NCRD POST-MORTEM--AND A VIDEO IDEA...

NCRD Comedy Show went good, I think; sound was perfect, and Jane and Ken were very good. Practicing both songs repeatedly the night before definitely helped. I think the audience liked “When They Die, I Put Them in the Cookies” better (but they still ate all the cookies that had been laid out for refreshments).

A lot of good standup, slapstick and improvisational comedy at the show; some of these folks were quite good. Ours was probably the tamest of the acts on stage; I’m inclined to be straight on stage, and just let the words carry the comedy, and hopefully they did.

Just two of us—myself and fellow songwriter Roger MacDonald—at the Rapture Room the following night (I guess everbody else was tuckered out from the show). Was good, too: Roger and I got to trade originals back and forth for two hours (I’d never heard a lot of his stuff, and it’s quite good), and also got to talk about our writing styles, which are rather similar—though he tends to write more sad songs than I do (might have something to do with the number of ex-wives). He includes cover songs in his repertoire so he’ll have some happy songs to sing, and I include co-writes in mine so I’ll have something serious.

Up next: the marimba band has a gig in early May—need to have at least three songs down for that—and the New Band plays the 2nd Street Market Friday, May 11. Need two hours of music for that one—24 songs.

And an idea. I’d pretty much discounted the “One Gas Station” song until I played it at the Tsunami last week, and people not only listened, but applauded. Could it be music video material? I think I know how I’d do it. Slightly up north are most of the “icons” needed for the song—a lonely gas station (at Bayside Gardens), an old folks’ home (also at Bayside Gardens) a little coffee shop (there’s a couple in Wheeler), a “Welcome” sign big enough to hide a police car (Wheeler), maybe a few other things. Finding a yard sale for the “couple of ladies selling things on the lawn” might be a little problematic—but Rick, who owns the thrift store in Wheeler, has his classic St. Joseph statue with the “Really Neat Stuff” sign that he sets up by the side of the road, and that might work as a substitute.

I would film the entire first verse without people in it, then introduce a singer somewhere in the first chorus—maybe me, but it wouldn’t have to be—and gradually increase the number of people as the song progressed. In the final chorus we could have as many as 20 (no more than that, because the song talks about one visitor raising the population by 5%). And I’d have ‘em all lip-synching along with the song. The only voice on the recording, I think, would be mine.

What makes it a possible idea is I just might know where I could get 20 people who’d be willing to act in this. That’s the improv troupe and the folks who were in the other acts at the Comedy Show. As noted above, they’re very good—and don’t mind being outrageous on occasion. I’ll ask if they’d be interested. Could be good publicity for them, and also for that NCRD Theatre they’re trying to renovate.

During the lead break—we’d have to have a lead break—I could list everbody who helped. I could also have a band on hand: fiddle, guitar and standup bass at least, and maybe some others. (And I’d film them, too, and use that footage in the break.) The song mentions a saxophone, and I know a sax player too. It’d be an opportunity to try a recording trick with the Tascam that I think is possible: running everything through the old 5-channel mixer (thereby controlling the levels) and thence into either the “line in” or “microphone in” port on the Tascam. Alternatively, if Michael (say) were interested in doing the sound engineering on his computer, we could do it that way. He’s a much better sound person than I am.

Garibaldi Days meeting tonight, caller class tomorrow night; band might practice Wednesday (I have this Wednesday night free). A Republican Central Committee meeting Thursday night may preclude my going to the Tsunami.

Joe