Kurt Vile)

Huge thanks to everyone who tuned in and hung out for the Zak Claxton Happy Fun Show! You are all greatly appreciated. Now, just tell everyone else to wash their hands and stay the fuck at home!