Silent Muse - Part 1: Before the Show

[realexplodingcat]

Behind the cut, Part 1 of my slightly lengthy account of my first performance with the band. Part 2: The Show will arrive whenever I write it, possibly later tonight.



For someone who spent most of his young life resisting learning an instrument until he could get private lessons because he feared that someone might notice him on stage among an entire orchestra of other kids, I am quite satisfied, perhaps even surprised, with my first live music performance.

I awoke yesterday morning with a slight sense of excitement, a noticeable increase in heart rate, and the awareness that something different was in store for me that day. Prior to sound check I endured about an hour of feeling like a little boy in his first school play and was considering asking someone to bring a pointy stick with which to prod me when it was time for the show. That feeling passed as sound check progressed and by the end the only thing I was concerned about was how tired I was (which I'm concerned with every day, so that was nothing new). Overall, I felt good about the coming show, even if singer solieri left sound check on a bad note because his voice was already threatening to give out under the stress of singing with a lingering illness.

Pre-show dinner actually proved to be the most challenging for me. Due to some occasional wonky blood sugar issues, I often feel weird around meal time. The feeling is increased when I eat out, probably something to do with the waiting and the need to sit still politely in my chair for so long. So, I can often feel restless at the table. On top of this, I broke a cardinal rule of athletic performance that I think applies to any performance: Don't eat food your body has little to no experience with...just in case there's a disagreement. For some reason, I neglected this rule. I had some grilled octopus in a larger quantity than I've ever had and I gladly took the slightly cooked, almost raw, shrimp that xiane wisely turned down. I think it was that shrimp. Shortly after eating it (which I rather enjoyed) I suddenly felt disconnected from the world and this fuzzy burst of energy filled my head, not unlike what happens when you eat a dangerous amount of horseradish (but I did not have any wasabi with my meal). As each wave of this weirdness hit me I wondered if this one would cause me to lose consciousness. None did, but I was still left thinking, "Great...I'm going to drop dead and really let the other guys in the band down." Fortunately, (for unfortunate reasons better left to another story) I have a lot of experience weathering frighteningly bizarre physical sensations. So, I kept my cool as well as possible and gradually discovered that whatever just happened, wasn't going to happen again. But I was still a bit on edge.

After dinner, with over two hours to wait before show time, I found myself struck with a slight indecision over whether I wanted to be sitting still or walking around. But otherwise I didn't feel any more excited or nervous than I usually do hanging out in a club before seeing a show. I ended up sitting, peacefully distracting myself with good conversation with guitarist nothingoth and some other folks. I decided to skip the pre-show shot o' booze. Since I don't often drink and I suffered that weird reaction to the shrimp, I decided to play it safe. Around this time, I noticed I was feeling rather good. Consequently, I wasn't concerned about the show, as I have been playing my parts in the songs perfectly during band practice. Granted, I occasionally need to refer to some sheet music to jog my memory regarding when I should play certain parts. And in one song that I'm finding difficult to remember, I actually do need to keep my eye on the sheet music for the entire song. But with my trusty sheet music, I'm invincible. I could play the songs with my eyes closed (as long as I could peak occasionally at the printed notes).

At 11pm we step on stage to do a brief sound check, so the sound guy (who couldn't make it to the afternoon sound check) could do a quick run through of our mix. While on stage I discovered the lighting was much darker than I had anticipated. My sheet music was barely legible. Also, I noticed that the instrument selection buttons on my old Roland keyboard where in complete darkness, since it was the lower keyboard on the two-tier setup and always in the shadow of the one above. And this keyboard does not have any indicator lights when choosing an instrument. I am not totally alarmed by this, because part of me was expecting this problem. But I hadn't realized just how large a problem it would be.

Here ends part 1.

Comments

[silent-muse.livejournal.com]

I like how ominous the ending is. We see explodingcat onstage, realizing "Oh shit, I can't see!"

TO BE CONTINUED. . .

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I intended from the beginning to do two posts, just to give myself a break from writing. As I was writing, I realized the perfect cliff hanger ending to the first part. Gotta keep the readers in suspense.

