Here's a turn up for the books: I'm writing up a gig literally a day after I've done it, rather than the usual 7...
So I think it was last Tuesday I was emergency-booked for Katies again, and as I had band practice with Aki Maera that night I had to ask for the late slot. Turns out I needn't have worried as they were running late anyway but I got to play a show to the few remaining people left in the bar...
I began with Get Out Of My Head. Even though I'm playing that well now, and tonight was no exception, I ended up making mistakes with the chords in the most stupid places in the world. I reckon it's because I wasn't concentrating, which isn't surprising as I usually open with this song so if there's anywhere in the set that I'm 'going through the motions' it's here. Nonetheless, I don't think it went down too badly at all.
I then went on to Girl's Names. I really didn't feel like following it up with Bitterness, so I changed the set around a little bit. I've started putting a little country-style lick in the intro, which I noticed one person in the audience nodding along to so this was probably one of my better ideas. I played it well, I've never thought this is my most inspiring song but it usually does go down well here, once again tonight was no exception. So far, so good...
Storm From The North was next. Apart from one fluff of the chords at one point, I played this very well indeed, it's getting better and better... I started off by revealing that the song was actually inspired by Emma who used to be in Crashpoint, who I understand now plays a few acoustic shows on her own in and around the town, including Katies. I speculated to the audience afterwards whether Sam would put me on the same night as Emma and wonder if I'd play it. Hell, I don't know the answer to that question at this point; ask me again if it comes up.
Mark had his graduation on Tuesday, and the moment where a young and recently disabled man walked - with some assistance - from one side of the stage to the other to get his degree and shake hands with the Chancellor was truly inspiring. I wanted to dedicate a song to the guy, and the only song I could think of that was in the slightest bit appropriate was Trail Of Broken Hearts by DragonForce. It was actually quite nice how people who were preparing to leave stayed to watch for this one, then left. I played it OK, I could have done without fluffing up so many of the lyrics but it hardly matters with DragonForce as they're all near enough the same anyway; it was an impromptu decision to play it and it seemed to work.
Things were going a bit quiet now so I followed suit with Right Where It Belongs by Nine Inch Nails. This went down with passive indifference but I wasn't exactly trying to change the world with it if I'm perfectly honest, it did what I needed it to do which was basically a musical interlude with vocals.
I then had a go at asking what little of the audience remained (which ironically enough was a larger number of people than I'm used to playing to) what they wanted to hear, a fast song? A slow song? Somebody at the bar shouted 'Reggae!' and I ended up playing 7 Nation Army with Ska chords... I actually do this with some of the bands and it works really well with the 82s, less so with The Fakes. It worked for a while with the acoustic guitar but I found out too late I haven't really got the stamina to make it all the way through. My acoustic guitar isn't the easiest in the world to play and my fingers were excruciating by the time I'd finished. I also need to play that chorus a lot more accurately. But the crowd seemed to like it and I saw a few people dancing to it which for an acoustic gig is mega!
I finished up with a super-quick adrenaline inspired rendition of Bitterness! I played it well and those fast strums are getting ever more accurate, but I ought to know better than to let myself get carried away like that.
So, while not the best I've ever played, this was one of the most enjoyable gigs I've played so far this year. Bring on the next one!
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