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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | 
Well... for the most part, that was pretty fun.
The last time we played anything close to an open mic was at the ski lodge at the OFC Tour. BrianT’s long time friend Mike volunteered to host an open mic night at a Marina bar. On a warm summer night, even a Wendsday, this place would be packed but in late November there was maybe 40 people in the place. Because it was the first night there was not a long list of players so this was the closest thing to a real gig we ever played.
It felt like a “real” gig might because….
1) As we walked in a voice from the bar area shouted out… “Rock & Roll!!! ROCK & ROOOOLLL!!”
2) Brian’s guitar was cutting out for some yet to be discovered reason so by the third song he was playing a borrowed Taylor.
3) Someone asked for some Barry Manilow.
4) Conversely, someone came up to us and gushed about how great we are and how he never heard anyone play a set list like ours.
5) We could not hear ourselves very well.
Practice is practice... play is play. Brian & I are very critical with our practice time. We are very aware of every bum note and sour chord. This type of event gives us a chance to, in a couple different ways… play. And I don’t doubt that there was a song or two I might have over-played. But even with the equipment failure and the bum notes, I had a blast.
So I guess what I’m trying to do is to encourage those of you who are reluctant to get out there and play. Be it for your family, friends, church, old folks home, or a group of strangers. Between the black & white of the closet plinker and the paid gigger, there is a whole world of gray. God forbid I get in the position to get paid to play. I’m not ready to deal with that type of expectation.
Don’t be like the football team that never takes the field.
Like Pete says… “Pick up your guitar and play!”
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July 2007
Posts: 423
Location: UK | Just about to go round to my mates house after a long long gap to practice for probable future humiliation at local pub , sounds like it was a good night |
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August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | You fellas are mighty snazzy looking with your black guitars! Did you record the performance for posterity?? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | No... we're afraid it would scare us off of ever playing out again.
We do record a practice session every once in a while. Just to get an idea where we are at. |
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April 2004
Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Brad, great pics and I look forward to hearing you perform at the Frisky Mermaid! |
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December 2001
Posts: 10581
Location: NJ | very cool
i need to play out |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Brad,I'm happy that everything went well.
I felt the same way about the first wedding that I shot. I always took pictures at family events and Pearl was always there to help with the large group pictures. I also photographed drug company dinners. That is where I got the first
wedding job. The couple was in California and was flying in to New York for the wedding. At That point I only had communication with the bride's sister. I was told that the bride Kate age 31 was also a child model in her youth and was very photogenic. Parents were deceased on both sides. Anyway the day comes and I am outside of the catering hall/ceremony site. A fancy car pulls up and Kate gets out. There is an older man still in the car and he doesn't get out. I figured that this man was an uncle who would escort Kate. About ten minutes goes by and then I finally ask Kate where is Ed here fiance. She tells me that he has been sitting in the car waiting for me to give him some directions for photos. Ed turned out to be 60 years old marrying Kate who is 31. Wow!!, 29 years difference. The event actually went very smooth. For a first event it was an ice breaker for me. I thought if I could get through that I could get through anything. Oh yeah the picture I took with her new stepson who was probably older than her was a little odd. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | You GO, Bradley!!!!!! |
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December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Way to go. 
BTW is that a Taylor in the 4th picture? |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Yeah.. A Taylor it is.
Like I said, Brian's guitar had what might be a battery failure. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Like Matt Smith says, There ain't nothing that 100 gigs can't fix.
Every time I play out, or in for people visiting, the nerves flare and the sweat comes and all the rest of that. The correct mind set is, Sod it, just do it.
I get some stick about always wearing a black T-shirt. The reason is that they look the same if they're dry or wet, and besides, you have to dress in rock-star black to play proper guitar.
Got to go to the Frickin Mermaid tonight for writers night and be one of 4 playing for 3 hours. This might be easier than the Wednesday singer/songwriter night. We'll see..... |
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March 2002
Posts: 15654
Location: SoCal | We'll want a full report with pics tomorrow.... |
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October 2005
Posts: 5327
Location: Cicero, NY | Brad and Bri - you guys are an inspiration to all the rest of us (or maybe it's just me...?) that just can't seem to pull the string and go play a "real" gig. My bet is you sounded great (you guys always have at the Tours).
