In the 30-odd (some very odd!) years that I have had pretensions to being a singer and musician, I have taken gigs that offered me little personal satisfaction. Like many (if not most), I have trouble handling both rejection and being ignored. Unfortunately, that's what sometimes happens when you set yourself up as an entertainer, and that's why, apart from a couple of years at the turn of the 60s and 70s, I have ensured that some other occupation provides my main income.

However, in my experience, gigs can be difficult to pre-judge, even at the same venue. When playing as muzak in a restaurant or bar, you can sometimes find that you establish a rapport with an individual or group among the audience that makes the whole session take off. In contrast, I have had the unfortunate experience in a Folk Club where the material that I was presenting was obviously not to the liking of a vocal minority of the audience (being disinclined to sing many Irish songs doesn't help here). Hecklers can be fun, but there are limits.

There isn't an easy answer. You can regard the muzak gigs as paid practice (with the added bonus that you might "join hands and contact the living"). You can restrict yourself to playing only where you think that you can get an attentive hearing (but even then, you can't be sure). You can, of course, just sit in your own room and sing and strum to yourself and your nearest and dearest (something of a waste if you have any talent).

Or you can take risks, suffer the odd rejection, and enjoy the good gigs when they come along.

Alternatively, find another means to earn a crust.

Prostitution doesn't mean you can't ever come out on top of the situation!