"Okay Joey, I'll be there soon."
"It's Jerry."
Oh.
I rub my eyes and sit up in bed. I had not laid down until after two am the night before.
"What's up, Jerry?"
"I've got a gig at Holy Name of Mary - their annual fair. Call Shotgun and meet me at the park, we have a gig."
He goes on to explain that I can expect a lack of payment. What's new?
"But I'll take care of you."
Many a virtuous girl rued the day she heard that one.
I knew what I was in for.
That's a shot of the stage, Belle - my guitar is at the nose of that truck in the background.
That truck carried the accumulated equipment of Nomad. A five piece band that carried more stuff than Patton and his army. The PA was HUGE. You can see a small pedestal mounted speaker at the extreme right with a subwoofer below it. There was a matching one on the other side. There is one below Belle as well as two more between her and the outside speakers - and a matching set off camera to the left.. That was JUST the Public Address system.
In the words of Richard Pryor - "...is you CRAZY?!"
I mean, thank you Nomad for all that neat stuff that you allowed our band to use, but that is just far too much to carry. Average age of the band members was fifty two. The drummer, who owned the truck, was on speed - or one too many energy drinks. Three anvil cases packed - one was the PA, one was the drum kit and one was cabling.
In attendance there were about five hundred people. Serious rides and vendors hawking their wares. A large family carnival. An ATM machine at each planned intersection. This was no mean little fair.
Still, it was too much equipment.
If you squint and look directly below the door mirror of the truck, you'll see my amp. Ayep, that tiny little cube.
I set the volume at five and was more than loud enough.
We played our set - one hour...no biggie. And I had a lot of fun doing it. Playing with Jerry is a perpetual Bar Mitzvah - I've played 'Tiny Bubbles,' enough times to last me for a long, long while.
Anyway - so much for my little rant about having too many material goods. (And no roadies - balance is everything)
Nomad was a good collection of musicians - couldn't hear the bass player at all until they took a break and I let him know - turns out the drummer forgot to plug Marcus in.
They successfully used the phalanx of gear to bulldoze a path through everyone.
When the people have to move back from the first row or two, you should take note - turn the volume down.
After Nomad does a set, they take a break at which point the San Dimas School for the Performing Arts took to the area just in front of the stage.
First a medley of Patriotic tunes. Then a Disney onslaught.
Children (one boy and eleven girls - smart kid :) ranging from six through twelve performed.
They rocked.
They were better than either band. Forget the fact that the audience was mainly parents clapping for their darlings...these kids either had talent or tons of heart.
I loved every minute of it. Every trite Gershwin move and number. Every appeal to God, Mom and Apple Pie (Oh yeah, this is a Catholic Church running the show). I loved it.
The children were not jaded nor cynical - they were performing and they loved it!
Even when one of the seconds muffed a line (she and her partner giggled) it was the pure joy that struck me.
I wonder how many of them will go on to careers in show business?
I'll be rooting for every single one of them!
No comments:
Post a Comment