1st gig...at 54 years old

[ack]

Well, I got asked to do it again...just a couple of songs with my two sons and another guitarist they've brought into this band.
They recently found a bassist for their live shows, but they want me to sit in and do 2 songs with them again. He'll do the rest of the set.

For my 2nd time on stage, I vowed to myself to not be nervous - preparation has already taken care of that as rehearsals have been a blast.

I plan on tearing it up and then hopping off stage, having a beer and become proud papa again.
It's funny...they're not young (23 & 18), but I still gush like you do watching your 5 year old ride a bike for the first time.

 

[XontheP]

This is so cool. I started playing at age 50, and my first gig was several years later with a band hosting a weekly open mic. The second week my 18 year old daughter surprised me and sang a song. I got to back her up on Bobby Bland's "Further On Up The Road". Great memory!

 

[Ironbar]

So, anything interesting happen in the intervening two years since the original post?

 

[ack]

So, anything interesting happen in the intervening two years since the original post?

I know that was a somewhat rhetorical question, but I post so infrequently on TB that I'll answer anyway:

My inclusion on their latest project came out of the blue as I've been focused on making sure they have the right gear and it works when they need it. I also have other time consuming hobbies that I'm better at than playing bass.

Lots of great stuff happened, but nothing musically for me (aside from a few "new" basses). Both kids are in several bands/projects and have focused on music production (writing, recording, distro) as well as trying to hone their musical chops - both ar still taking lessons. My youngest (the drummer) has found that putting samples of your musical talents online can lead to collaboration efforts that are fun and fruitful. He's made friends from many countries and they have a blast recording.

I hope that we can video record the gig next week (2-Mar) and I'll post one or both of the songs I played on somewhere.

Thanks for all the kind words on this topic - I'm pretty pumped to get to do this again.

Steve

 

[drummer5359]

This thread is two years old and still one of my all time favorites on TB. Congrats to the OP and the rest of you parental units of next generation musicians.

My older brother is an accomplished guitarist, he and I have played in bands separately and together for many years. I have no Children, but my brother has two sons. Their basement was the rehearsal room for many years as they were growing up. (They are currently 35 and 31 years old.) His oldest son took up drums and guitar, the younger son drums like me. The oldest plays drums in a metal band and in a front man in a 90s cover band. The younger of the two has never played in a band, but has maintained his chops over the years.

Family gatherings generally happen at my home these days as I have the most complete rehearsal room. Every time we get together my brother ends up with either my Strat or Tele in his hands, I grab one of my basses, my younger nephew jumps behind my drum kit and my older nephew steps behind the mic. We have never gotten all four of us on a stage together at one time, but both of his sons have sat in with various bands of ours over the years.

Passing music to the next generation is something that I'm very proud of.

 

[Wfrance3]

Amazing story!!
Congrats and Job well done there Dad.
I am 51 and a father of 4 and hope the music bug bites someone. Mine are pretty young at this point but am trying to nudge in a direction. The Tama Roadstar kit in our living room is not exactly a subtle hint...

 

[ack]

This thread is two years old and still one of my all time favorites on TB. Congrats to the OP and the rest of you parental units of next generation musicians.

My older brother is an accomplished guitarist, he and I have played in bands separately and together for many years. I have no Children, but my brother has two sons. Their basement was the rehearsal room for many years as they were growing up. (They are currently 35 and 31 years old.) His oldest son took up drums and guitar, the younger son drums like me. The oldest plays drums in a metal band and in a front man in a 90s cover band. The younger of the two has never played in a band, but has maintained his chops over the years.

Family gatherings generally happen at my home these days as I have the most complete rehearsal room. Every time we get together my brother ends up with either my Strat or Tele in his hands, I grab one of my basses, my younger nephew jumps behind my drum kit and my older nephew steps behind the mic. We have never gotten all four of us on a stage together at one time, but both of his sons have sat in with various bands of ours over the years.

Passing music to the next generation is something that I'm very proud of.

