Sometimes playing in a band a night can feel like a disaster and people who come out still end up having a great time and thanking you for a fun night. While that can be confusing, in the end that’s what is really important. That’s our job. We make people feel good for a few hours.
Last night at Meschutt beach was one of those nights. To begin with the venue had some electrical problems that caused havoc with our equipment and overall sound. The entire band and lights were powered through a single 50 foot extension chord on a single 20amp circuit. Tube amps can sound like crap when their isn’t enough voltage to warm the tubes and the extra draw kept causing the PA to shut down momentarily in the middle of songs.
We were playing with a sub an bass because Nick is just a softball playing bitch, but I digress. The sub we were playing with is a good guy and a good bass player, but he’s not very familiar with the songs we play so I have to play bar chords so that he can watch my hands. Bar chords are okay for rock players but you can’t play them for 4 straight hours. I almost never play bar chords. Our sound almost requires a special style of playing than can incorporate some jazz chord/melody techniques that can’t be done with bar chords. Also, because bra chords require full hand pressure, 4 straight hours of it would give anyone hand cramps.
Just before sunset we were dealing with the sound issues again and I looked up to notice the gorgeous sunset. Meschutt is one of the pretty places to play as the bandstand provide an amazing view of the sun sinking into the water on the Peconic Bay. You really do have to stop and smell the roses sometime.
By the end of the night I was literally paralyzed in my left arm and hand due to 4 hours of bar chords. I couldn’t use my hand for hours after the gig was over. Still people were up and dancing and screaming for more so were persevered. We got through the gig and as we were packing up several people, some were friends and some were total strangers, came up an thanks us for a great time.
As I put my tired old body into a therapeutic hot tub later that night and dosed myself with pain pills and muscle relaxers I wondered if it’s worth it to be still beating myself up like this. I tried to focus on the good of the evening rather than the things that didn’t go right. In the end I decided the smiles, the beautiful sunsets and plying music outdoors on a Summertime Saturday night outweigh any complaints I could possibly have. Tomorrow is Monday and I do it all again. 🙂
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Sat22Oct2022
Oar M&M Duo
6:30pm Patchogue