First gig

["Mikell D. Nelson" <mnelson@dmans.com>]

Hi, gang. Just wanted to tell about my first solo gig and my first
REAL looping gig. Sure I've played gigs with looping devices around. The
bass player in my band uses a Boomerang, but it isn't prominent or
obvious; it's important, but we could actually play without it, and did
so in the past. This gig was a set I performed at a local (Dallas,TX)
club called Club Dada. The band consisted of me, my guitar, amp, Yamaha
GW-10 effects processor, and a Boomerang. This setting is a regular open
mic happening that typically alternates bands and solos or duos. The
bands are typically rock while the solos are usually folkies, so my
electric, instrumental, loop thing was definitely not a sure bet.
However, the crowd response couldn't have been better; there was
generous applause after each tune. It was really gratifying. I plan to
return in a few weeks.
  The irony of the evening came with the band that followed me. At the
beginning of my set I did a little spiel about nothing being
pre-recorded; I reassured the audience that what they were hearing was
all performed live right before their eyes, uh, ears. They seemed to get
it. Well, how was I to know that the following band, a power trio with a
lead singer, relied heavily on pre-recorded tapes that the sound man ran
for them? The guitar player actually handled it well by saying right up
front, "Well, our band uses lots of pre-recorded material... but we
recorded it."
  For those who haven't caught this before, my style is not ambient at
all, but wide ranging pop/rock instrumentals. Finger picked to shuffle
to bluesy to jazz tinged to heavy to noise. I'm now excited about
performing again and incorporating some of the hints about involving the
audience that I picked up here.
  Since I have played in bands my whole life, I am relieved to have the
first solo gig behind me. I was getting a little mental over it.

Motley