There are very few RockRoots gigs this year, and we had to replace our guitarist Steve Placotaris when he got a full time paying job as a security guard in his school. Luckily, our old friend and RR guitarist Wayne Smith was available to take his place. We hadn’t done the show with him for years, and, actually, I hadn’t done the show since July. Somehow I wasn’t worried. I was counting on brain-muscle memory. Curiously enough, it was a smooth show. The pace was comfortable, the band gelled and the school had a great time. A leap of faith, for sure.
We were asked to be set up by 8 am for an 8:30 show, since it was a religious school and the Friday vespers was to go on before our show. So, we set up behind the curtain, trying not to make noise, talk or knock over cymbals.
I left pre-dawn for the gig in a torrential downpour for most of the hour-plus ride down the PA Turnpike. It a knuckler drive so I really didn’t have time to worry about the sub guitarist, remembering the show, etc. Perhaps that made the difference.
Friday morning traffic, pouring rain, new guitarist, long break between shows…. It worked.