#1730471 - 04/07/07 03:03 PM
So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Tonight I am opening for my own band as a solo performer. 
As most of you know, I'm in a typical 4-piece cover band. And, having been in gigging bands since I was 13 (25 years??? Oh God, I'm getting old), I almost never get nervous over gigs. Doing gigs is more "normal" than not doing them, after all this time.
But tonight, I'm going to do 2-3 songs as an opening act for my band. I'll be performing alone onstage. Me, my Martin, my Hohner harps, my voice, and a mic. Now, I've played alone quite often, strumming away at coffee shops, book stores, parties. But I believe this is the first time in my life that I'm up on stage, under lights, full PA... all by myself.
Amazing what a psychological difference there is between getting up with a few other guys versus doing it alone! And yeah, I'm feeling a bit of the heebie-jeebies about it. The good news is that I'm totally prepared with my material. The bad news is that as the opening act, I get no opportunity to get over my momentary stage fright... just gotta jump up and do my thing.
So: wish me luck. It should be fun, and something new for me. As I told my girlfriend this morning, the remaining 3-1/2 hours of our show will probably seem very anti-climactic (to me, anyway) after my opening slot! 
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#1730503 - 04/07/07 03:49 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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boosh
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Go for it Jeff!!! You can do it!!
Booshy
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#1730548 - 04/07/07 06:17 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: boosh]
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Well thanks, Boosh. I'm not unconfident that I can do it. If anything, I hate waiting those hours before a gig... more time to build up fear and/or self-doubt.
But I've played in front of 10,000 people... the hundred or so I'm expecting tonight will be easy. Hey, it's like anything: kinda scary until you get used to it. I'm a fan of facing fear, not running from it. I'm sure it'll be great. 
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#1730568 - 04/07/07 07:30 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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joeyd4329
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Woot woot. What songs are you playing?
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~Joey~
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#1730573 - 04/07/07 08:01 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: joeyd4329]
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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I'm just doing a couple of Neil Young songs: "Heart of Gold" and "Comes a Time". I was considering performing one of my recent originals, except for one small problem: the songs are so new that I have yet to memorize my own lyrics. Pretty sad, eh? Besides, my new tunes are in various demo stages. There will be another time and place to do that. For the time being, I want to do something that I'm totally familiar with.
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#1730635 - 04/08/07 12:03 AM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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joeyd4329
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I can't say not memorizing your own lyrics is sad because I have a guitarist I play with who writes guitar parts and then gets to practice and completley forgets them and he won't try to figure them out at the practice even though it will take like two minutes. But anywho, I hope you're off the walls.
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~Joey~
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#1730648 - 04/08/07 12:30 AM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: joeyd4329]
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jay da cop
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Jeff, my advise, just relax and go with it (FWIT). And have fun. That's why we do this.
Jay
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#1730853 - 04/08/07 01:30 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: joeyd4329]
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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I can't say not memorizing your own lyrics is sad because I have a guitarist I play with who writes guitar parts and then gets to practice and completley forgets them and he won't try to figure them out at the practice even though it will take like two minutes.
I agree. I think there's a reason I haven't devoted the energy yet, and it's the fact that I still feel these songs are in demo stage, and I don't want to internalize lyrics that may change to some degree before I finish my record.
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#1730856 - 04/08/07 01:32 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: jay da cop]
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Jeff, my advise, just relax and go with it (FWIT). And have fun. That's why we do this.
And, of course, that's absolutely right. It only took about the first two strums to get over my heebie-jeebies. The gig was great as a whole. Funny part: I'd only planned on doing two tunes, but when I finished the second one, my singer ran up to the stage and told me that the bassist and drummer were sharing a plate of chili-cheese fries, and to keep going. So I ended up doing four songs. It was fine, and the rest of the gig (three full sets with my band) also went reasonably well. 
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#1730917 - 04/08/07 03:41 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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Trill
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Great Job Jeff, so when can we expect the solo cd 
I would have had the heebie-jeebies also. I contemplate going solo,but I'm still a chicken.
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#1731325 - 04/09/07 01:50 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Trill]
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Great Job Jeff, so when can we expect the solo cd
That's a valid question, Trill... one to which I don't have an answer yet. There's, heh heh, a process involved. When everything is said and done, it'd be nice to have the record done by the end of 2007.
I would have had the heebie-jeebies also. I contemplate going solo,but I'm still a chicken.
It's hard to face the fear. That's always been my only solution: instead of running away, I turn back around and run at it as hard and fast as I can. The only difficult part of Saturday night was looking at my watch every 30 seconds from 6:30 until 7:00, when I went on. After the first couple of strums, I was in my element.
But man, that build-up period when you're not quite sure if you're going to pass out or puke... getting over that hump is the hard part. I was speaking with renowned bassist Leland Sklar awhile back, and Lee's done thousands... THOUSANDS of sessions for serious artists. And he told me he's scared to death before each one of them. We're not alone.
