GIG POST-MORTEM (&C.)...

The gig was fun. Audience of 9, in a little group home up north. I was told they wanted to hear Cole Porter songs (they’re from that era), but I didn’t know any and didn’t have time to learn any; I told them instead, “But I know some Skip Johnson tunes” (not mentioning that Skip is still alive)—and gave ‘em “Next Time, I’m Gonna Get a Goldfish,” which really would be Dixieland jazz if someone other than me was playing it, and “Donohue,” which is straight old-time bluegrass.

Most everything else was original: “The Frog Next Door,” “Dead Things in the Shower,” “Bluebird on My Windshield,” “Hey, Little Chicken,” and “Armadillo on the Interstate.” Closed with Woody Guthrie’s “Ain’t Got No Home in This World Any More”—and “Happy Birthday,” because this whole gig was a birthday party for one of the residents. And I did get, from the Birthday Girl, what may be the nicest compliment yet: “This was worth getting to 98 years old for.” Left ‘em a CD. Hope this happens again.

Recalls what a couple of professional (i.e., actually doing this full-time for money) musicians told me: “Taverns are fun, but the real money is in private parties.” True, I think, but I don’t have any influence at all in the private-parties network (if there is one). I got this gig because a friend told someone he knew that I did this, and they asked. With luck, it was as much fun for them as it was for me, and they’ll tell other people. I think that’s how it has to work.

Music at the library was good, too; nice crew of musicians, not all of whom show up regularly. Got to hear “The Dead Sweethearts Polka” perfomred probably the best it’s ever been done—but we did have a professional accordion player with us who can and does do polkas. It’s a good polka. You can dance to it… And it was fun seeing the audience all tapping their feet and feeling guilty about it. Interesting that this group of musicians does “Tillamook Railroad Blues” the same way Deathgrass does it, automatically, with the stops in the right places, and the harmonies, and the bass run… Maybe the song just defaults to that arrangement.

Sore fingers, though, after playing less than three hours of music in one day… I need to play more before our concert Feb. 5, to strengthen up my fingers. I don’t know if there’ll be the acoustic jam Wednesday afternoon this week at the Garibaldi Pub, but there’s supposedly a country jam (electric) in Wheeler Thursday night, and I know a couple of the musicians (that’s important), and I’d like to go. Band practice Friday night—just one week until the concert—and music at the library again on Saturday. Is that enough?

I am slowly but surely collecting the photos for the video of “50 Ways to Cure the Depression.” Took one more on Gig Day, plus I found one in the archives that’ll work; two the day before, plus I got two e-mailed to me from Colorado. I still need the photos of the bank (or piggy bank), the semi, and someone paying (or collecting) a bill. I’ve tapped “Chippewa Bob” to be the “whiny lead” on the recording, playing the saw. Five parts (or six—I might add me on the Electric Banjo to make the sound a little fuller) means I have to mix the thing on the computer. I guess I’m ready.

Joe