Gig Bytes

Well, the gig at CafÈ May went all right. The audience was ... sparse (and, by the way, thank both of you for coming). Actually, there were a few other people, including several members of Wayne Omaha. Yawd of Wayne O is helping out at the CafÈ by booking bands and performing other sundry duties. If you've never been to CafÈ May, it's a quaint little place with a Swiss motif run by an elderly Japanese lady. Anyway, since there were about as many of us who were scheduled to perform as there were audience members, weóHeather, Howard, Katherine and Iódecided that we would simply all set up together and take turns doing songs from our set lists. Just make it informal and comfy.

So we did just that. And it went okay. I had gotten together with Kath a few hours before the gig, and we ran through the set list, which was beneficial for me since there were 3 or 4 songs that I had never heard before. I kind of lost my way through a couple of those, so I hope it didn't sound too bad. And there was at least one other song where my solo went quite awry at one point, my hand being in the wrong position (I have trouble visualizing the guitar neck sometimes if I'm playing a solo and there's a capo involved; I lose my visual cuesóthe dots on the fretboard, etcóand it throws me off). Kath was kind afterwards in saying that she didn't hear anything wrong, but I know her ears are better than that.

Of course, she may have been suffering her own distractions. About three songs in, between songs I hear her whisper "Oh, fuck", as she's looking toward the door. I follow her gaze and see a guy walking in, but whether because of the lighting or my failing eyesight, I didn't recognize him. Kath is shooting despair at her two friends at a table close to the stage; they're shooting back extreme empathy. I figure it was just some guy she knew that she didn't want to bump into. It's only after the show is over and we're sitting and swilling the great-tasting, free "band" beer, that I realize the guy is Martin Tielli of the Rheostatics. Kath has a very strong connection to the Rheo's and to Martin's music in particular, so that was quite a jarring moment for her. She tells this part better in her own blog entry.

So I'm glad I hadn't realized who was in the audience. I was edgy enough given my unfamiliarity with some of the songs (although it's probably hard for others to tell when I'm edgy). It was nice though to have a few songs that were structurally straightforward, like Lucinda Williams' "I Lost It", which allows for simple, blues-y fills and solosóterrain where I'm more sure of my footing and don't have to think too much, just feel and play those well-worn pathways.

So it went pretty well, all things considered. Kath was in fine form, singing and playing well. If she was nervous from knowing Martin was in the house, she didn't show it. A real pro. And Heather was in fine voice as well, even though she was suffering the after-effects of bronchitis. Howard was his usual solid self on guitar, harmonica and harmony vocals.

Bring on Carnegie Hall!