Post by Mojo on Mar 15, 2010 8:25:08 GMT -5
A little while ago, I posted a Go out and PLAY!!! thread inviting those of us who would like to play out but somehow don't to venture out there and have a blast.
I wanted to share this little story to hopefully inspire some of you to do just that.
A little while ago, I reconnected w/ a friend of mine - via facebook, of all darn places - with whom I used to jam. This is a guy for whom I have a lot of affection because life has been beyond tough to him, and he keeps on standing back up, doing the right thing, and taking the fight right back to life. He never complains, at least not in public. I am sure that, like all of us, he has his down moments.
Anyway, yesterday he posted on Facebook that after some serious health issues, he was trying to get back out there and play again, and was going to be playing at a local open mic.
So I decided to go see him to support him. Sometimes, it makes a difference to see that friendly face in the audience.
Well, he did great. It was awesome to see him back out there doing his thing and having a blast about it.
Then he asked me to go up there and play the odd song. Now, I wasn't prepared for this. I didn't even have a guitar with me, because my intent was not to play - just be there for him.
I ended up playing 5 songs w/ a borrowed Gibson acoustic and having a ton of fun. Looking back, I did most of what one is not supposed to do. I played some obscure songs - 5 of them, no less - started w/ a very slow, sad song, I even started a song - intro, first line - and then totally drew a blank as to what the rest of the song was! So I stopped, cracked a self-deprecating joke, and moved on to the next song I could think of I also called my buddy back to the stage to share a song as we used to. He very kindly came up and we did "Folsom Prison Blues".
Bottom line: the audience didn't care. They had a good time and were gracious about my mistakes, I had a good time playing for them. it was simple, fun, w/ no pretense or expectations. Driving back home, I was thinking about how I had more fun that night than I did the last time I had a programmed gig.
So even if you screw up as badly as I did - I mean, forgetting an entire damn song after one line? That's the stuff of nightmares right there - you still can go out there and have a damn blast!
Me? I am going to another open mic on Tuesday.
And this time, I'm bringing a guitar
I wanted to share this little story to hopefully inspire some of you to do just that.
A little while ago, I reconnected w/ a friend of mine - via facebook, of all darn places - with whom I used to jam. This is a guy for whom I have a lot of affection because life has been beyond tough to him, and he keeps on standing back up, doing the right thing, and taking the fight right back to life. He never complains, at least not in public. I am sure that, like all of us, he has his down moments.
Anyway, yesterday he posted on Facebook that after some serious health issues, he was trying to get back out there and play again, and was going to be playing at a local open mic.
So I decided to go see him to support him. Sometimes, it makes a difference to see that friendly face in the audience.
Well, he did great. It was awesome to see him back out there doing his thing and having a blast about it.
Then he asked me to go up there and play the odd song. Now, I wasn't prepared for this. I didn't even have a guitar with me, because my intent was not to play - just be there for him.
I ended up playing 5 songs w/ a borrowed Gibson acoustic and having a ton of fun. Looking back, I did most of what one is not supposed to do. I played some obscure songs - 5 of them, no less - started w/ a very slow, sad song, I even started a song - intro, first line - and then totally drew a blank as to what the rest of the song was! So I stopped, cracked a self-deprecating joke, and moved on to the next song I could think of I also called my buddy back to the stage to share a song as we used to. He very kindly came up and we did "Folsom Prison Blues".
Bottom line: the audience didn't care. They had a good time and were gracious about my mistakes, I had a good time playing for them. it was simple, fun, w/ no pretense or expectations. Driving back home, I was thinking about how I had more fun that night than I did the last time I had a programmed gig.
So even if you screw up as badly as I did - I mean, forgetting an entire damn song after one line? That's the stuff of nightmares right there - you still can go out there and have a damn blast!
Me? I am going to another open mic on Tuesday.
And this time, I'm bringing a guitar