This was the mid-show between Steel Stack and the Godfrey’s show on Saturday night. I had a chance to cool my heels between the 11:30 show and my 3:30 show at Mayfair. This was a triple header so I wanted to be able to separate the shows as best as I could.
It was good to know that I had great sound and a beautiful afternoon available for me when I arrived. I am feeling the ache, though, of my hip condition. I had good help from friendly folks, though, to set up on stage.
I like to engage the people before I actually go on, so I explore several outreaches. I ask for songs that they might want to hear, I tell the kids to explore my bag of instruments, chat with familiar adults. This pre-show interaction is an important part in breaking down the audience, even before the show, especially in a fairly sparse crowd as it gathers.
During this time, a grandmom and her grandson and granddaughter came up to say hello. The lady explained that the two kids were at my Calypso gig the afternoon before. That’s was really cool to have such an immediate return on one of my local gigs. They were pretty shy so I couldn’t get much response from them on what had happened the day before. They were suffering from residual awe, I guess.
As I did Down By the Bay, I noticed John Flynn off to the side. John is a Philly kids’ performer and WXPN mainstay. I noted that our rhyme play on this really standard kids’ tune was some what embarrassing in front of this popular songwriter. He chuckled.
Yes, it was pedestrian to do this song, in my mind, but it, upon reflection, is an important part of what I do as performer – engage and play with my audience. And, even though John is a great kids’ music songwriter, I have a different path in my children’s music craft. It is not recognized as much, alas, but it is the path that I have chosen.
Folk show at 8 pm.