There are also fewer expectations of you. You have not been with the group as long, don't share all the insider "stuff." At the same time that affords you the freedom to see a piece a new way.
In the last two week I have been given two instances of filling in.
In one case it was a Farmer's Market and the other a familiar tavern. Both are gigs I have done in the past.So the venues themselves are comfortable. But the lineup and the setlist are not.
In both instances the bands are of the "Classic Rock" style. Serviceable, but played to death.
But I had that bit of freedom, since I was not given a score for solos, but expected to wing it.
Oh, wing it...I did.
Midnight Rider - a tune from my early guitar days. Duane Allman's part is relatively simple...but oh so hard to sound THAT good.
Well, what I played was good enough to draw a three minute tune out to six or seven minutes.
I have not tried playing slide in public, but I can emulate it with sweeping vibrato and glides.
During the break, the bass player says to me, "I didn't know you played slide."
Neither did I.
Being the new guy afforded me a looseness that made the old tunes a bit more fresh...a bit less stale.
"Not gonna let them catch the midnight rider..."
Amazing what a change in perspective can do.
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