Go out and PLAY!!! (Part II)

[Mojo]

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

[Happy Jack]

Nice story Mojo - where you been? You have been missed

[Mojo]

Thanks friend. I had job troubles and had to start a new company. That takes time away from everything else, unfortunately...

[lesblues]

Mar 15, 2010 9:24:39 GMT -5 Mojo said:

Thanks friend. I had job troubles and had to start a new company. That takes time away from everything else, unfortunately...

Hope things are better on the job front Mojo. Regarding playing live, it's ok for you, you can play. you're just modest.

[Happy Jack]

Yeah glad you are back on track mate.

And Les is right (although it pains me to agree with him ;D) you can play

[Mojo]

Thanks guys, though yesterday, I did pretty much everything wrong up there. But it doesn't matter. It worked out in the end and fun was had. If not by all, at least by me

[Mojo]

I think that we tend - human nature? - to not want to be placed in a situation where we feel vulnerable, and therefore shy away from public performance until we feel that we are "ready". I guess one day I looked at what "ready" meant for me. And I realized that "ready" was unrealistic.

Because I am a music nut I have been listening to some giants for 30+ years. Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy, Satchmo and Bird were my first musical heroes when I was but a wee lad. I went to concerts like most of us, listened to albums like most of us, etc... and "ready" meant being *that* good.

Well, news flash: I will never be that good. And that's perfectly fine.

But I shouldn't stop myself from enjoying playing live just because I'll never be the next Satriani or Steve Vai. No disrespect for them, but they're world-wide caliber artists - I am fine w/ being local caliber.

So when you think "I'm not ready", ask yourself exactly how you define "ready" because you may be surprised to find that it's not that you're not ready to play out locally - it's just that your version of "ready" is unrealistic as mine was...

So go out there and PLAY!!!

[wully]

When I first picked up a guitar it was with the rock star dream- many years ago. I quickly realised that I had zero talent and that hasn't changed through the years so it was no surprise to me when I recently picked up a guitar again and was still rubbish.

But that doesn't matter as I get so much contentment from trying to play and my goal is to nail a few tunes and maybe some cool riffs.
One day.

I'm not in a rush and have no desire to get up and play but I can issue a cast iron guarantee that this will change if I ever manage to knock out a decent tune

Glad you're back Mojo and I hope things go well for your new venture.

[Mojo]

Thanks for the kind wishes. I had plans for this and my other sites, but the financial reality of the moment - especially since I want to keep the sites free - dictated otherwise. So I had to shelve those plans for now, but watch out for when I'm back on my feet

[gasman]

That's a cool story Mojo. Glad to have you back posting. I hope the work situation improves for you.

[Mojo]

Thanks!

[Mohikanas]

Wow that was a great experience right there Mojo, I can only imagine how much fun you had, especialy when the old friend invited you to perform with him, you should feel honored right there mate... About the "ready" thing, you made me wonder about it right now, for the artist, his own skills will never seem perfect for him, but could it be good enough for the audience? That's the question you made me wonder about and I thank you Maybe it's time for me to make a little concert for my friends.. that should be an irreplaceable experience for my guitar performing...no matter if it's good enough or not...
A really do hope everything will go just fine with your work, just like your friend, you just keep on standing back, couse you can't have a vacation, away from your life Good luck, and it's great to have you back Mojo

[Mojo]

Thanks! I think that our dreams and our goals shouldn't always coincide one-to-one, you know? It's OK to have big dreams - say, sell 100,000 records for example - but to have goals that get you there at each step, like:

1. Lear a song
2. Jam with others
3. Play live
4. Sign a deal
5. Write songs worth recording
6. Publish a record
7. Sell 1
8. Sell 100,000

[Mojo]

On the importance of being prepared...

I went back to that same open mic last night that prompted this thread. I figured I'd play 3-5 songs depending on how many people showed up.

Come to find out, only the host and I showed up for the majority of the time I was there. I ended up playing 17 songs.

The good thing is, I had prepared a folder with the words to about 20 songs, so I had what I needed. I was prepared.

The bad thing is, I couldn't see anything on those sheets because the font I had chosen was too small in the dark light of the bar! So I guess I wasn't as prepared as I should have been, after all :facepalm:

But I had me some fun, basically doing an entire set and sitting in w/ a friend who showed up toward the end of the evening.

I even got to exorcise my demons by finishing that song I totally forgot last week

[gasman]

Sounds like the start of a regular thing for you Mojo. Good for you!!!