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Silent Muse - Live
Sep. 8th, 2004 12:11 amLast night was my first out-of-town gig with the band (Silent Muse). We played in Richmond, opening for Ego Likeness. The club/bar Nanci Raygun was a nice location. Promoters and ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
_sacrosanct_ event organizers, daq42 and blackradish were wonderful hosts. I believe I performed well. Mistakes were made and they were creatively covered. It is my job to make you believe I intended to hit that note. Usually, I can pull it off. After the show, I heard as many different opinions on the sound as there were people in the club. So, I have no idea what to believe. I think everyone heard a different show while watching the same one, which is a nifty idea. Unfortunately, there weren't a lot of people, but the intimate crowd was pleasant and eager to enjoy the bands.
The performance, however, is only part of the experience. I'm finding that my time on stage does not contribute to my final opinion of a night as significantly as I had once thought it would. Belonging to a performing band appeals to my innate interest in having an experience outside of the average person. When I see a door that reads "Employees Only" or "Restricted Access" I always want to open that door. I am always intrigued by the process behind-the-scenes, going through the door beyond which the average Joe doesn't go.
I like showing up early at a nightclub or bar while it's still quiet and empty. I like exploring the club, seeking out all the dark corners and any extra spaces (if any) that the average Joe can't go. I enjoy the process of setting up and breaking down the band gear. I look forward to staking out my place on a stage I've never stepped on before, working around other bands' gear and compromising on available space. Soundcheck is always different as we test the system and acoustics of a new space. Also, I enjoy the brief warm-up opportunity soundcheck provides before it is our duty to be live entertainers. I like sharing small-talk with other musicians on the bill, talking shop or just chatting like normal people before or after we do the unusual act of performing for an audience. I'm typically rather shy about initiating conversations, so I also love being in the position where someone in my audience wants to approach me and initiate a chat. I'm always flattered and pleased to respond to any comment or question, talking freely and easily. I like sitting back and watching another band perform, knowing that I'm not only an audience member but also a performer--someone performing a job not everyone has an opportunity to do; being the man behind the curtain not everyone gets to look behind. When all of those aspects of an entire night fall nicely into place, then the 40 to 60 minutes on stage is just a tasty edible garnish on an already complete meal. Oh yeah, and the opportunity for free bar food and drinks is also nice.
For those not reading the journals of the other guys in the band, I should point out that we released an EP. So, for the curious, there is a genuine CD available for $5. Last night's show was sort of a CD release party.
_sacrosanct_ event organizers, daq42 and blackradish were wonderful hosts. I believe I performed well. Mistakes were made and they were creatively covered. It is my job to make you believe I intended to hit that note. Usually, I can pull it off. After the show, I heard as many different opinions on the sound as there were people in the club. So, I have no idea what to believe. I think everyone heard a different show while watching the same one, which is a nifty idea. Unfortunately, there weren't a lot of people, but the intimate crowd was pleasant and eager to enjoy the bands. The performance, however, is only part of the experience. I'm finding that my time on stage does not contribute to my final opinion of a night as significantly as I had once thought it would. Belonging to a performing band appeals to my innate interest in having an experience outside of the average person. When I see a door that reads "Employees Only" or "Restricted Access" I always want to open that door. I am always intrigued by the process behind-the-scenes, going through the door beyond which the average Joe doesn't go.
I like showing up early at a nightclub or bar while it's still quiet and empty. I like exploring the club, seeking out all the dark corners and any extra spaces (if any) that the average Joe can't go. I enjoy the process of setting up and breaking down the band gear. I look forward to staking out my place on a stage I've never stepped on before, working around other bands' gear and compromising on available space. Soundcheck is always different as we test the system and acoustics of a new space. Also, I enjoy the brief warm-up opportunity soundcheck provides before it is our duty to be live entertainers. I like sharing small-talk with other musicians on the bill, talking shop or just chatting like normal people before or after we do the unusual act of performing for an audience. I'm typically rather shy about initiating conversations, so I also love being in the position where someone in my audience wants to approach me and initiate a chat. I'm always flattered and pleased to respond to any comment or question, talking freely and easily. I like sitting back and watching another band perform, knowing that I'm not only an audience member but also a performer--someone performing a job not everyone has an opportunity to do; being the man behind the curtain not everyone gets to look behind. When all of those aspects of an entire night fall nicely into place, then the 40 to 60 minutes on stage is just a tasty edible garnish on an already complete meal. Oh yeah, and the opportunity for free bar food and drinks is also nice.
For those not reading the journals of the other guys in the band, I should point out that we released an EP. So, for the curious, there is a genuine CD available for $5. Last night's show was sort of a CD release party.
