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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Last Friday Night, I had probably one of th’Best solo gigs I’ve had in recent memory.
Being in the Doldrums of Winter these past few weeks, driving to/from gigs in th’rain, snow, & cold; loading/unloading gear in/out of the car while standing in ankle-deep slush, and playing the same-old-tunes in the same-old-places for the same-old-faces that are just as “sick-of” this Time of Year puts a definitive “crimp” in th’FunFactor of WHY y’even bother t’DO this Sh!t anymore . . .
Granted, getting $200/gig plus an average of $60-80 in th’TipJar for something that you “enjoy” doing isn’t hard t’take, but sometimes driving with a sore back and a headache at 3am in sweat-soaked clothes on a 15-degree night, you find yourself ASKING yourself “WHY th’F@ck are you even DOING this??”
Last Friday’s gig was somewhat different.
The venue itself was quite a nice in that it was a very nice, “up scale” Restaurant/Bar located on the grounds (right ON th’runway, in fact) of a small, local airport. I’d played there once before, but that was the NightAfterChristmas, and was shitty weather, so there wasn’t much of a crowd. This time, the place was PACKED, I had gotten there directly from Work so I had PLENTY of time to casually load-in, set-up the’PA (& four guitars), and do a proper sound-check before my 9:30 start-time.
I’d just come back inside from loading the empties into my car & moving it from th’LoadingZone, when th’FamiliarFaces started to meld-in with the already crowded bar area . . .
Several people from my Office stopped-by for Dinner/Drinks, & t’hang for “th’Show” which is always appreciated.
As more & more people came-in, th’Faces, while STILL “Familiar”, were Ones that I hadn’t “seen” in a L-O-N-G Time, including:
A Friend (and his wife) that I’d know since SECOND GRADE, when he came to his FirstDay in a NewSchool in a NewCountry. Coming from Italy, he didn’t know a WORD of English (we naturally taught him all th’SwearWords, first;-) We were friends & lived in th’Neighbourhood together all thru HighSchool, & then just “LostTouch” (as which UsuallyHappens).
Throughout my HighSchoolYears, I had two other cohorts whom I shared a “ThreeMusketeers”-type relationship. We had found absolutely NO Difficulty getting into Trouble together, and thru Thick/Thin, we ALWAYS faced-it together. I’d recently been able to re-connect with each (separately), but the other two guys hadn’t seen each other in OVER 25 years! They also brought their respective wives, & commandeered a booth together.
Another friend (from post-HighSchoolYears) whom I don’t see very often anymore, as his wife is good friends with my “ex”, so I sadly kinda’ “Lost Him in th’Divorce”.
He came with his two grown sons.
A couple who BOTH lived (in different houses) in the OldNeighbourhood where I grew-up(?). They were both 7-8 years younger than I, and I can remember when they were BOTH the infant siblings of friends that I had. They grew-up, married, and have families near to where we all grew up. I hadn’t seen either in a VERY Long Time!
My ex-BandMate, Rick showed-up to “Case th’Joint” as he was playing a subsequent gig there. He ended staying most of th’Night.
Two of Jeanette’s co-workers (whom I had played their outdoor wedding on CapeCod, LastSummer) showed-up – after driving a LONG distance from SouthJersey . . .
It was QUITE bizarre to be (unexpectly) playing to such a W-I-D-E “Cross-Section” of people in MyLife (especially those I hadn’t seen in such a L-O-N-G Time!).
The Gig went VeryWell, and it was kinda’ hard t’tell who was having more “FUN” . . . Them or Me.
About a week-and-a-half ago, I turned 54.
My friend, Cheryl customarily asks someone having a birthday to impart some “Words of Wisdom”.
When she called me on MyBirthday, I was caught “unprepared”, and asked if I could “get back” to her.
She made it plainly evident that I was by NO MEANS “Off th’Hook” . . .
When I got home from that gig (at 4am) and all of the gear was safely stowed in the garage, I poured a couple fingers of Talisker, and e-mailed her the following “Words of Wisdom” :
ON GIGGING(at”MyAge”) :
“. . On th’DriveHome after a Gig, You spend exactly HALF of th’Time telling yourself “You’re “TooOld” for ThisShit . .
