Now, I'm a Pumpkin

What a pisser.
My crew and I weren't to go on until 7 pm.
At 6:30 the guitar player for the main act was asking for,
"A guitar player, c'mon now...one of you plays guitar."

No one moved.
A half hour later and they had finished their set. The entire front row was wives and hangers on of various shapes and denominations. The clapper, the hoot and hollar'er...they were all there, in the front row.
So as one they ready to depart.

7 pm comes and the tear down/setup ritual begins. The talk back and forth is they have another engagement and have to go. No worries.

We set up and immediately launch into a lusty 'Waiting for the Bus.'
Their singer, Lefty Jeff comes running, at full tear into the room, vaults on stage and starts to sing. Never mind he is a verse early and we have the singing covered. It was really well received.

The more we played more the more he sang. There was no breach of etiquette, this is a road house and the name of the game is a huge jam.
Two more numbers and by that time Jim turned to his son Charlie, as if to say,
"Do you want to go?"

When no less than the entire opening act, was joining in. Their drummer, now playing on our drummers kit, their guitar player is singing backup, the bass player was making the tambourine tinkle, and Jeff was singing his little heart out.

"Gimme your number again, man?"

When the musicians spend more time talking shop and the audience is dancing, even though it is freezing...it is a good gig; a party, a blast.

And now to bed and to dream of my night at the ball.