Being watched

[Cygnus64]

Sorry for the latecoming...

I guess my biggest moment of intimidation were when I played with a contemporary music ensemble many years ago. We got to play in front of a few heavyweights of 'serious' (ha ha) music... I mean, play their music in front of them. I remember once at the Conservatory in Firenze (Florence), we played three pieces, and all three composers were in the audience! The atmosphere was *very* concentrated... you could hear people breath. I think that cured me from star fright forever!

 

 

 

I have a similiar story:

 

I was living in TX playing violin in a symphony. My girlfriend at the time was playing violin at a hotel, with a pianist. She was sick one day so I subbed for her. The pianist was ok, not real good. As we are playing for a brunch, they set up a long table right in front of us.

 

In walks the 12 member jury of the Van Cliburn piano Competition, and sits at the table. 12 of the world's greatest pianists sit down right in front of us. I'm not kidding when I say that the pianist turned white as a ghost.

[MikeT156]

I believe I mentioned this on the forum before, but here goes.

 

When I was doing the hotel circuit back in the early eighties, I was playing in the lounge at the Holiday Inn at State College, PA. Arlo Guthrie was doing a concert at Penn State University and he, his wife, and his band apparently were staying at the hotel. I had heard he was doing a concert at the university so I wasnt all that surprised when he and his wife sat at a table on the other side of the bar while I was playing happy hour. I decided to spoof them a little and I announced my next song this way Heres a song by the Rocky Mountain Hypocrite himself, John Denver. Yep, he sings songs of the simple life and flies around in Learjets, he even has his own little airport at his house outside of Aspen, ha

 

As I started the song I looked over at Arlos table and I could see his wife kinda freakin out a little and Arlo with a big smile on his face. I understand that Arlos wife knew Annie Denver, so I had a little fun with them.

 

After his concert was over, Arlo came into the bar and ordered a drink while I was playing one of my evening sets in the lounge. I did get to speak with him for a short time when I was on break and he asked me How do you like your Oberheim?. (I had an OBX on top of my Electric Grand, among other things). I told him I really liked it a lot. Then he told me that they were having problems with their OBX. What kind of problems? He told me that it wouldnt stay in tune, sometimes his KB player would play one note and the next note he would play would be an octave higher than it should have been. I told him that it wasnt a tuning problem, it was a calibration problem. He wanted to know why that happened. It told him that if the KB was being knocked around it could cause calibration and other problems. I told him that I calibrated my OBX, but I only did so occasionally because I was very careful with mine, I offered to take a look at his, but they were leaving the next morning and there would be no way I could do it for him in time for them to leave town. I wasnt the fastest at calibration because I didnt do it all the time. It would have been fun to help him out if the timing was right, to bad. All in all it was great talking shop with Arlo, hes a down to earth kinda guy.

 

 

Mike T.

[Jon May]

Muso(Pron 'muzo') is common in NZ too. Must be us Anti-dipitee-Doodah-Deeans

[Jon May]

I just love this 'moment'

 

[video:youtube]

[ksoper]

I didn't hear the term "muso" until I was out on the road with Nashville acts, but it's in common usage around here.

[MikeT156]

Hey Jon May:

 

WOW, what a great thrill that must have been! Totally freaked! That kid can sing too.

 

Thanks for posting this for all to enjoy.

 

 

Mike T.

[JohnH]

Ok I've been watched before...not for awhile, but it just happened again Sunday yesterday. I've had a Chad Smith week. Started out Monday by working out to a bunch of his Glenn Hughes tracks- which I just totally get off on in the gym. Then Friday me and a musician friend went to City Walk to see him do his funk fusion band with keyboardist Ed Roth. So then I'm at my Doors gig in Venice yesterday, and who comes walking out of the bathroom (which I can see behind the stage) but Mr. Smith himself! Oh shoot!!! And we are just about to start Love Street, the song that I've been most nervous about screwing up lately, especially in the Gibson Organ/88 key controller on top configuration I've brought to the gig yesterday. But I've been working through my issues and practicing and I think I'm fine now. But damn, I'm now freaking...this guy is among my favorite musicians! So we end the song and I tell the singer Chad Smith is here...He loves the Chilis and announces that Chad is in the house and to come up and jam. Chad was already at the back of the stage- from the front of the bar he'd made a beeline to the drumkit so fast I couldn't believe it. Now he's just a few feet from me and I get to play key bass with him and keys. He played RoadHouse and Back Door Man with us...It was just so cool...and he is a class act. I've seen him play with Glenn many times and met him before so it was great to play with him. Way easier than the being watched part. He remembered me from Friday, when I shouted out "Tommy Bolin" as he was about to do Stratus from Cobham's Spectrum. It's a small world, man.

[Joe Muscara]

Cool! Just make sure it's not Will Ferrill.

[stepay]

So, we're playing our first set at this club on the pier in Redondo Beach that we play once a month, and I see this lanky old guy with long white hair and beard watching us - mostly me - who looks a lot like Leon Russell, but without the hat and shades. He stayed for most of the hour and fifteen minute set...don't know when he left...

 

Anyway, someone comes up to me after the set and tells me that it was Leon. He, too, was playing a club on the Redondo Beach pier last night and came by to check us out.

 

I'm glad I didn't know it was him for sure at the time. Might have made me a bit self conscious...

 

dB

 

You could do what I do...just not be good enough that he'd want to watch.

[KenElevenShadows]

The first time I played guitar with Nels Cline in the audience, I was rather nervous. Turns out he is just totally cool, and came up after the performance and said that he liked my guitar playing (!!!!).

[Jon May]

Mike - yep, and how would it be to have Oprah's "pull" to put that stunt together!

[AUSSIEKEYS]

jon may

 

thank you for putting that up...it was very nice to see...

gives you a buzz.

 

cheers

[Jon May]

Aussie - I'm glad to hear that others got a warm fuzzy watching that. I thought it might just be me.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

nah

 

definately nice to see...and the man himself, you could tell the warmth he had to the young guy just in the last duo vocal..

[JohnH]

Here's some video of me and my band with Chad Smith, mentioned in this thread. I'm trying to get a picture, so that's why it looks like I'm texting in the video (my phone is always off while onstage) . The pic I took is the only one I have too.

 

Ignore the dude at the beginning and skip to the 27 second mark.

 

[video:youtube]

[The Real MC]

I truly believe that real musicians have a sixth sense that detects the presence of a discriminating musician in the room watching you perform. I've had that feeling come true way too many times. I can handle recording artists watching me but the presence of Dave Bryce just makes me fall to pieces.