Man, that is truly great, and I couldn't agree more about passing music along. Since I did not come from a musical family, this was something we started for the kids and hopefully, they'll pass it along. As it stands, most of their friends have picked up something to bang on or make noise with and have participated in jams. It's a great joy to play with family (or friends you deem as family). Every once in a while , I look up from the fretboard and see everyone smiling and digging the music, and it puts life in perfect perspective. Like you, creating a rehearsal space is a huge bonus, and it's great that you get to jam with family.

 

[ack]

Amazing story!!
Congrats and Job well done there Dad.
I am 51 and a father of 4 and hope the music bug bites someone. Mine are pretty young at this point but am trying to nudge in a direction. The Tama Roadstar kit in our living room is not exactly a subtle hint...

I get it - the nudge...I have no musical background whatsoever, but on a whim about 13 years ago, I bought a bass, guitar, amps and Tama Swingstar kit - those drums sat there for 2 years, untouched. 11 years after picking up the sticks, my youngest is working on his 3rd kit and has been in lessons for 10 of those 11 years. I can hear him upstairs right now. In hindsight, I'm awfully glad neither my wife nor I tried to jam any of those instruments down their throats. Eventually, they were drawn to them, and they've been hooked. I hope it catches on with your children. Post pics, when it does!

 

[Wisebass]

in front of the cleaning crew

so give it to the "rocking crew" (your kids)

great story!!!!

may the bass be with you

Wise(b)ass

 

[madbass6]

This is so cool. I started playing at age 50, and my first gig was several years later with a band hosting a weekly open mic. The second week my 18 year old daughter surprised me and sang a song. I got to back her up on Bobby Bland's "Further On Up The Road". Great memory!

awsome!

 

[ack]

To follow-up: The gig was this past Thursday night, and it could not have gone any better.
Brand new material, and I was really well prepared for my two songs.
We opened the show, and I was playing the first two songs, so I did the sound check.
I brought my JB-2 Tribute and a MarkBass 210C + 210 (and my trusty MXR M80+) and they sounded great to me (that's for the gear heads).
The sound guy was awesome!

It's weird. I see my kids every day, and I'm amazed at what they've accomplished with zero musical history in my family, and it's great.
I got to stand to the left of my youngest son (18) the drummer, and look across the stage at my oldest (23) who is one of the guitarist and the writer of all their songs.
As nice as they are in real life, they are focused little animals on stage...and it makes me smile when I'm watching. It is crazy to stand next to them and play their songs.
I then got to go into the crowd and stand with some friends and my wife and watch (and have a Hoppyum or two) - you couldn't beat the smile off my face.
My son grabbed the mic and thanked me which was surprising and cool and humbling.
The other really cool thing was guys from the other 3 bands coming up to me all night and telling me how much they enjoyed the band - I felt like I belonged there...and not just as the world's oldest roadie.

Anyway, thanks for all the support and well-wishes. Some of your responses really made me bear down and by the time it came to gig night, I didn't have a worry about the material.

 

[jmbjandfam]

To follow-up: The gig was this past Thursday night, and it could not have gone any better.
Brand new material, and I was really well prepared for my two songs.
We opened the show, and I was playing the first two songs, so I did the sound check.
I brought my JB-2 Tribute and a MarkBass 210C + 210 (and my trusty MXR M80+) and they sounded great to me (that's for the gear heads).
The sound guy was awesome!

It's weird. I see my kids every day, and I'm amazed at what they've accomplished with zero musical history in my family, and it's great.
I got to stand to the left of my youngest son (18) the drummer, and look across the stage at my oldest (23) who is one of the guitarist and the writer of all their songs.
As nice as they are in real life, they are focused little animals on stage...and it makes me smile when I'm watching. It is crazy to stand next to them and play their songs.
I then got to go into the crowd and stand with some friends and my wife and watch (and have a Hoppyum or two) - you couldn't beat the smile off my face.
My son grabbed the mic and thanked me which was surprising and cool and humbling.
The other really cool thing was guys from the other 3 bands coming up to me all night and telling me how much they enjoyed the band - I felt like I belonged there...and not just as the world's oldest roadie.

Anyway, thanks for all the support and well-wishes. Some of your responses really made me bear down and by the time it came to gig night, I didn't have a worry about the material.

Good stuff!

Very happy for you and sounds like a great experience.!