It was a humid set under the Master Class Tent for our Sunday afternoon show. A nice crowd showed up with Mike’s kids and family up front and dancing, and several old friends in the audience. The sound was great and we were fairly relaxed on stage. We mixed up the set with trad tunes, Jesse’s wild and weird songs, instrumentals and banter. We dropped a lot of names in our introductions, forcing me to ask the audience to applaud for each and every one, whether they knew the person or not. It had some nice moments from then on.
I was left at the gate on the first tune, a ripping banjo tune Dixie Breakdown, that I can’t really play a lead at that tempo. Still a struggling mandolin player, but thankful for the opportunity to play nothing but mando for a change, and thankful for the opportunity to play with these guys. My brain is stretched out, for sure.
Trying to keep the rhythm chops simple and clean, working on the key of F, Bb, and playing melodic leads.
Tomorrow, back to the Kids’ Tent for a long family set. Memorial Day Monday.