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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Originally posted by kitmann:
I have two:
The first one was when I was playing here in Connersville at Brian's Bookstore open mic night. I had written a song called, When Skies Turn Grey, after Karen's father Walter passed away. They were very close. Their entire family is afraid of storms so I wrote the song. I had not played it in public yet. Karen was off work that night so she came to the show. I always explain what each of my songs is about, or why I wrote them before I play the song. As I started playing the song, the entire place went silent. As I was singing I looked and Karen was crying. I could not look at here until the song was done because I knew I wouldn't have been able to finish the song. Then after the song Karen came to the stage area and gave me a kiss as the crowd cheered.
The second one was. A few friends of mine and I were opening at the White Water Campground. Really nice place, great stage, lights the whole campgound in the grass waiting for the show to start.
Well when it was my turn, I again was playing When Skies Were Grey, and like always I explained what the song was about. After I played the song, there was a young girl in the front crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said her father had just passed away and the song reminded her of him. I could tell that she had down syndrome. And I felt like Shit!!!! So I had to think of something quick and I asked her if she liked Elvis. She stopped crying and said yes. So I played Steamroller Blues for her. After I was done with the song I came off the stage and she came up to me and gave me a big hug. So I signed a one of my cd's a gave it to her. After that, every time I performed at the campground she was always in the front row. For as long as I live I will never forget those two times. It was just like gold to me. Yeah - I got a chance to listen to your stuff tonight. It's awesome! |
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Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | Thanks so very much Rick :) :) :) |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 19
Location: NOR*CAL | Sweet...
Doing an open mic one night several weeks ago these percussionist guys decided to try and join me in my world, one total kit and one on conga's, well suffice to say i lost them shortly thereafter, but i continued on solo with my DS778DS Baritone baby! I blew them all away(even the crowd) with my percussive style, i would say more Stephano Barone/Erik Mongrain and actually some unique stuff i've yet to post, probably on the line of Stanley Jordan(acoustically), but it was still nice to see the locals try their best...
The 2078TX may be my new 'goto' axe for total percussive because i can FEEL the lower end better than any guitar i've ever played...even over most jumbo's |
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Joined:
November 2011
Posts: 19
Location: NOR*CAL | Originally posted by rick endres:
Originally posted by kitmann:
I have two:
The first one was when I was playing here in Connersville at Brian's Bookstore open mic night. I had written a song called, When Skies Turn Grey, after Karen's father Walter passed away. They were very close. Their entire family is afraid of storms so I wrote the song. I had not played it in public yet. Karen was off work that night so she came to the show. I always explain what each of my songs is about, or why I wrote them before I play the song. As I started playing the song, the entire place went silent. As I was singing I looked and Karen was crying. I could not look at here until the song was done because I knew I wouldn't have been able to finish the song. Then after the song Karen came to the stage area and gave me a kiss as the crowd cheered.
The second one was. A few friends of mine and I were opening at the White Water Campground. Really nice place, great stage, lights the whole campgound in the grass waiting for the show to start.
Well when it was my turn, I again was playing When Skies Were Grey, and like always I explained what the song was about. After I played the song, there was a young girl in the front crying. I asked her what was wrong. She said her father had just passed away and the song reminded her of him. I could tell that she had down syndrome. And I felt like Shit!!!! So I had to think of something quick and I asked her if she liked Elvis. She stopped crying and said yes. So I played Steamroller Blues for her. After I was done with the song I came off the stage and she came up to me and gave me a big hug. So I signed a one of my cd's a gave it to her. After that, every time I performed at the campground she was always in the front row. For as long as I live I will never forget those two times. It was just like gold to me. Yeah - I got a chance to listen to your stuff tonight. It's awesome! |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | Well in my limited playing out experience (4 coffee house and one solo in church) The best was when I played "Amie" for my last song and invited everyone to joing in to sing the chorus. Of course the coffee house was full of players either waiting to play or hanging around after they played. Just about everyone sang and we actually had a 3 part harmony going that I could hear despite my overly powerful monitor. It was cool and just did more to settle the nerves and help me enjoy it. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Just finished what may be the biggest gig of my life. I played some lead riffs on one song during the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Pops concert series. I was backed up by a symphonic chorus of 175 adults, 160 children (34 of whom were mixing it up with me on stage), and the orchestra of about 120 musicians, to a house of about 2,600 for each of seven sold out performances. I was in the fat man costume and had to dance throughout the number, so I used my new wireless rig run through a Keeley Blues Driver then into the house PA. I used my custom Hamer Monoco III because its beautiful transparent red matched my costume. The hardest part of the gig was making the transition from the physical exertion required for the dance movements to calming down enough to play the guitar using smaller and much more focused motor skills. It might be somewhat akin to the winter Olympic event where the athletes ski nordic style for miles, then stop to shoot at targets. If you don’t pull back on the physical movement and energy, the shooting will be a mess. So will the guitar playing. The first time I swung the guitar around and struck a chord in rehearsal, I bent nearly every string out of intonation. I think it may be the hardest playing I’ve ever had to do, not the licks themselves, but the concentration and technique required to stay calm and focused. The beard, wig, fat suit and huge sleeves didn’t help either because I couldn’t see the guitar at all and had to play totally by feel. The fact that I also had trouble hearing what I was playing over the symphony was unnerving. One show left in Vail next week. What a great time. |
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Joined:
April 2010
Posts: 1227
Location: Connersville, Indiana | Way to Go Professor, Wow what a chance to play with all the Orchestra, at this time of year, And being the big man himself, Hats off to you brother, my adrenaline would of been on an overdose dump and I more than likely would of forgot what I was suppose to do. Congratulations :) |
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Joined:
November 2008
Posts: 400
Location: Northwest Arkansas | Too many to count. Tulsa, OK block party was one. In the middle of the 4-lane highway next to Skelly stadium. The stadium was full and we played right before the game ended. They sold beer in 20 oz. cups for 2 dollars. Thousands of people. I hadn't played to more than a couple of hundred people before that. I sang "Long Train Running" by the Doobie Bros. I was scared stiff. When we finished the song the people were so loud I couldn't even hear my guitar. After that it was all uphill. I remember they cleaned up the cups with a road grader. |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 616
Location: cincinnati, ohio | Great stories, everyone! Keep 'em coming. |
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Okay...Now How About your BEST Gig Ever?
