Result #1 - A Week Late!
Sorry there was a slight delay in my nerve racking "Do-Or-Bust", getting back on the stage but it started tonight. Just got back, as a matter of fact.
Here's how it went. Almost blow by blow accounting:
I pull up to the club and immediately felt the throbbing pulse of drum beats and base lines vibrating my car. Not to forget hearing the vocals too. So I be thinking to meself, "self?...Start'er back up and go. Ya never played this type of venue with POWER SOUND," but no, my other self says..."Keep moving. Unlock the doors and by the time ya get to the other side of the car to pull your guitar out of the passenger seat decide then. Ya still have time."
So that's what I did. All the while this High Power Rock is pulstating through my bones and soul. But I kept moving. Didn't stop. Slung my guitar over my shoulder and headed for the front door. I could feel my "soul-self" take over my mind and body. This is a good thing by the way.
I went in and walked over to where a security guy was sitting my the entrance to the central area of the club and I stood by him and watched this band, who was rockin' and-a rollin' the crowd with abandon. They were Good!
After about 2 or 3 minutes I lean over and ask the guy if I have to sign up or what as far as playing this night. Very politely, he directed me to where the sound man and manager, (I really forgot her name) Tracy were standing.
So with the confidence my "soul-self" is supplying I walk across the floor, through the crowd and tell "Tracy' why I'm here. She asked what I do. I told her I play acoustic with a pick-up and sing. She asked what are some examples of the music I do. I said "Jim Croce, The Band, stuff like that."
She told me the band playing was going to play through because they're actually finishing up a full set.
They finish, and they WERE good, but my "soul-self" kept me calm and focused. "Tracy" took the stage and introduced me and up I went. Everyone was extremely helpful, kind and polite. This really, really helped me in preparing and it was just, in general, very, very pleasant working with folks like this. It's been a long time. I forgot about how it was.
It was like 20 degrees outside so when I took my guitar from its case it was terribly out of tune. Music was blaring through the sound system as the sound man was aiding me in set-up. I was having a hell of a time tuning up. I had to lay my ear right on the arc of the guitar to tune. I think the sound man or "Tracy" had someone lower the music temporarily because it was in that 20 or 40 seconds I was able to tune my instrument.
"Tracy" told me that the routine is a 2 song set. So that set me focusing intently and lightening-like on my playlist.
I chose two I felt really good about. Alas...On the second one I missed the syncopation a couple times due to failing to recall the words but not too bad. I have to say here, too, that the people in the audience were FANTASTIC! Very supportive applauding when the spot came on me and I was hearing positive comments. They want anyone who goes up there to to good too. A great bunch of people.
Well I finished my two numbers and was thanking everyone, beginning to pull the guitar strap from around my neck, when "Tracy" appeared side stage and asked if I wanted to do another. Did I say no? Sure I did. That just took me off to another place! Of course I did another one and here I really flubbed. I sang one line into the song and blanked. Best I could, I made some comments and started the song again. Thankfully I wasn't, like on the second verse or the end of the first verse or somethin', ya know? Sheeesh. But this was all totally new as far as the power I was using. I wasn't always sure what I was sounding like. But at the end I thanked the audience, the sound man (he also obtained a stool I asked for) as he came up to pack up the equipment, then I thanked "Tracy" as I passed her to pack up and she thanked me in return and I sensed I didn't do terrible.
I was in a good place driving home and I couldn't believe it when I was tooling down the highway a shooting star made a long arc across the sky right in front of me. A sign, I thought?
Well that's phase one. I go to the second, smaller club Thursday.
They took my e-mail address at the club. So now (and I hate it when I do this) I'm conjuring up thoughts of an e-mail coming in asking me back, as a regular. Be it there or another or all different venues.
That's all folks!
Here's how it went. Almost blow by blow accounting:
I pull up to the club and immediately felt the throbbing pulse of drum beats and base lines vibrating my car. Not to forget hearing the vocals too. So I be thinking to meself, "self?...Start'er back up and go. Ya never played this type of venue with POWER SOUND," but no, my other self says..."Keep moving. Unlock the doors and by the time ya get to the other side of the car to pull your guitar out of the passenger seat decide then. Ya still have time."
So that's what I did. All the while this High Power Rock is pulstating through my bones and soul. But I kept moving. Didn't stop. Slung my guitar over my shoulder and headed for the front door. I could feel my "soul-self" take over my mind and body. This is a good thing by the way.
I went in and walked over to where a security guy was sitting my the entrance to the central area of the club and I stood by him and watched this band, who was rockin' and-a rollin' the crowd with abandon. They were Good!
After about 2 or 3 minutes I lean over and ask the guy if I have to sign up or what as far as playing this night. Very politely, he directed me to where the sound man and manager, (I really forgot her name) Tracy were standing.
So with the confidence my "soul-self" is supplying I walk across the floor, through the crowd and tell "Tracy' why I'm here. She asked what I do. I told her I play acoustic with a pick-up and sing. She asked what are some examples of the music I do. I said "Jim Croce, The Band, stuff like that."
She told me the band playing was going to play through because they're actually finishing up a full set.
They finish, and they WERE good, but my "soul-self" kept me calm and focused. "Tracy" took the stage and introduced me and up I went. Everyone was extremely helpful, kind and polite. This really, really helped me in preparing and it was just, in general, very, very pleasant working with folks like this. It's been a long time. I forgot about how it was.
It was like 20 degrees outside so when I took my guitar from its case it was terribly out of tune. Music was blaring through the sound system as the sound man was aiding me in set-up. I was having a hell of a time tuning up. I had to lay my ear right on the arc of the guitar to tune. I think the sound man or "Tracy" had someone lower the music temporarily because it was in that 20 or 40 seconds I was able to tune my instrument.
"Tracy" told me that the routine is a 2 song set. So that set me focusing intently and lightening-like on my playlist.
I chose two I felt really good about. Alas...On the second one I missed the syncopation a couple times due to failing to recall the words but not too bad. I have to say here, too, that the people in the audience were FANTASTIC! Very supportive applauding when the spot came on me and I was hearing positive comments. They want anyone who goes up there to to good too. A great bunch of people.
Well I finished my two numbers and was thanking everyone, beginning to pull the guitar strap from around my neck, when "Tracy" appeared side stage and asked if I wanted to do another. Did I say no? Sure I did. That just took me off to another place! Of course I did another one and here I really flubbed. I sang one line into the song and blanked. Best I could, I made some comments and started the song again. Thankfully I wasn't, like on the second verse or the end of the first verse or somethin', ya know? Sheeesh. But this was all totally new as far as the power I was using. I wasn't always sure what I was sounding like. But at the end I thanked the audience, the sound man (he also obtained a stool I asked for) as he came up to pack up the equipment, then I thanked "Tracy" as I passed her to pack up and she thanked me in return and I sensed I didn't do terrible.
I was in a good place driving home and I couldn't believe it when I was tooling down the highway a shooting star made a long arc across the sky right in front of me. A sign, I thought?
Well that's phase one. I go to the second, smaller club Thursday.
They took my e-mail address at the club. So now (and I hate it when I do this) I'm conjuring up thoughts of an e-mail coming in asking me back, as a regular. Be it there or another or all different venues.
That's all folks!
posted by Bill Dyckns at
12:00 AM
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