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Playing live again for first time in years

1K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  63Blazer 
#1 · (Edited)
I used to play a lot and recorded some but the internet has made things more insular these days. The many years of trying this for a job didn't work out for me but my former band mate who did this for a living (very successfully for a few years, unhappily) says that's a good thing (not to make it a living). ;)

I am getting with another old buddy from different band and playing a couple of originals which is good to hook up that way. I miss easier days when people actually went out to clubs to hear live music before video games on the PC or the internet later on.
 
#3 ·
We went last night and it was fun. Since they erroneously told us no drums, my drummer played lead guitar on an acoustic and I had my nylon string so neither of us were in our element. I was going direct into PA for guitar and vocals and drummer was using his acoustic into a small 15 watt Fender amp so it was really like being naked in front of a crowd but we made it work and I will try to find the youtube channel on that and link to it here.

Then I find out the people putting on the open mic are HUGE Ibanez fans who were at NAMM recently so they aren't really adverse to rock and roll. :)

One guitarist, who has Ted Templeman as his producer for upcoming solo guitar record, opened with another guitarist who worked with Vinny Moore back in the day. Both also know Ibanez shredder Nita Strauss so my drummer and I convinced this to be more electric with drums next week. I hope it all goes well and Ibby shredder mentality doesn't get too intense and get us kicked out of this mostly small local pub where their main nighttime income is dinner and not music. ;)
 
#4 ·
So we brought drums and drummer used low volume sticks and we got off a few songs OK.

But high e string broke and part of string got stuck in locking tuner and it took 20 minutes to dislodge it and get new string in.

And then as we are ready to play the bartender dropped heavy keg on guitar cable and damaged it so we used Ovation acoustic through PA. Sometimes you have to make do which we did but we went with plan B, and then plan C.
 
#6 · (Edited)
^^^^^^

That is so true. Even though I played 100 times live in the past, the big gap left me nervous two weeks ago. But now it's like any other job or task, and it's like getting something done without too many mistakes.

The big confidence booster was trying to salvage the set by doing songs on a steel string acoustic which I had previously practiced these past weeks on an electric or nylon string. The action of that steel string (or any steel string I have touched) was very stiff and the action was high on that Ovation and the stupid stage lights are super hot and blind you and have this swirling disco light show thingy which makes it hard to see your hands.

Even if you are not nervous, and I was OK last night, the stupid heat of the lights which are installed too close, make your hands sweaty and slippery. It was almost like playing in a sauna with everyone smoking inside. But I can't control those factors and just have to make do. Since it's a California bar, you can't smoke inside so the smokers take it all outside where the stage is and it stinks like bong water.

I am so glad I don't smoke but I came home last night after 45 min at the bar smelling like I was a lifelong smoker. Yes, it's fun to play out in public to strangers and hear the occasional compliment, but I think I will only do this a few more times. The draw is playing for different people, but musically most of us play better in a practice studio with band or alone at home. Without hot lights and cigarette smoke, it's so much easier to play and sound better. ;)

They are probably going to shut down the establishment because of the fights and wanna be gangbangers making this place not palatable for business. It was already shut down because of drive by where three employees of bar got shot but I assume gangs, violence and stuff like that happens when it's the only bar in town for several blocks. Maybe I will find a coffeehouse to play in later this year.
 
#7 ·
^^^^^^

That is so true. Even though I played 100 times live in the past, the big gap left me nervous two weeks ago. But now it's like any other job or task, and it's like getting something done without too many mistakes.

The big confidence booster was trying to salvage the set by doing songs on a steel string acoustic which I had previously practiced these past weeks on an electric or nylon string. The action of that steel string (or any steel string I have touched) was very stiff and the action was high on that Ovation and the stupid stage lights are super hot and blind you and have this swirling disco light show thingy which makes it hard to see your hands.

Even if you are not nervous, and I was OK last night, the stupid heat of the lights which are installed too close, make your hands sweaty and slippery. It was almost like playing in a sauna with everyone smoking inside. But I can't control those factors and just have to make do. Since it's a California bar, you can't smoke inside so the smokers take it all outside where the stage is and it stinks like bong water.

I am so glad I don't smoke but I came home last night after 45 min at the bar smelling like I was a lifelong smoker. Yes, it's fun to play out in public to strangers and hear the occasional compliment, but I think I will only do this a few more times. The draw is playing for different people, but musically most of us play better in a practice studio with band or alone at home. Without hot lights and cigarette smoke, it's so much easier to play and sound better. ;)

They are probably going to shut down the establishment because of the fights and wanna be gangbangers making this place not palatable for business. It was already shut down because of drive by where three employees of bar got shot but I assume gangs, violence and stuff like that happens when it's the only bar in town for several blocks. Maybe I will find a coffeehouse to play in later this year.
Well it sure sounds like a nice place to play LOL ;)

Keep it up though. The coffee house sounds a good idea.

All the best. :)
 
#12 · (Edited)
Here's my last official gig before I left music for a few years. Somehow I lost the pix but it showed up all of a sudden in a file I had with all of the NAMM show photos that Rich took.

Anyway, Ibanez and Marshall work well together and that's our drummer playing the Ibby when he used to be a guitarist. That's a JS100 modded out with two EMG 81s which really drove the 100 watts to its fullest but kind of drowned out everybody else at times. He had a ton of other stuff like Gibsons, Fenders, and Jacksons but the JS100 usually got the nod for live stuff, but it's being out there which is the reason it's the one guitar that got stolen. Not that anybody can find it but on the last fret where it says "Joe Satriani" in the block inlay, it's cracked down the middle so that's its defining characteristic.

It's so hard to tell onstage when things are off balance in the audience. There can't be enough said of always having somebody in the audience do the sound.
 
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