. . you spend the OTHER Half telling yourself THIS is th’Shit that keeps You from getting “TooOld” . . “ |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | No. 54 at 54. Kinda cool. Nice story, too. |
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December 2006
Posts: 6268
Location: Florida Central Gulf Coast | I prefer the last line!
Great that you reconnected with ol' friends and broke the 'cabin fever'. Those moments are precious! |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | nice
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rock on Cliff!! |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Gotta love it. And it beats the hell out of having all these people you haven't seen in forever showing up for your wake. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | Keep it going for a few more years, Cliff. I'm a couple years older and probably will never have the experience, good or bad. I recently saw some pictures someone took of Karl and me playing in a bar in Germany, which was the closest thing I ever had to a gig. I really enjoyed it and didn't realize there were so many people there. Most of them looked like they were having fun, except for one guy who was fast asleep. |
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October 2004
Posts: 256
Location: chicago | Hey Cliff,
All those people showed up,some networking had to have happened to coordinate all that,witch is a whole other part of the gigging process,sometimes a job in itself..no? Jeff |
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Joined:
October 2004
Posts: 256
Location: chicago | My appologies, its a great story and sometimes just living in the moment is all we need.
As much as I hate to quote Joe Dirt.....
Ya gotta just keep on keepin' on |
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January 2009
Posts: 4535
Location: Flahdaw | Nice story, Cliff. Sometime I'd like to see your set list. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | So that's why I sucked so bad last week, I'm 4 years past the prime.......... |
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October 2005
Posts: 5331
Location: Cicero, NY | Sounds like a great time was had by all, Cliff. That's gotta make it all worthwhile.
(Or at least until you have to load up for the next show anyway) |
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March 2002
Posts: 15674
Location: SoCal | Yeah Beal, we were gonna talk with you about that.
Great story Clifford. Ain't it grand to know that in the important things in life, you've never grown up? And are a better person for it.
54??? From the pics I woulda said older...... |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Thanks fer sharing ..made me feel all Melancholic , .. turnin` five years older than 54 in a few months , and realizing my Busking days are over , gets me to Remember things ..
Vic |
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December 2009
Posts: 143
Location: Ontario Canada | I enjoyed your story about last Friday night.
Keep up the good work. It is real nice to re-connect with old buddies. Makes all the effort seem worthwhile doesn't it. The voice and fingers need the therapy Cliff, believe me. Never slow down. A belated congratulations on the 54th birthday.
Jim. |
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October 2005
Posts: 5331
Location: Cicero, NY | "A belated congratulations on the 54th birthday."
Absolutely. HFB. |
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May 2008
Posts: 1559
Location: Indiana | Thanks Cliff. I hope to meet you someday. |
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October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | extra-cool, cliff. thanks for sharing so many words at once.
(i'll be lookin' at 54 later this year. played a fund raiser gig yesterday, which is the first gig in a long time for me. didn't raise any funds for myself but the cause was worthwhile. i've recently connected with several long-lost friends and family upon finally giving in to the facebook thing.) |
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Posts: 4996
Location: Phoenix AZ | Glad you liked the present Cliff.
(I paid those people $3 each to show up) |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Congrratulations on your 54th and a real great story.
Nights like that make up for a whole lot of the other ones. |
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August 2007
Posts: 494
Location: Location Location Location | When I was 36, the guy down the street from where I lived on Long Island asked me to sit in for his regular partner. So on Thursday and Friday before his gig, I learned about 40 of the tunes, mostly I IV V stuff. Then we played on Saturday. I had a blast. Now at 59, it's one of my best memories.
I can't imagine how good yours are.
Great story. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Originally posted by Beal:
So that's why I sucked so bad last week, I'm 4 years past the prime.......... as am I. |
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February 2003
Posts: 2178
Location: the BIG Metropolis of TR | Great story Cliff.
I'm 3 years past prime...
Although I had a good gig Friday night too!
The band was tight (as always)...the timing was spot on...And I was in good voice...I did 4 solo songs, two duets, and a gospel duet.
Life Is Good
My bithday was Saturday.
Must have something to do with getting old?....like fine wine or sumthin'.......Naaaaah |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Cool story Cliff.
Look forward to the next time we hang together. |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | here's to another 54 years of gigs! |
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Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Well I'm a few years past the prime but maybe there is hope.............maybe
Congrats Cliff
AJ |
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Gigging at 54
