Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!
Post 1879, Day 173 of 2017
- 2,365 days since I started this blog -
- 2,365 days since I started this blog -
I was reminded tonight, a little bit, about the two sides of my music life-style (that is, the large portion of my life-style that is about making music).
I went to two open mics. The first one was at one of the first places I played at in Syracuse - the place where I first met a lot of the musicians here, because, unlike the Sunday jam at Rooters, it wasn't primarily blues - quite the opposite, blues music was played infrequently. The host band was a rock band. It had closed about five years ago, and reopened with a different name and new owners, and recently started hosting an open mic.
When I showed up, I was the only musician there, although there was a good number of people playing around the bar and playing pool. I was called almost immediately, and I played an acoustic set. One of my songs was live video-casted on Facebook, and I was allowed to play as long as I wanted, the audience of non-musicians were pretty enthusiastic, and it was a blast.
I should have stayed and hung out.
My next stop was Rooters, for the Thursday blues and barbecue open mic. This time, everything came up craps.
There were very few people - very few. A couple of folks at the bar. Besides the house band, only three musicians.
Things were off to a bad start when the pulled pork I'd enjoyed since this summer series started wasn't available. Instead, a new recipe, honey-garlic, was being offered. I went with the barbecue chicken, which was good, but before I could get started enjoying it, I was called on to play.
When I began playing, I felt as though it - the music - wasn't really happening. For one thing, I didn't like the bass player's rig, or, more accurately, I didn't like the way I sounded. This isn't that big a deal (I've made do with worse, and it always comes down to what you do with the hand you're dealt, anyway). But I couldn't hear myself very well, and I really don't like that.
With very few people, and none of them bassists (outside of the house bassist), I got to stay up as long as I wanted, through a couple of changes of musicians.
The guitarist I got up with first was someone I had played with before - not the easiest guy to back up, kind of eccentric with his rhythm, but he was having equipment problems and that made it twice as hard. Plus, he was calling songs that nobody but him - and me - seemed to know and also indulging his habit of playing them at fast tempos. Trainwreck is the word that musicians have for that kind of performance.
When he gave up on the guitar and stepped out, some house band members filled in along with a drummer I've played with a lot over the last few years, including last night! Last night, I felt he was having a bad night. Tonight, he was worse.
When the rhythm section isn't together, there's little joy for me. I pressed on, kept trying, but never felt as though the music was good.
It's luck of the draw when you sit in on a jam every time.
Nights like this, which ended so unmusically make me grateful for all the nights that don't.
I went to two open mics. The first one was at one of the first places I played at in Syracuse - the place where I first met a lot of the musicians here, because, unlike the Sunday jam at Rooters, it wasn't primarily blues - quite the opposite, blues music was played infrequently. The host band was a rock band. It had closed about five years ago, and reopened with a different name and new owners, and recently started hosting an open mic.
When I showed up, I was the only musician there, although there was a good number of people playing around the bar and playing pool. I was called almost immediately, and I played an acoustic set. One of my songs was live video-casted on Facebook, and I was allowed to play as long as I wanted, the audience of non-musicians were pretty enthusiastic, and it was a blast.
I should have stayed and hung out.
My next stop was Rooters, for the Thursday blues and barbecue open mic. This time, everything came up craps.
There were very few people - very few. A couple of folks at the bar. Besides the house band, only three musicians.
Things were off to a bad start when the pulled pork I'd enjoyed since this summer series started wasn't available. Instead, a new recipe, honey-garlic, was being offered. I went with the barbecue chicken, which was good, but before I could get started enjoying it, I was called on to play.
When I began playing, I felt as though it - the music - wasn't really happening. For one thing, I didn't like the bass player's rig, or, more accurately, I didn't like the way I sounded. This isn't that big a deal (I've made do with worse, and it always comes down to what you do with the hand you're dealt, anyway). But I couldn't hear myself very well, and I really don't like that.
With very few people, and none of them bassists (outside of the house bassist), I got to stay up as long as I wanted, through a couple of changes of musicians.
The guitarist I got up with first was someone I had played with before - not the easiest guy to back up, kind of eccentric with his rhythm, but he was having equipment problems and that made it twice as hard. Plus, he was calling songs that nobody but him - and me - seemed to know and also indulging his habit of playing them at fast tempos. Trainwreck is the word that musicians have for that kind of performance.
When he gave up on the guitar and stepped out, some house band members filled in along with a drummer I've played with a lot over the last few years, including last night! Last night, I felt he was having a bad night. Tonight, he was worse.
When the rhythm section isn't together, there's little joy for me. I pressed on, kept trying, but never felt as though the music was good.
It's luck of the draw when you sit in on a jam every time.
Nights like this, which ended so unmusically make me grateful for all the nights that don't.
Food and Diet
Today's Weight: 203.4 lbs.
Today's Weight: 203.4 lbs.
Previous Weight (6/21/17): 203.4 lbs.
Net Loss/Gain: - 0.0 lbs.
Diet Comment
No gain, no loss? No idea why. But I'm guessing I'll do well today, although thanks to having barbecue, I expect any bump to be a delay from yesterday - when my weight should have been down.
Food Log
Breakfast
4:15pm:
Lunch
9:15pm, at Rooters Lounge: Barbecued chicken from Big Awesome BBQ.
Dinner
12:05am, from Big Awesome BBQ: Ribs.
Liquid Intake
4:15pm:
 |
| Omelet with peppers, onion, greens, chia seeds, hemp seeds and bacon. |
9:15pm, at Rooters Lounge: Barbecued chicken from Big Awesome BBQ.
Dinner
12:05am, from Big Awesome BBQ: Ribs.
Liquid Intake
Espressos: 1; Coffee: 0 oz.; Tea: 0 oz.; Water: 96+ oz.; and two shots of Jameson's Irish whiskey.
Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!
No comments:
Post a Comment