Kevin's Watch

Musicians are odd creatures, if you dont already know this then just talk to one. The performance of music is a risky venture, it requires a lot of faith in yourself , and your bandmates. Trust even. Somehow you have to convince yourself that this guy who you wouldnt trust to walk your dog, is going to nail his solo, or save your ass if the song slips. There is a certain amount of irony involved when you consider that musicians are typically introverts who seek to do something so outgoing as to perform live music. This weekend we will be back in our home town, playing in a place where we are known, to a crowd who is familliar. You might think that that would make things easier for us, but it doesnt. This weekends gig is being prepared for like the kick off of our international tour, not like we are playing the local pub. I guess in its own way thats a good thing because its important to go out there and do your best, but it also gets kind of annoying. We never quite get over the feeling that we have something to prove.

Mr. Broken wrote:This weekends gig is being prepared for like the kick off of our international tour, not like we are playing the local pub. I guess in its own way thats a good thing because its important to go out there and do your best, but it also gets kind of annoying. We never quite get over the feeling that we have something to prove.

MB that feeling is never going to go away...if you know what's good for you.
The moment you feel as though you aren't challenged to prove or improve yourself as a musician you are in real trouble. Of course on the flip side you can let that feeling destroy you and again you are in real trouble.

I hope you are able to just go out there and enjoy the gig. Once you get going I bet it's going to be a blast for everyone.
Just don't set off any pyrotechnics inside the joint. We know how that can turn a good gig into a nightmare.

A Great Whitemare!

This weekend we get to Head Line the annual Brown Hill pig roast. Im scared.

Well its been a long time since I posted on this thread, things have been going well for the band, we have finally developed a small following, and have fine tuned our originals enough to include 12 of them into our show. The money is getting better, we are no longer paying to play, and no one has quit the band in almost two years. The funny thing is I kind of miss those initial gigs, the nerves, and the fear of the unknown. What is the best way to keep from going numb to it all.

I used to be in a band. Now I'm just working for my black belt in karaoke.

I have a Brown belt in BULLSH@T.

The most fun I ever had at a gig was for a 24 hour benefit..a band would play for an hour, then guys from the wwf (it wasn't that then, it was some other acronym, wasn't as big as now) would do a match, then another band, etc. Huge venue, so many people, and everyone was just having so much fun.

The coolest (yet disturbing) This needs some background: A band I was in in L.A. had a decent following (just big enough that we didn't have to do pay to play anymore, if anyone knows how that worked [works?] on the Strip) I was the frontman. We had a new song I thought was our best..the others weren't sure yet. It had lots of full stops in odd places preceded by the biggest crashes we could make. We were all half naked, hair, leather and jewelry.
So, we're in the middle of our fourth song, and the crowd just isn't really into it. Bassist says we might as well try the new one next. We do. As we're getting to the ending crash, I decide to do my part to contribute to the noise, grab a stick from the drummers bag of spares, when the time comes, I swing it as hard as I can at a cymbal...and hit it with my hand. Hurts like hell, I swear and shake my hand out, not realizing for a few seconds blood is pouring out and flying around, spattering everything. There's dead silence for a few seconds, and someone says...'duuude, look at all that blood.' Some woman says 'is that real' someone starts hopping up and down laughing and almost yelling 'It's real. Man, it's real, this is so f...ing COOL, man it's real.' guitarist says 'Keep playing?' and we do. Every person there watched us dripping and spattered in blood the rest of the show...just stared and cheered.
Don't know if it makes a good story, but I'll never forget the strangeness of how it felt.

I once had a drunken spectator walk onstage out of the crowd break my mic, clip and all off of the stand , and then return to the crowd with it. Nearly had to beat his ass to get it back.