I picked up a family gig at Steel Stacks on Saturday morning, as part of their Peas and Q’s series. The site is impressive, and the ‘corporate’ nature of the gig is somewhat imposing, but I relish the chance to play for folks, regardless of the situation, and families, as well.
Many nice moments… a mom’s smile, watching her baby daughter start to dance/react to the music and the beat. Tweener boys getting bored in front and splitting (they probably liked some of it, and baffled them after that).
A great moment happened with a girl who had jumped up right away and started playing tambourine and dancing, and, to my surprise, continued to get involved with every song. I was playing Peanut Butter when she asked to come up and sing along, and I said, “Sure.” …. then she asked for a mic, and pronounced she was going to sing “Beat It” from Michael Jackson, and I said, “Sure.” so I played the chords to PB and she really sang BI. It worked and riveted the crowd. Cool.’
But, even cooler, her parents came up afterward and said that she was mildly autistic, and has sung and shined on other occasions. She made my day.
Gigs are sparse these days, and recent personal upheavals, have made life much more sparse, as well. I’m coming to realize how much more I’m connected with the world through my music, and I live for it.