I signed up for this one back in late winter, so it finally rolled around in the new covid era. The Easton Public Market has a large public market inside but has adapted to the new outdoor dining limitations, so I was set up on Church Street behind the Market, picnic tables with food from the vendors brought out to the public. It was an extremely rare warm night, so it was perfect weather for me.
The Market folks set up a tent facing the rear parking lot with a sound system (though I used my own trusty little speaker) and I started out at 5 pm to only a few tables of folks. I found a comfortable volume right away. A young family showed up with a precocious young lad and his toddler sister and we struck up off the bat, with his sister starting to dance and the boy warming up from her cue. I got out a few maracas from my bag in the car and off we went, with the other adults enjoying the interaction. (He got a big kick when I said, “underwear”, and we all laughed at that.
Eventually, during the two hours, folks came and went. Other families with young girls came by with their new dogs, played tambourines, and a few other adults took time to take in a meal and some music. The whole situation was comfortable and I played well.
The Market folks live-streamed most of the evening so I spent some of the time playing to the camera for who knows who. Anyway, it gave the evening an interesting twist.
I played well, got paid well and got cheap gas in Phillipsburg on the way home. It was a very good gig.