The “rockstar” life is often glorified and many do not consider being in a band a “real job” because they often do not see all of the work that goes on behind the scenes. Wilfredo (Wil) Lopez, 27, is a hardworking musician that has been playing guitar for 15 years. Born and raised in San Diego, Lopez strives to keep music in his daily life and dreams about a future as a touring musician. He’s been in several local bands over the last four years and has recently formed a band of his own, Fairplay.
Although Lopez’s band Fairplay is his priority and main project, he plays guitar for Jesse Nova and the Second Line to help get exposure, make contacts, and supplement studio fees for his upcoming EP. As a professional guitarist, he often gets calls from local bands that need someone to fill in on a show and he eagerly obliges because he says, "it's better than an 8 hour work day".
By documenting the practices, recording sessions, and multiple shows that Lopez has been apart of over the last few weeks, I have seen first hand the endless hours of work that go on beyond the stage. This photo story showcases the struggle that that goes into “making it” as a musician and tries not to glorify the experience.
Photographs by: Julie Pavlacka