The Jig is up!
For those who haven't worked it out, the previous entry was for Rabbithole Day, wherein we celebrate the birthday of Lewis Caroll by filling our journal with total nonsense. Just my luck to end up sharing a birthday with him, but there you go. Hope you enjoyed it.
I spent last night playing a barn dance with a ceilidh band, which I got because one of the members is my brother's father-in-law. Not something I've ever done before, and a lot of fun.
It was a tad nervewracking initially, because I knew none of the material and had never played with any of the musicians before (or even known them apart from Stuart, and I've only met him three or four times). But this wasn't a problem; all the music reduces to a few simple forms from the drummer's point of view, so basically all I had to do was turn up and play straight. The caller spends long enough explaining each dance to the audience that there was time for Stuart to wander back and explain things to me before each song. ("this one's a reel, it's in 4/4, there's a bit where they clap along, and towards the end we start speeding it up, we'll give you a nod." etc.) Who'd've thought a gig that was a total blag from beginning to end would be the easiest gig I've ever had.
The band are approaching their 25th anniversary and they're holding a bash to celebrate, wherein all former members are invited to get up and jam. This now includes me. Eeep!
I spent last night playing a barn dance with a ceilidh band, which I got because one of the members is my brother's father-in-law. Not something I've ever done before, and a lot of fun.
It was a tad nervewracking initially, because I knew none of the material and had never played with any of the musicians before (or even known them apart from Stuart, and I've only met him three or four times). But this wasn't a problem; all the music reduces to a few simple forms from the drummer's point of view, so basically all I had to do was turn up and play straight. The caller spends long enough explaining each dance to the audience that there was time for Stuart to wander back and explain things to me before each song. ("this one's a reel, it's in 4/4, there's a bit where they clap along, and towards the end we start speeding it up, we'll give you a nod." etc.) Who'd've thought a gig that was a total blag from beginning to end would be the easiest gig I've ever had.
The band are approaching their 25th anniversary and they're holding a bash to celebrate, wherein all former members are invited to get up and jam. This now includes me. Eeep!