MorrisrownSal Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I am playing in a duo this coming Friday night at a pub/restaurant in NJ. It's my first paid gig in decades; I have been sticking to open mics. I guess the pressure is less when you play five songs, as opposed to three one-hour sets. I'm nervous as all hell. The guy who asked me to take the gig with him is real good, and is used to playing bar gigs. He has a repertoire of hundreds of songs... Much of them "southern and Classic rock". I am sprinkling in some of my influence... Lesser known quieter tunes... But the guy I am playing with is pretty sure that to not "lose the crowd" we need to be playing a lot of sing-along upbeat stuff. I get it. I am excited, and nervous. I want to play live occasionally. I think I need to. I just don't want to be just another old dude singing Margaritaville in a bar. Anyways, I'm trying to decide between using the Bird or the D35. I don't want to deal with feedback issues, and the D35 has a K&K. I'll have a Taylor GS Mini with a Baggs soundhole pup as backup. I'm very nervous, excited, and still conflicted about this gig. Here are the first two sets: Ashes & Fire- Ryan Adams- G Already Gone – Eagles- G Take It Easy – Eagles – G Sittin, Waitin, Wishin – Jack Johnson – A I'm On Fire – Springsteen – E Fire – Springsteen – G Sonya – Lyle Lovett – Cajun Moon – Hero – E Tougher Than The Rest – Springsteen- D Pink Cadillac-Springsteen – E Lil Sister- E Folsom Prison Blues – E Dead Flowers – Stones- D Wild Horses – Stones/Bluegrass –Bm Shame On The Moon – Bob Seger – A? Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison – G Ventura Highway – America – Toes – Zac Brown Old Man-Neil Young – D Who'll Stop The Rain – Creedence- G Sweet Home Alabama – Skynyrd- D Can't You See – Marshall Tucker-D Into The Mystic-Van Morrison- D Ring of Fire- Johnny Cash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindboygrunt Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I sympathise. Wonder if Paul McCartney was ever asked why he doesn't do any rolling stones songs ? Some people are just plain rude, but you should have confidence in your obvious talent and play what you want to. Or suck it up and play brown eyed girl and don't listen to your own conscience crying in the corner of your soul and just take the money :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I'm very nervous, excited, and still conflicted about this gig. You're getting paid to play music? How cool is that! You should be thinking one thing: have fun. Crowds like to see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flatbaroque Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Good luck mate.You deserve to go well.And I predict you will.Ideal scenario with your experienced partner to share the action. Make your chords cleanly but not before the beat.Under performance pressure some guitarists can suffer from Premature Articulation! . Seriously have a great show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Very strong repertoire - Enjoy the glowing-coal-walk. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Great, impressive playlist. I believe 90% of those in an audience WANT the performer to do well. Most don't know if you make a small mistake, and those who do - accept it, knowing that you are doing so much better than they could. The remaining 10% are not relevant. They either do not have a musical bone in their body (including those little bones in your ears that make you hear) or would not have come if they'd known there was going to be music. So - you are going to entertain the 90% - and should enjoy your opportunity. I for one am jealous! G'Luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Sal......who's doing the vocals? I play with a guy that has a catalog of 2 hundred committed to memory. He hates breaks and can go for 3/4 hours at a time. Key thing is, he does the vocals......and handles the harp too! Knock'em dead Sal....your D-35 will be great! (focus on your D-35 for the first couple of songs, then you'll slide into the flow[thumbup]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buc McMaster Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Wahoo! You go, dude! I fail to see the bad news here. You've done this before, yes? Okay, might have been awhile since you got paid and played more than five songs, but it's the same deal. Read my lips: r-e-l-a-x. Turn the anxiety into performance energy. I expect next Saturday we'll all be reading your post about what a hoot Friday night was! Break a leg, Sal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars68 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Congratulations, very well deserved. You will do great. Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slinky1 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Good luck Sal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The dman Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 That line "I don't want to be another old guy playing Margaritaville" struck a chord with me and I know exactly what your talking about. I try really hard to play something different but similar than the same old cliche songs everyone else plays. That's not to say I don't dabble in any of those songs but I try to keep them to a minimum. I also try to book rooms that appreciate something a little different and try to avoid the ones that expect a glorified Karaoke singer. I'm 55 and if it's not fun anymore it's just not worth doing. That said I think you have enough known tunes to keep the savages happy and enough to keep you happy. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Ought to be fun! Just remember to breathe during the first couple of songs, and don't drink until you are finished. Can't wait to hear your report ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Good for you! One of the constants of gigging life I recall was the guys who owned the many of the places that hired us wanted you to play songs the audience recognized. They did not want to hear about your originals or some tune from the 1930s you had dredged up. You could slip a couple in but then you had to go right back to playing something the audience was probably familiar with. Unless things have changed over the decades it seems like you have that covered. These days I tend to just do some backing work or sitting in. As such I do not have a lot of say in the set list. That is OK as it is not my gig, it is their deal and I am there to spice it up a bit. But whomever I am with generally will add a couple of songs they know I would normally do. So they will throw in some old chestnut they know I like such as Leadbelly's "Where Did you Sleep Last Night" or maybe Chuck Berry's "The Promised Land" which I can pull off on an acoustic guitar and have been putzing around with on mandolin. I have to add a disclaimer though. I do not accept any pay just free food. It seems to put me in an easier frame of mind. My main problem is I prefer not to play songs "straight" meaning as they were written (not my chemistry). So I will tend to suggest something like doing "Paint It Black" with a kazoo taking on the sitar role while when you get to the part of the verse where it goes "I see the girls go by dressed ..." you break into waltz time. Sometimes they go for it, sometimes they start to wonder if I am on puppy chow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerohead Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 I'm not the least bit worried for you Sal. You don't need luck you have the skills and then some to pull it off! Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Thank you all... My buddy Mike will be singing 30 of the 40 songs, but even on those I am singing harmony. I shall report back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Sal, You've shown us here that you have the talent. Keep in mind that most, if not all, of the audience will never notice a flubbed note. Remember to drop out if you get lost and patiently wait to join back in when you find yourself -- if you do lose yourself in the excitement. Slow the gig down in your mind by playing to a friend in the crowd. Play for that person and you'll have a blast. Laugh. Have fun. It's music, not Wall St. Obviously, people just want a good time and just by playing songs they know, they'll be happy. And take notes on what works and what doesn't. Like another poster said, I'm sure we'll be reading on Saturday about how much fun it was and how you can't wait to play again! Sorry if I come off like a schoolteacher. Not intended. I'm sure you know everything I'm saying. Sometimes it helps to remind yourself. Just have FUN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58 Relic Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Don't worry I've got the same problem ,sort of . Up until five years ago I used to play three gigs a week in a duo , we knew the sets inside out and the reaction that we would normally get during the gig . Over the past five years I have played in our local churches most weeks during the services , great fun with solo guitar during some communions . I also have lately been doing gigs here and there . But I have an important gig with a really good friend who plays the Uke and sings on Saturday . Personally I cannot wait I am 58 and been playing for 49 of those years , I love the feeling of playing live I feel it's the test of all those hours of practice and for me the reason for playing in a way ,but yes I feel also quite on edge. Good luck and enjoy yourselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 23, 2015 Share Posted August 23, 2015 Cool! Gigs are always scarce and memorable! Nothing to be nervous about. After the first chord, it's forgotten and you are away.....and you look up and see Mr Sting sitting there with DeNiro and friends..... [scared] Big tip coming! And the chant goes up: "Play the Doors" BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted August 23, 2015 Author Share Posted August 23, 2015 Thanks again guys... I actually worked out a few better tunes for the last set. I figure the first set needs to start out with some known tunes, and then sprinkle in the soft stuff. The second and especially the third set should cook... They should be conducive to potato liquid infused enchanted ladies singing... I actually worked out a very weird medley tonight... A "hootie blowfish" esque medley of Smokey Robinsons I Second That Emotion into DixieChicks Wide Open Spaces, and back into Smokey... And I changed the strings on my LG2 to PB medium lights for more bottom funk, and it sounds fabulous. I'm going to play that at the gig. It's light, and the gig is long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vacamartin Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 And I changed the strings on my LG2 to PB medium lights for more bottom funk, and it sounds fabulous. I'm going to play that at the gig. It's light, and the gig is long. I bet there will be at least a couple of people come up and ask about that "nice looking Gibson" you'll be playing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbpicker Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 You'll do great, Sal. Just have fun. The audience can sense when you're having fun, and they'll have more fun because of it. Never fails. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Most everything youve posted on soundcloud deserves a spot on your list. Not to worry. Have a blast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 yes, you have the material. Just remember to stay calm and don't let the guitar fairies get you. From the UMGF, second post thanks to JSCIO I laugh every time I think of it - the Guitar Fairies pic: http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/reply/1892535/Guitar-Accident-Near-Miss-Twilight-Zones#reply-1892535 Only stirring, you know that! BluesKing777. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58 Relic Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Hi This thread has also got me thinking and feeling quite on edge . As I have said I also have an important gig at the weekend , good news but it's in a very large outdoor tent with the good old English Isle of Wight weather around .Question would you take your brand new J45 to sound your best , or would you leave safely at home and use your trusty GS Mini e plugged in to your rig to reduce the worry factor ? Personally I would love to take it but is a good environment for an new Gibson acoustic that's not played in yet ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Motherofpearl Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Have fun Sal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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