[silent-muse.livejournal.com]

Yeah. . . damn shame I basically know how the story ends *grins* This is a good account of the show, though. And I must say again that you were absolutely fantastic, and if I ever held any doubts about the band, they're all gone now. . .

[xiane.livejournal.com]

That shrimp looked like bad ju-ju to me. O_o

"Great...I'm going to drop dead and really let the other guys in the band down." Oh no, Tom's dead! What will we do for a keyboard player for the show? *snortgiggle*

I didn't think of it when you guys set up, about the lighting issue, especially on the side you were on. There are some good keyboard lights one can purchase, I believe... or next time we can put you where Chad was. He doesn't need to see or anything ;)

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Heh...bad ju-ju. I love that phrase.

I think that episode with the shrimp may have helped prevent nervousness over the show. Regarding the show, I realized that compared to the life and death issue of a possible severe food reaction...playing a few songs that I was already confident in was nothing to worry about.

For some reason, the three of us thought that my side of the stage had the best lighting. Perhaps that isn't so. But that's one the reasons I set up on that side. Maybe we were wrong. I may invest in a small light, especially if I find I still need to refer to sheet music for some songs.

[red-frog.livejournal.com]

Miner's hat. It's VERY goth, or will be once you decide to make it so. :)

[krasota.livejournal.com]

miner's hats/lights are cyber/industrial... it would earn him might points, but not goth points.

;)

[red-frog.livejournal.com]

I have complete faith in your boy's ability to make anything goth if he so decrees it. ;)

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Now that you mention headlights, I do recall seeing many DJs and electronic musicians who need press a lot of buttons wearing some stylish small head lights. But I think the Miner's Hat is a classy idea.

Although if I really want industrial might points, I would illuminate my side of the stage with glowing barrels of nuclear waste.

[silent-muse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I figured the Candles would be MAJOR Goth points, but you do make a good agument about the whole "burning down the club" thing. . .

[silent-muse.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was for the lighting as much as it was 1) You had the most chords so should be close to the power and inputs so the rest of us didn't trip, 2) The keyboards would block the bar, where I stored all the water/glasses, etc, 3) The music stand needed to go on your left, and thus I could've easily knocked it over had you been on the right, since I was in the center, and 4) on the parts where we both played, I was always playing the higher notes on the right of the keyboard, thus making your being on the left easier for both of us.

So really, instead of buying a lamp, we could remove me from the band. Whichever's easiest, I guess. . .

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's right. There were a lot of other factors for choosing that side. I think I can get a lamp :) Although I really want to work on becoming independant of the sheet music. It will happen, in time.

[silent-muse.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I envy you and Chad at being able to have notes onstage. It would be great to occasionally glance down when I have a break to get an idea of what lines to sing next (because though I doubt most noticed, I butchered some lyrics last night), alas even if fitting a small book of lyrics onstage was practical, I usually am not wearing my glasses and thus can't see a damn thing. . .

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

It's rare, but I've seen singers with notes. I've seen Michael Stipe with a music stand with lyric sheets. Although R.E.M. is probably one of the few rock bands that could get away with their singer sitting on a stool and reading lyrics. Nick Cave has a guy with stack of cue cards for the 15 minutes of constant lyrics in "Babe, I'm On Fire."

But of course...there is the issue of your blindness...

[silent-muse.livejournal.com]

Yeah. . . I can barely read signs with the glasses. . .

Let's get a little speaker in me ear with someone reading me the lyrics backstage. . . okay, this is getting silly now. . .

[xiane.livejournal.com]

I think the lighting confusion stems from this: when you guys soundchecked, you were under the work lights, which are screwed up in totally different ways from the stage lights. For some reason, Chad's side of the stage gets more light from the parcans, I don't know why. I guess because it is all red rather than the blue that you had... one of those things I need to fix. O_o

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Oh well, all's well that ends well (just as long as it ends). As you'll read in Part II.

[nothingoth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty much... I'm working to the point where I can play the entire show in an pitch black isolation booth with a monitor. heh. And for my next trick, I'll play Girl Made of Glass while escaping from a water chamber! Huzzah!

[explodingcat.livejournal.com]

Maybe that can be our gimmick. Escape artists/rock stars.