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Thread: 1st "almost real" gig

  1. #1
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    1st "almost real" gig

    The group of guys I play with each week has performed for our families twice: Once this past Christmas and once the Christmas before that. The other guitar player's wife is organizing a coffeehouse event with the local Columbiettes (I guess this is the female counterpart to the Knights of Columbus). Anyway, they have asked us to play for ~20 minutes on Feb 26. Should be fun. I say its "almost real" since we got it because the organizer is a band member's wife.

    It will be the second time I've played in public; in the summer of 2002 I played at a block party with another band. I was dropped from that band for unknown reasons, but after that, 3 of the other 5 guys in that band came over into the new band with me.

    BTW, the son of the other guitar player is my son's drummer. Their band is also going to play. I hope we go first. My son is a much better musician than anyone in my band (actually my son plays drums in my band, but he's really a guitar player).
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
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  2. #2
    Forum Member moonpie's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    :yay a gig is a gig.....
    If you leave the house, you're just asking for it.

  3. #3

    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Cool! Enjoy it, as moonpie says, a "gig is a gig".
    Fuzz is proof God love us and wants us to be happy. - Franklin
    http://www.frankdenigris.com

  4. #4
    Forum Member CA Bobcat's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    The first gig our band played was a Knights of Columbus Valentine's dance. It was actually fun barring the terrible acoustics.
    If you can't laugh at yourself, who can?

  5. #5
    Forum Member Tele-Bob's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    That's great EJG! (just don't let those damn kids ruin it for you)
    If you're bored, you're not groovin'.

  6. #6
    Forum Member FenderBoy's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Quote Originally Posted by moonpie
    :yay a gig is a gig.....
    .....is a gig, is a gig :yay

  7. #7
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Quote Originally Posted by Tele-Bob
    That's great EJG! (just don't let those damn kids ruin it for you)
    LOL! Since two of the three are in the band (drums and bass), I think I'll be OK.
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
    --Albert Einstein

  8. #8
    Forum Member Tele-Bob's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Go get 'em EJG!!!
    If you're bored, you're not groovin'.

  9. #9
    Forum Member Chet's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    EJG: Are you comin' to Freehold on Sunday? :smokin

  10. #10
    Forum Member sabby's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Rawk on, my man! :yay

  11. #11
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Saturday is fast approaching. We had our final rehearsal last night (sans bass; my son had to work, so he was over on Sunday & he and I went through the songs together).

    I can't beleive how nervous/excited I am. As part of my job, I routinely speak before 100's of people, so I'm pretty used to public speaking. But this feels totally different.

    I have EVERYTHING planned out, down to what I'm going to say to the audience between songs. I've even thought about what to wear. I have it down to jeans (that's all I ever wear, even at international conferences), and a button down shirt over a balck tee-shirt. I just can't decide whether to wear a ball cap (Yankees!) or not. Any thoughts?

    My big worry is the room acoustics. It'll be in a sort of hall or gym, so we have to watch the levels or it will just be a lot of noise.

    My amp is still being worked on, but they assured me yesterday that I would have it back by the end of the week. Its only the pilot light, so the worst thing that could happen there is that they don't get to it, and I have to pick it up Friday, use it on Saturday with the pilot light not lighting correctly, and then take it back Monday. So I'm not worried about that.

    We're planning to do 4 songs, and we have two more in reserve: The first four are Wonderful Tonight, Stand By Me, I'm a King Bee, and The Thrill is Gone. The two in reserve are It Hurts Me Too and I'm Ready. I do the voclas on all but I'm a King Bee (not that I'm a good singer; I sort of got that job by default).

    Oh well, Saturday can't get here soon enough for me....
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
    --Albert Einstein

  12. #12
    Forum Member DanTheBluesMan's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    just don't drive your motorcycle into the side of a Volkswagen Karmen Ghia mere hours before your gig...

    not that I did anything that dumb before

    er, well, um, actually I did...

    so listen to me, its good advice from the voice of experience. Have fun at your gig. :blbros
    "Live and learn and flip the burns"

  13. #13
    Forum Member gibsonjunkie's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    I would suggest a Red Sox hat instead....

    good luck and enjoy yourself!!!
    "We catched fish and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness." Mark Twain

  14. #14
    Forum Member Chet's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Hey Ed, you can use my DRRI if you get in a tight spot. You sounded pretty good at the jam so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.
    Email me.

  15. #15
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Quote Originally Posted by Chet
    Hey Ed, you can use my DRRI if you get in a tight spot. You sounded pretty good at the jam so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.
    Email me.
    Thanks Phil. I think I'll be OK with my amp. I was at the shop yesterday and they were certain it would be done by Friday, if not before.
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
    --Albert Einstein

  16. #16
    Forum Member Chet's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Ed, just try to relax and have fun with it. You sounded like you're confident performing with your own group.

  17. #17
    Forum Member Chet's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Besides, I don't think you sing as bad as some of the people I've heard lately.

    BWAHHAAAHAAA!

    I HATE the song "Wonderful Tonight tho'. :lol

  18. #18
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Quote Originally Posted by Chet
    I HATE the song "Wonderful Tonight tho'. :lol
    My wife likes that song, so I kinda HAVE to do it. ;)
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
    --Albert Einstein

  19. #19
    Forum Member Chet's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Haha. I went to the bathroom when he played that at Madison Square Garden last summer. I noticed a lot of other guys did also. Everybody was saying "Jeeze, I hate that song!". :rl

  20. #20
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Its over. I think it went well. I had a great time, as did all the other guys in the band. We received a lot of compliments afterwards. Most of the comments I got were on my singing; people seemed to like it. Of course, very few people are going to tell you that you stunk. Its easier for them to say they liked you, so I take it all with a grain of salt.

    I made a mistake in the opening riff of our version of "I'm a King Bee," but I don't know if anyone knew it but me. We only did four songs, and my fingers felt like sausages at the start. I was just getting warmed up by the last song.

    All in all, it was a fun night and we hope to do it again some time.
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
    --Albert Einstein

  21. #21
    Forum Member BlueFrogs's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Sounds good EJG!

    :)

  22. #22
    Forum Member moonpie's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Congrats EJG :wail2
    If you leave the house, you're just asking for it.

  23. #23
    Forum Member Chet's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    They wouldn't have complimented you if they didn't think you sounded good.
    As far as "I'm a King Bee"- you played the "EJG" version of it.

  24. #24
    Forum Member EJG's Avatar
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    Re: 1st "almost real" gig

    Thanks guys. I forgot to mention.... I was also the "sound man" for the entire evening. We were the fifth act (out of 7). One of my son's bands was on 3rd, and he had probelems with his amp. There was a lot of confusion happening, and wires and cords all over the place, so we couldn't solve the problem right there and he ended up having to use my amp and my pedals. On top of that, something completely weird happened. As his first band's set ended, his right hand began swelling up for unexplained reasons; it looked like an insect bite. My wife is an RN, and she gave him Benadryl right away for the swelling. That worked and it subsided. But for a while, I thought that I'd be at the hospital with him rather than playing with the band. He's the drummer for my band, plus he had another band on later. So, by the time I got up to play, I pretty well frazzeld.

    When it was over, I felt disappointed. It was fun and I didn't want it to end.

    My son's hand cleared right up after he took the Benadryl, and he played in both bands, and did a FABULOUS job. Everyone in attendance remarked on what a great guitar player he is. I was one proud Dad.
    Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy.
    --Albert Einstein

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