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#1731379 - 04/09/07 03:01 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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joeyd4329
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I saw a video of John Frusciante screw up doing a cover of I forgot which song, but it made me have even more respect for him to just go for it and who cares if you mess up attitude. I doubt that we would have that attitude, but just something on the side.
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~Joey~
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#1731397 - 04/09/07 03:37 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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RicBassGuy
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Well done, Jeff!
Can you explain how this was different from a coffee house gig for you? Is it just that at the coffee house it's a lot easier to become "sonic wallpaper" because nobody's really paying any attention to you? Or is it a matter of crowd size?
As long as I'm well-rehearsed I usually don't get nervous. Of course it's those times that I seem to make a silly mistake.  A little nerves seems to be good to keep me focused.
...
And yes, it's hard to perform originals that are still in the demo stage. Even the completed ones are hard if you haven't played them for a while.
I went out to see my friend's open mic but didn't intend to play anything since I didn't have anything prepared. (The place had good, cheap burgers and I was hungry! ) Turnout was low and his voice was a no-show, so he begged me to play a couple songs (on his guitar). I stopped in the middle of my own song to remember a verse, then apologized for the interruption and picked up where I left off.  (I think I asked, "See what happens when you don't practice?" and got a few chuckles. ) Still went over better than listening to my friend try to croak out his songs, which is sad because on any other night he can easily sing me under the table.
...
And Jeff, set a deadline on your solo CD. "End of the year" is too vague. Yeah, I know, something always comes up and it's hard to nail down a date, but give yourself a target none the less. Thanksgiving? Christmas? New Years?
The date I set for my solo CD is just around the corner (5/1) and I'm no where near ready. So I'm starting to think EP now. But that's probably for the better in any case. If you keep extending the deadline you'll never get it out the door.
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#1731426 - 04/09/07 04:32 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: RicBassGuy]
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Well done, Jeff!
¡Gracias!
Can you explain how this was different from a coffee house gig for you? Is it just that at the coffee house it's a lot easier to become "sonic wallpaper" because nobody's really paying any attention to you? Or is it a matter of crowd size?
You basically got the idea. the coffeehouse gig has you sitting in a corner somewhere, and people are chatting and reading and ordering their triple no-foam maccalatteccino or whatever. A few people may sit in front of you and listen.
This gig involved being alone on a raised stage, lots of stage lights focused on me, with a number of people who were focused only in my direction. It's a different vibe entirely. I don't mind being the center of attention, and even with my whole band, I'm the "showman" guy who's not afraid to pull out the "look at me!" moves. But there's something about being there all by your lonesome that leaves you pretty naked, metaphorically speaking.
And Jeff, set a deadline on your solo CD. "End of the year" is too vague. Yeah, I know, something always comes up and it's hard to nail down a date, but give yourself a target none the less. Thanksgiving? Christmas? New Years?
I agree with that fully. As I said... there's a process. It's a creative process (finishing songs, writing more, yada yada), and a technical process (the only way I can do this record is here at my house, and I'm updating a lot of gear at the moment for this purpose specifically). My plan is to start doing real tracking in June, track and write all summer, screw around with the mix in the fall. Perhaps New Year's Day 2008 will be good. I'll still be ahead of my self-imposed deadline to have my own record done before my 40th birthday, or die trying.
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#1731681 - 04/10/07 12:05 AM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Jeff Klopmeyer]
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jay da cop
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Good job, Jeff. I am glad to hear the jitters went away quickly. I have purposely stayed OUT of the spotlight (mostly) for the last 10 years or so. I was our lead singer for a while (from the piano), and actually realised it wasn't my favorite place. I have since moved to the back line, with the drummer, and am having a blast. I am not anomymous, but I am not one for the spotlight anymore. I still do solos in church services, and do lead vocals as a backup (you know the types of songs where the vocals run into the chorus or there are 2 parts going), but I like it behind everyone. It's not a security thing so much as I am part of the overall sound of the band. And the lights don't blind me as much back there, adn I can get a feel for the whole band and the crowd. As MD, that can impact what we do next (change the set list, etc).
Thanks for pushing me to put a date on finishing my daughter's CD, everyone. I kept putting it off being "busy" (being out of the country doesn't help right now), but I have decided to take a 3 month leave of absense when I get home to finish it. I will send her the news next. I am sure she will be thrilled. Then, maybe it's my turn for a solo project. We'll see what time I can find.
Cheers all, and thanks for being friends
Jay
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#1732781 - 04/11/07 06:42 PM
Re: So, I'm a little excited/nervous/apprehensive in a good way
[Re: Trill]
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randy clay
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Working solo is tough. I have to do it every so often. Singing all the songs, taking all the solos, all by your lonesome. My solo gigs are 3 or 4 hours.
Now that you got your feet wet, are you going to do more, Jeff?
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