Started the weekend out expecting three gigs; it wound up being only two.
The last of the gigs to be added to my calendar was for Walkin' The Dawg @our reoccurring Denio's Farmer's Market gig. Our BL has been having some serious heart issues (has a history), but refuses to recognize it. I questioned his scheduling the Saturday gig knowing we had already booked a 4 hour show the next day: "No worries, I'm on the right meds now."
So we played the 2 hour low paying gig @Denio's. It was our LS's 60th birthday (our baby is all grown up now!) so we had a few extra people in the crowd and we had some fun with it.
We were also stage auditioning a new second guitar/vocalist this gig. We met with him casually about a month ago and BL worked with him a few times to lock down guitar distribution. He's got really good chops, but doesn't really play rock (more of a jazz type player) so I don't think he'll be the guy to fill the gap. He sang a couple of songs, one of which he played in a lighter style making it hard to establish groove and he clearly completely dropped the 4th verse. Nice guy, but he wouldn't shut up, constantly trying to fling one liners with any conversation. The search will continue. If we do. The two hour (essentially) exposure gig went OK. We packed, got out and I went to visit my mom for a couple hours who lives near both of my gigs.
My second gig was with my sub band The B-Sides. When I got the call for the gig, I tried locating the place on Goggle (always do) but was confused when I saw that the address was a mobile home park. I got the address from the BL with the set lists and sure enough, we played a mobile home park.
The park appears to be a senior's community and we played their annual Valentine's party. It's been a long time since I've been in a room whare I suspected I was amongst the youngest person there. Other then my band mates, I very well might have been the youngest (at 65). Mentally, my eye's rolled expecting a fairly non-responsive crowd. Being first to arrive, I kind of became the face of the band to the person in charge despite how many times I told her that I wasn't that guy. I was as accommodating and I could be.
The room was pretty small so we did what we could to maintain volume, but with a live drum kit, there's only so much we could do. As I usually do, I walk out into the room where I suspect some volume should reach and set my volume to that. We did have the one person in charge who was regularly telling us to turn down. At the break, she came up and asked again. I told here we were doing what we could, but with a live kit, there's only so much we can do. She backed off after that. Nobody else complained at all.
To my surprise, the crowd was ridiculously active. They were out dancing on song one and the dance floor was rarely empty. It ended up being a really fun gig overall. One lady came up and thanked us for making them feel young for a while. It felt pretty good to be honest. They loved us and were already asking about future dates for us to return. The organizer mentioned that they're always looking for new bands to come play for them; I took the opportunity to give her one of my band's cards. "I'm not trying to poach this band's gigs. But if you're looking for a variety of bands, we be a good fit if you guys like R&R." I don't usually promote my band from my sub gigs, but will - on occasion - discretely hand out a card.
The thing that didn't feel good was my engine. My plucking finger was hurting like crazy. The fact that the band kind of overpowered me in the second and third set didn't help. I was digging in like crazy trying to avoid turning up. I wouldn't up playing as much of the third set with my middle finger and wound up with a painful blister on that finger. I was seriously dreading Sunday's 4 hour gig.
I woke up Sunday, fingers not quite as bad as the previous night, but still tender. I already wear a glove on my fretting hand and was prepared to try it on my engine. I ate breakfast and chilled for a bit before having to leave for a 10 am load in. We were scheduled to do a pre-game Superbowl party at our West Sac dive bar (Lighthouse B&G). I get a call from our LS "Gig is cancelled. BL is in AFIB again." Sometimes, you just hate to be right.
Silver lining: mercifully, I didn't have to shred my fingers on Sunday, but was a bit pissed that we wrecked a better paying gig for the crappy exposure gig, just because BL refuses to admit he needs to take care of himself. It's really becoming stressful not knowing how we're going to deal with the bookings we have. The band is scheduled to play Saturday and Sunday gigs next weekend - I don't see any way he can do that if a 2 hour gig on Saturday benches him on Sunday.
LS and I have been working towards building another project, but without knowing the state of this BL, we're kind of hog-tied. I've been working on leaving this band anyway and maybe I need to just so I'm not enabling someone who should probably hang it up. None of want to have him have an issue on stage. Of course we all wish him the best, but he needs to wise up.
I have previous commitment this weekend, so will miss both (or whatever) gigs they have scheduled. My next gig is in March.
