My first gig in a while and I just don't want to play

[johnnie]

My band used to gig all the time, but I got tired of playing in front of people so I basically quit doing it. A gig came up for tonight and since our keyboard player is moving to Seattle I figured it would be cool to play one last gig with him. Actually he joined us after my "retirement" :eyes: from the stage, but we have played a handful of gigs with him.

Tonight will only be for an hour and we are playing first. The venue is about 1 1/2 miles from my house and we will be done early. I just wonder where the passion went. At one time I would be excited to be playing somewhere, but right now I just want to go home and be alone..lol. I'm sure that once I get there and plug in I'll be fine because I usually am.

So, does anyone have any words of encouragement or words of abuse for me? :)

[RandomKoolzip]

1. Hey, I'll do it!

I honestly can never play out enough. I feel like an alien being, adrift in a cold, unfriendly world unless I'm onstage playing music.

So shit, man...if you don't wanna do it, I'll drive from Chicago and do it for ye!

Plus, it's only an hour or so. Once it's over, it's over. You'll be fine!

[johnnie]

2. You have to learn the lyrics to all my songs

...and my music, but ok..that's cool. See ya then...lol

I used to love doing it, but I don't have any of that umph anymore.

Yeah, once it's over I can walk around and maybe get a few free drinks. :)

[nytemare]

3. Listen to the music of the artist that inspires you the most.

And just do it!

:hi:

[johnnie]

7. Sounds good

I'll put some on when I get home after work.
Thanks :hi:

[nytemare]

9. Yeah, I would say you have to go back to what made you

inspired to do music in the first place.

:)

[Strong Atheist]

4. Rawhide!

Go getem!

[johnnie]

8. Hey!

That worked! Thank ye

[Strong Atheist]

11. .

:toast:

[XNASA]

5. Have a couple of beers first. You'll be fine.

Always works for me.

[johnnie]

14. Maybe one

I have a hard enough time remembering my lyrics..lol. I should invest in a teleprompter.

[Misunderestimator]

6. You'll be fine once you get there.

In fact, I would bet that you will not want it to end after an hour. I quit performing years ago... I know I would be hesitant to perform now, but I also know that I would love it.

Just enjoy yourself. That's my advice. :hi:

[johnnie]

16. Thanks!

I'm sure you are right. It's just that it's Friday and I'm tired..lol.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. My dear johnnie!

NO abuse from me....Wish I could be there to hear you play!

What instrument will you be playing?

I KNOW that you will be fine, and that you will have fun!

After all, this is Friday, and the start to your weekend.....Go for it!


:woohoo: :woohoo:

[johnnie]

19. Hiya Peggy!

I "play" guitar and sing. Thanks for the words of encouragement :hi:

[Karenina]

12. Just.show.up.

Paul Horn

[johnnie]

20. I'll be there..lol

The other guys are coming to my house to load gear so I guess they would know if I didn't show up. :)

[asthmaticeog]

13. Here's a few words for you:

Let me know about gigs in enough time that I won't already have other plans. Yeeesh.

[johnnie]

22. Sorry about that

Hell, my family doesn't even know..lol. If we do another one I'll let everyone know. It's always good to have friends at gigs.

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

15. I feel the same way sometimes too.

Used to be I loved being in the spotlight. Now, I just feel like I don't have anything to prove and I don't need the attention. Nice couch, glass of wine and a purdy girl and my night is complete. Fuck moving a bunch of amps and inventing mindless banter to spout in between songs.

In other words, I know what you're going thru but don't have any answers. Lemme know if YOU come up with an answer. :D

Oh, break a leg tonight!

[johnnie]

23. Man...you have it down

I feel the exact same way. I wish you would have had the answer instead. Thanks a lot!..lol

[tigereye]

17. I miss playing out

but not carrying all the amps.

Have fun Johnnie. Work that creative side!

[johnnie]

24. In the early day when I was just the singer

It rocked. I didn't carry anything..lol. I would always "accidentally" show up late, walk on stage, sing and get paid and drunk. Now I have to carry stuff and my old excuses aren't working anymore.