I think I'll just go have a beer in your honor! Thanks! |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| About the coolest thing there is for old farts like us! Rock on Dudes!
Randy |
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May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | My new (to me anyway) 1581 Adamas kept clipping out of the PA. We tried both the 1/4 and the XLR, it would work for a minute then just die. I was blaming the PA then the guy hosting hands me his 414 Taylor and it did just fine (I was really thrashing that Taylor, it seemed to take it well).
I used the 1581 for a set at a party a few nights before so I dont know what the deal is, the tuner seemed to be working fine. Is that how they act when the battery gets low? (it's an Optima pre-amp). You think by now I would know enough to have a spare battery on hand.
What made it even worse was that Brad and I had tuned half a step low, and the Taylor was at concert pitch. So poor Brad had to finish the set with a capo on the first fret and singing higher than normal. On the last photo, he looks a bit angry, like those higher harmonies were really getting to him. |
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September 2006
Posts: 713
Location: Alberta, Canada | Guys, good for you for getting out and doing it. If I read between the lines, it seems to me you had a great time.
It's been my experiance that for the most part, the majority of people who are in the audiance of any gig, are awed by the talent of those on stage. Especially if they don't play an instrument or sing themselves. You have to "suck" pretty bad to get a negative response from the crowd.
It may be a primal throwback but, I believe people just want to be entertained and genuinely appreciate those who are willing to perform for them.
So just go and do it for yourself and if the crowd digs it, Bonus!
I'll bet your not sorry you did the gig, guys. Right?
Dave |
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November 2005
Posts: 4817
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | [/QB]I thought it looked like he was really committed to whatever he was singing.
"Here's somethin' we wrote about that pisses me right off. I call it The A.A.R.P. Blues" |
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February 2004
Posts: 1634
Location: Warren,Pa. | If you run the 1/4" cable on an Optima the battery runs down quickly (at least that's been my experience).
Also, if you run a regular XLR cable (no ground-to-shell) and don't have a dummy plug in the 1/4" jack, it won't work.
Furthermore, I've had trouble if phantom power wasn't turned on at the board.
And finally, if you're in trouble on the platform like that and you have to do something fast, you can push in the tuner button; this will give you 1 minute of sound because while the tuner is running off the battery...so does the whole unit.
Optimas have these quirky little things that you get used to. I guess I like my OpPros a little better, but I sure do like the Optimas.
Get an Ovation XLR cable from John/Kim. About $20, has ground-to-shell, and says Ovation all along the length of it so you'll always KNOW it's yours!
Or...none of the above. John <>{ |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | The Optima doesn't need the pin-1 mod, it'll work with any standard XLR cable.
My guess is your problem is probably a suspect PCB at the outputs, it's no big deal, John or Kim will fix it. But you knew that anyway. |
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May 2003
Posts: 425
Location: SE Michigan | I just plugged my 1581 (with the same battery) in to my little fender using the 1/4 inch. I cranked the preamp up pretty high trying to load it up and played it for about 20 minutes, no problem. I noticed when I press the "tune" button the "low" (battery) blinks for a second, but I think is normal. Volt meter reads 8.8 volts on the battery, doesnt seem too bad to me.
The monitoring was really bad on that stage. We were having problems hearing ourselves all night. Now I am wondering if the problem wasnt my guitar. Is it possible to overdrive the preamp on the PA and have it shut down or clip? I was using the same 1/4 cable and channel on the Taylor and that worked fine.
But last night I had the 1581 loud enough to start feeding back when I strayed in front of the PA speaker, then a couple minutes into a song it was like I was unplugged, just no amplification out of the guitar. Started out using the 1/4 jack. After the first problem I asked for an XLR cable and it worked for a couple minutes then back to nothing, thats when I switched to the Taylor.
Now I am wondering if I can trust this guitar. Are there known-problems with the PCB board at the jack? |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Man ... SlipKid's sure got the popeye arms going there! Been eating yer spinach?
Looks like fun. I'll bet you guys killed. |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | You guys need a name for your group.
How about "Misery Loves Company" ??? |
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November 2004
Posts: 1330
Location: ms | Taylor saves the day again..... |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | ... That's the "misery" part. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Took the words out of my mouth. |
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First "Gig" In a Long Time
