It was a long Saturday afternoon, waiting for my Sands gig in the evening. But, time rolled around to head to this strange and perplexing gig I get every once in a while. It pays really well (for a bar gig) and I get to jam with good friends and players Don Mayer and Kris Kehr. It’s ostensibly a Celtic music gig, with the understanding that we will mix in some other acoustic styles.
Saturday night at the casino. The joint was filled with slots players, a very smoky cards section and a crowded bar, filled with dinners. We set up and launched into our stuff, front-loaded with my quasi-Celtic material. We proceeded to play four forty-minute sets of good music to, essentially, no applause.
One would say we had the cards stacked against us. (sorry) This gig has been analyzed by powerful casino-style managers and we are supposed to be a mere garnish in the gambling experience. They want crisp 40 minute sets at very exact times, furnish us with a feeble sound system run by a technician who has orders to keep us sonically subtle.
But what makes this an enjoyable gig is the opportunity to play my stuff, including the Celtic tunes, with two good friends and musicians. I’m able to throw a variety of songs at them, most of which they have a fairly good idea about and trust that they will step up and support me. Both Donny and Kris enjoy the same opportunity to play the variety I present, get a chance to stretch our musically and get paid well.
It was a long gig. I really don’t remember when I had to play four sets in a bar, and that’s a long time. I was glad when the night was over, glad I didn’t drink any Guinness, glad I had some friends who enjoy our musical time together, and glad I could make some money at the end of the month. I’m cutting it close once again in this fine economy.
Brunch at Shankara’s on the morrow. Yet another freebie Karma gig.