Thanks! :hi:

[tigereye]

27. I was always the drummer

so I had to carry those and then the amps of the bass player who had no car and conveniently would disappear to do "promotional" stuff.... But then again, I had pretty good muscles! :D

It would be fun to see you play sometime, but that's a bit of a long drive for me.

[Montauk6]

18. I'm curious, did you guys burn out on a lot of open mic nights?

[SouthoftheBorderPaul]

21. Not me....maybe it's the empty seats

and endless hours of toil for little or no recognition...and certainly no pay.

Ah, I'm just being a brat cuz I'm hung over. :D

[Montauk6]

26. I went through a musical phase, hee... we never really got out of the

basement (blues jamming). And it WAS a lot of toil with the rehearsing etc. I learned there's BIIIIIG difference between sitting down at the piano to play leisurely and working with a drummer, bassist, and guitars (half the sweat is trying to be HEARD, the other half, trying to sound good while being heard).

[johnnie]

25. I never really did any of those

Unless a friend was hosting I might have played a few songs, but mainly I didn't hang out for open mic night.

[ForrestGump]

28. You are Elvis!

:D



Knock 'em dead, Tiger (Man)!

:headbang:

[johnnie]

30. Thanks Forrest

Even though it's an original show, we will be doing Suspicious Minds. For some reason people really dig that song and I have to admit that the guys in the band play it pretty well. I might throw in a few Elvis moves because it's fun to do.

[ForrestGump]

38. Here you go.....

Don't hurt yourself! :o

Have a great time tonight, dude! :yourock: (literally)

[no name no slogan]

29. I went through the same thing about ten years ago

at my very last gig we ever played in public. It's funny, because my ex-wife could actually see the love of performing draining out of me as we played the gig.

I hope to play out again some day in the near future, but it always seems like such a pain in the ass. First, you got to load all your gear, and somebody is always running late, it seems. Then, if you're LUCKY, you may get a minimal sound check after you get to the club. Either way, your sound will still end up sucking, unless you've got your own soundman who carries his own rig with him (pretty damn rare for a bar band).

Of course, by the last song in your set, your sound will finally be fairly decent, but then you're done. Then you get to haul your crap offstage and schlep it back to the rehearsal space. Oh, and don't forget to hit up the tight-walleted club manager for your pay (most clubs are notoriously bad at paying bands around here), which might cover the cost of gas and Taco Bell if you're lucky.

Gigging can be a pain in the ass for anybody that likes playing their music, unless somebody else takes care of all the logistical crap that goes with it.

[johnnie]

32. Yeah, you pretty much hit the proverbial nail

I doubt I will see any cash. I never do. I never ask either because I feel stupid getting handed a 10 dollar bill when it's all said and done..lol.

[no name no slogan]

35. You gotta do it for the love

If you still get the rush from being on stage then it's still worth doing. Because the pay sure sucks!

Best of luck to you tonight. I have a feeling that once you get up there and play again, you'll get right back into it. I hate to say "it's just a phase", but sometimes that's all it is.

:thumbsup:

[DS1]

31. You'll be fine - and why do they call them 'gigs' ?

[johnnie]

33. I don't know

It's just some cool band lingo that some cats thought up to impress the chicks. :shrug:

[Gormy Cuss]

34. With that attitude, you're ready for a gig.

You'll have fun once you start playing. You'll have fun when it's over realizing that you aren't in the grind of schlepping equipment to far flung bars every weekend.

Have a blast with your old bandmates. :hi:

[Xithras]

36. It's from an old French word.

Gigole. It basically translated to "dancing girls" (or prostitutes, depending on its use) and in French speaking areas went from a term for the girls, to a term for the places they danced, to a term for dance halls in general. By the time the Jazz musicians picked it up in New Orleans a century ago, the word had been shortened to Gig and meant any place that people danced in...so playing a gig meant you were going to be the band at a dance. Eventually even the dancing part was dropped, so now it's just playing in front of a crowd.

BTW, Gigole is related to both gigolo (originally a dancing boy) and jiggly (to shake). Word etymology is fun :)

[DS1]

37. wow, i wasn't expecting an answer, I thought it was just one of those

words that's always been since someone used it

thanks!