The last of the gigs to be added to my calendar was for Walkin' The Dawg @our reoccurring Denio's Farmer's Market gig. Our BL has been having some serious heart issues (has a history), but refuses to recognize it. I questioned his scheduling the Saturday gig knowing we had already booked a 4 hour show the next day: "No worries, I'm on the right meds now."
So we played the 2 hour low paying gig @Denio's. It was our LS's 60th birthday (our baby is all grown up now!) so we had a few extra people in the crowd and we had some fun with it.
We were also stage auditioning a new second guitar/vocalist this gig. We met with him casually about a month ago and BL worked with him a few times to lock down guitar distribution. He's got really good chops, but doesn't really play rock (more of a jazz type player) so I don't think he'll be the guy to fill the gap. He sang a couple of songs, one of which he played in a lighter style making it hard to establish groove and he clearly completely dropped the 4th verse. Nice guy, but he wouldn't shut up, constantly trying to fling one liners with any conversation. The search will continue. If we do. The two hour (essentially) exposure gig went OK. We packed, got out and I went to visit my mom for a couple hours who lives near both of my gigs.
My second gig was with my sub band The B-Sides. When I got the call for the gig, I tried locating the place on Goggle (always do) but was confused when I saw that the address was a mobile home park. I got the address from the BL with the set lists and sure enough, we played a mobile home park.
The park appears to be a senior's community and we played their annual Valentine's party. It's been a long time since I've been in a room whare I suspected I was amongst the youngest person there. Other then my band mates, I very well might have been the youngest (at 65). Mentally, my eye's rolled expecting a fairly non-responsive crowd. Being first to arrive, I kind of became the face of the band to the person in charge despite how many times I told her that I wasn't that guy. I was as accommodating and I could be.
The room was pretty small so we did what we could to maintain volume, but with a live drum kit, there's only so much we could do. As I usually do, I walk out into the room where I suspect some volume should reach and set my volume to that. We did have the one person in charge who was regularly telling us to turn down. At the break, she came up and asked again. I told here we were doing what we could, but with a live kit, there's only so much we can do. She backed off after that. Nobody else complained at all.
To my surprise, the crowd was ridiculously active. They were out dancing on song one and the dance floor was rarely empty. It ended up being a really fun gig overall. One lady came up and thanked us for making them feel young for a while. It felt pretty good to be honest. They loved us and were already asking about future dates for us to return. The organizer mentioned that they're always looking for new bands to come play for them; I took the opportunity to give her one of my band's cards. "I'm not trying to poach this band's gigs. But if you're looking for a variety of bands, we be a good fit if you guys like R&R." I don't usually promote my band from my sub gigs, but will - on occasion - discretely hand out a card.
The thing that didn't feel good was my engine. My plucking finger was hurting like crazy. The fact that the band kind of overpowered me in the second and third set didn't help. I was digging in like crazy trying to avoid turning up. I wouldn't up playing as much of the third set with my middle finger and wound up with a painful blister on that finger. I was seriously dreading Sunday's 4 hour gig.
I woke up Sunday, fingers not quite as bad as the previous night, but still tender. I already wear a glove on my fretting hand and was prepared to try it on my engine. I ate breakfast and chilled for a bit before having to leave for a 10 am load in. We were scheduled to do a pre-game Superbowl party at our West Sac dive bar (Lighthouse B&G). I get a call from our LS "Gig is cancelled. BL is in AFIB again." Sometimes, you just hate to be right.
Silver lining: mercifully, I didn't have to shred my fingers on Sunday, but was a bit pissed that we wrecked a better paying gig for the crappy exposure gig, just because BL refuses to admit he needs to take care of himself. It's really becoming stressful not knowing how we're going to deal with the bookings we have. The band is scheduled to play Saturday and Sunday gigs next weekend - I don't see any way he can do that if a 2 hour gig on Saturday benches him on Sunday.
LS and I have been working towards building another project, but without knowing the state of this BL, we're kind of hog-tied. I've been working on leaving this band anyway and maybe I need to just so I'm not enabling someone who should probably hang it up. None of want to have him have an issue on stage. Of course we all wish him the best, but he needs to wise up.
I have previous commitment this weekend, so will miss both (or whatever) gigs they have scheduled. My next gig is in March.
