Boy Wonder: Professional Musician 164

Day 163 - August 21st 2009

Day 7 of my 7 Day Stretch …somebody please stop the humanity

I’m only joking, I am pretty tired though. The Gap show was draining but I got four pairs of jeans for free out of it, along with some CD sales and some tips, not to mention hanging out with Awesome Gap staff type people. I woke up later than usual, wondering how The Bang Camaro Show went the night before, but I was way to beat to call someone and ask.

Since pops got his new vehicle a few months back we’ve relegated equipment transport to the big blue van. So I had to load it into the Big Blue Van before I went down to Lickety Split, I had to be there early for happy hour and Dad was gonna drop it off.

As the day progressed and I was about to leave the sky started to open up. Rain…great. For a local music promoter, rain is the bane of their existence. Bands, who already have a problem getting people to come see them, have their crowds often obliterated due to rain. Generally people are on the fence about going and when they step outside they decide to stay home and watch Ghost Whisperer.

Other problem with rain is it generally slows people up. It made The Good News, our Happy Hour Band to show up about half an hour after they were scheduled to be there, not that it mattered rain was keeping everybody out of the bar anyway. They rocked it though and people started to come inside. I’m a big fan of this band and I see a bright future ahead for them as they try to build a fan base.

Next up was City Line a band that I’ve mentioned before. This would be the second show that they’ve done with me and they get better and better every time. They drew a pretty decent crowd and they played a sensational set. Mike’s singing and songwriting is gonna take the group to the top. As they were playing I got a call from Brue of Grey Matador> I met Brue while on tour with Bang Camaro in Minneapolis and then he and his wife had caught up with us in San Diego. That’s when he and I really started talking. It was the first time I’d really mentioned the band to any of the Camaro fans. So after checking out each other’s myspace and we decided to do the old fashioned gig swap.

They arrived around 8 and got all of their stuff in while City Line was playing. I’m always concerned when out of town bands come in. Often they don’t bring a crowd but the general hope is that they are good enough to keep the crowd there….and boy were they. All I was thinking the whole time was that this band was awesome, a mix between Seattle grunge and 80’s New Wave. It was pretty sweet. I can’t wait to play with them at full volume in Minneapolis in a few months.

Once they were done it was time to set up to play. 4 Sets…about 3.5 - 4 hours. These gigs are always tough. I looked up and saw a packed house which in the middle of a rain storm is a very good thing.

Set 1
Ain’t No Sunshine
Michelle
Always Givn Me The Blues
Daylight
Destiny

The first set was abbreviated. We started late and I wanted to make sure we were running on time. Vocally I didn’t have a lot of time to get goin. We played for about 30 minutes and then came off for a short break. People seemed to like us a whole bunch so I was in a rush to get back on stage. Always Givin me the Blues was probably the best song of the set.

Set 2
Electric Love
What's My name
I Wanna Be your Lover
Whiplash
Private School Girl
Bitch
Demolition Man
Beautiful

This was by far the heaviest of the four sets. Why I ended it with Beautiful (A spacey Love Ballad) I haven’t got a clue, it’s about midnight and people are still here. I am sweating my balls off in this small yet lovely spot. The City Line guys were sticking around which I really appreciate as well as The Grey Matador guys who appreciated the Prince Cover. I had to pee like nobody’s business so I spent some time greeting people as I ran to the bathroom.

Set 3
Wasted
Stranger
Love Affair
The Way You Make Me Feel
Body
Feels So Good
Baby One More Time
(I Think We Should) Breakup

We got a little jammy this time around. It was pretty tasty. Kinda weird opening with Wasted but I thought it was appropriate for that night, the alcohol was flowing pretty steadily. We got off pretty good here but I noticed that I was starting to lose my voice. Good thing that with the exception of Baby one More Time all the songs were easier on my voice. We started to tighten up really good, I still love the Samba Groove of Love Affair. The Bar starts Yelling for Dick in a Box

Set 4
Superhero
(Oh) I Wish I Loved You
How Can This Be Love
Ain't no Way
Billie Jean
3000 Miles Away
Walking on the Moon
Dick in a Box
Leavin
Sunshine of Your Love

My voice was shot about halfway through. By the time we got to Billie Jean I was just about done problem is I had three more songs to play then I decided to appease the staff and play Dick in A Box. We need to learn Mother lover or something, the tune seems out of date. The guys and I are pretty sore and they still asked for an Encore so we ended up doing Sunshine of Your Love.

After a quick brew we bounced. I hit the bed around 3 thus ending my 7 day stretch. It was fun as balls being that busy. Shout out to The Good News, City Line, and Grey Matador for being awesome.