I had a scattered day today, with a practise with No Pressure Band, the youth band I’ve played with from the LV Music Awards. We have a gig in Emmaus later this month so I needed to brush up on their songs as well as work with them on Giants and I Like Peanut Butter. Bob Sedlock, the dad, really was a treat to watch as he worked with these kids on their music, the arrangements, the attack, the riffs and focus. Great patience and some serious musical knowledge on his part on some challenging songs.
I was supposed to go to a good friend’s birthday party but had my GPS take me to a different Mountain View Road so I slunk back home and signed up for Godfreys’ Open Mike. As usual, it was a very surprising evening of new folks, young folks, old folks and good friends. People stepped up with some great songs.
I felt compelled to play July and it turned out very nice with the whole room singing the chorus with harmonies. As I like to do, I dropped out my vocals at one point to hear the room sing, and to have the room hear themselves sing. I am so proud of this culture that thrives in my living room.
I followed with Prodigal Son, a song I’ve haven’t played in twenty years until last Friday at Ron’s place. It was then I realized that I had forgotten the first verse, so I brushed up on Google before hand. I dropped into the open tuning (a risk I don’t like to do in the middle of a set) fairly quickly (and accurately, phew). I introduced it as a British Folk tune from the Rolling Stones (who claimed it as their own). I slipped into cruise on the guitar and it really rocked and the opening tuning sounded great on my Martin. It felt great.
Interestingly, I screwed up on both songs. I didn’t nail the lyrics the way I should have. Perhaps I was listening too much to my guitar – yes, that’s it. It just goes to show how intense it is to play on this stage every time anyone sets foot on it. This stage demands the best that you can be, and, again, I am so proud of the culture that thrives in my living room.