I have a band!
This has been quite a weekend. The story actually starts two weeks ago, when I helped a friend move into her new place. Another friend of hers was also there helping out, and he turned out to be a musician: a guitarist with a folk-punk band (Twice Illigitimate) in Des Moines. We chatted for a while about music and bands, but, since I have no car and no way to Des Moines, I pretty much expected things to end there.
Come this Friday, I was at that same friend's housewarming party, as was the above-mentioned guitarist. We spent a large portion of the party jamming and meshed really well, leading to more serious conversation about finding a way to get me down to Des Moines for rehearsals so I could join the band. The guitarist tried to convince me to come see their show the next day, but again, given a lack of car, I figured it was impractical.
Fast-forward to Saturday, around 2pm. I got a text from the guitarist saying "Would you want to play with us tonight?" It looked like the bassist wouldn't make it, and they decided to just drag me in rather than play with just guitar and drum. After a bit of discussion and frantic hustling, he and the drummer came by to pick me up. We spent a few hours rehearsing, then headed over to the bar where we were playing.
Due to the other band kindly being willing to go on first, the guitarist was actually able to go grab the bassist from work, just before our show. This meant that the first time I met the bassist--let alone played with him--was during sound check. Due to conflicting with the state fair (and the fact that it was a pair of no-name local bands), the crowd was very small, but they were fun and feisty.
Part way through the set, the bartender interrupted us to declare that she was going to text her friends who were looking for another opener for their Irish in October show. They came over from the show they were at, a few blocks away to hear us. By the end of the evening, we had been offered both an opportunity to open for the Killigans and the possibility of a regular monthly gig at a local bar. As we unloaded, every member of the group told me "You're in the band." I got home around 3am before having to get up at 8:30am for field work.
It's been a hell of a weekend.
Come this Friday, I was at that same friend's housewarming party, as was the above-mentioned guitarist. We spent a large portion of the party jamming and meshed really well, leading to more serious conversation about finding a way to get me down to Des Moines for rehearsals so I could join the band. The guitarist tried to convince me to come see their show the next day, but again, given a lack of car, I figured it was impractical.
Fast-forward to Saturday, around 2pm. I got a text from the guitarist saying "Would you want to play with us tonight?" It looked like the bassist wouldn't make it, and they decided to just drag me in rather than play with just guitar and drum. After a bit of discussion and frantic hustling, he and the drummer came by to pick me up. We spent a few hours rehearsing, then headed over to the bar where we were playing.
Due to the other band kindly being willing to go on first, the guitarist was actually able to go grab the bassist from work, just before our show. This meant that the first time I met the bassist--let alone played with him--was during sound check. Due to conflicting with the state fair (and the fact that it was a pair of no-name local bands), the crowd was very small, but they were fun and feisty.
Part way through the set, the bartender interrupted us to declare that she was going to text her friends who were looking for another opener for their Irish in October show. They came over from the show they were at, a few blocks away to hear us. By the end of the evening, we had been offered both an opportunity to open for the Killigans and the possibility of a regular monthly gig at a local bar. As we unloaded, every member of the group told me "You're in the band." I got home around 3am before having to get up at 8:30am for field work.
It's been a hell of a weekend.