SRO at Moonshine
20/11/11 10:47 Filed in: OSB
The full band (Cummings, Shields, Bird, Allison, Smallbone) played a good show at the Moonshine Café in Oakville last weekend. I think it’s the first time I’ve ever played to a complete, standing room only sellout. I was extremely nervous for the first time in a very long time. Don’t know if it was because it’s the first time in a while that we’ve played out, or the extreme scrutiny of playing in a very intimate space or the fact that I had decided we would do only original songs. (I’ve never played a show where the band didn’t do any covers.)
Took me the whole first set to calm down and enjoy myself. Seemed to go well in spite of my jitters. (Interestingly, Dan thought the first set was better than the second - which just goes to show it’s impossible to critique yourself objectively.) Audience really did listen intently and it was very gratifying to be able to hold them through 19 of our own tunes, many of which they could not have heard before.
I often question why I bother to continue trying to perform. Then a night like this one makes me think, “Why aren’t we out there doing more of this?” Ah, the paradox of being an aging and commercially unsuccessful performing singer/songwriter.
One observation or little epiphany: having a solid drummer really seems to make a big difference. This is the first time since university that I’m playing with a good drummer, and I clearly didn’t know what I was missing. The rhythm and dynamics are more interesting and it also seems to be easier for everyone - players and audience - to connect with the songs and stay with them. Better late than never, eh?
Took me the whole first set to calm down and enjoy myself. Seemed to go well in spite of my jitters. (Interestingly, Dan thought the first set was better than the second - which just goes to show it’s impossible to critique yourself objectively.) Audience really did listen intently and it was very gratifying to be able to hold them through 19 of our own tunes, many of which they could not have heard before.
I often question why I bother to continue trying to perform. Then a night like this one makes me think, “Why aren’t we out there doing more of this?” Ah, the paradox of being an aging and commercially unsuccessful performing singer/songwriter.
One observation or little epiphany: having a solid drummer really seems to make a big difference. This is the first time since university that I’m playing with a good drummer, and I clearly didn’t know what I was missing. The rhythm and dynamics are more interesting and it also seems to be easier for everyone - players and audience - to connect with the songs and stay with them. Better late than never, eh?
