Open Stage...
I just got back from playing out for the first time in a year and a half. It feels so good. I smell like smoke and reak of beer, just as I remember.
There's this open stage at the Coyote Cafe here in Pittsburgh.
Picture this scene:
As I enter this bar, I notice the emptiness and accept the lack of patronage. I was pretty used to a scene like this from years of playing out. Average folk would go right home, but musicians know better. We know that on the other side of the bar is a live PA and amplifiers ready for you. We know that annoying the bartender is just one of our tasks.We know this place is fucking clearing out one we change the channel from "clean" to "distortion". We know beer is free if you're playing.
Normally, people joke about the line "You don't know what it's like to play for the other band and their girlfriends",..but tonight, this wasn't true.
As I said, hosting was the CBG Connection. Picture Spyro Gyro with soul, wrapped in jazz, spitting blues. Extreme talent was the name of the game. No doubt that every single one of them knew what scale fit what key and when they where changing...just by a look.
I was afraid of not fitting in...being booed off the stage...yet, there was nothing but encouragement once they heard us. We didn't fit in, they didn't care. They were the single most inviting band I've played with on an open stage night. I learned the lesson "Don't judge a book by it's cover" in a big way.....
Ah...I'm drunk and tired....at least I took off tomorrow.
I just got back from playing out for the first time in a year and a half. It feels so good. I smell like smoke and reak of beer, just as I remember.
There's this open stage at the Coyote Cafe here in Pittsburgh.
Picture this scene:
As I enter this bar, I notice the emptiness and accept the lack of patronage. I was pretty used to a scene like this from years of playing out. Average folk would go right home, but musicians know better. We know that on the other side of the bar is a live PA and amplifiers ready for you. We know that annoying the bartender is just one of our tasks.We know this place is fucking clearing out one we change the channel from "clean" to "distortion". We know beer is free if you're playing.
Normally, people joke about the line "You don't know what it's like to play for the other band and their girlfriends",..but tonight, this wasn't true.
As I said, hosting was the CBG Connection. Picture Spyro Gyro with soul, wrapped in jazz, spitting blues. Extreme talent was the name of the game. No doubt that every single one of them knew what scale fit what key and when they where changing...just by a look.
I was afraid of not fitting in...being booed off the stage...yet, there was nothing but encouragement once they heard us. We didn't fit in, they didn't care. They were the single most inviting band I've played with on an open stage night. I learned the lesson "Don't judge a book by it's cover" in a big way.....
Ah...I'm drunk and tired....at least I took off tomorrow.
adeline:
Sounds like fun! Glad you learned that valuable lesson..judging gets you no where. Anyways..I'll see you later..oh and are you still going camping?
