It was threatening to rain, but it just sprinkled a bit in the afternoon, so I decided to go for it anyway, despite the risk and my lingering cruddy throat.
When I got there, surprise!, the stage was gone! I looked around a while, befuddled, and found it, all the way across the plaza, on the other side of the fountain and turtles, out in the middle of the traffic lane toward the theaters. This puts the fountain between me and the potential audience eating at the tables, gets me closer to the way-distracting "house music" speakers and the fountain noise (and nearly within splashing range right behind the turtles), but puts me out in lots of foot traffic -- except it's behind me. It's pretty true that nobody's eating outside in the cold, so moving away from the tables isn't exactly a bad thing, and I guess I could treat it like the other stage -- turn around and use the fountain as a backdrop, but the little audience I did get was sitting around the benches that surround the planter boxes on either side of the fountain, which was actually kind of nice. If I play the other way, I'll be expecting the entire audience to stand...
It was pretty dead, despite the presumed holiday sale rush, but I had at least a few people tuned in most of the night, and sometimes a pretty nice crowd. There was a heater set up, but it ran out of gas pretty early on. I called the guys out and they eventually brought a new can, but that took a while. Fortunately, I'd brought my overcoat and new top hat (and cleverly had on my long johns). I was cold, but not too bad. I wore the hat when I'd switch to Christmas tunes, and people seemed to get it that it was The Christmas Hat.
Arielle, one of our Princess friends, came by with a group of her high-school buddies, and she shouted "Hi, Keith!" on their way past into the food court. Later, as they all came out again, I was in the middle of singing "Santa Claus is Coming To Town", so I improvised, "He knows if Arielle's been good, so be good for goodness' sake", to her embarrassment and the delight of her friends.
I got a lot of families and clumps of kids, which is great, 'cuz I can do "Rudolph" and "Frosty", etc. "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" sounds great with the harmony box, as does "Blue Christmas". But, for some reason, that end of the mall is Persian Hangout-ville. They're all very nice people, but we don't match up, musically, much. Especially in, ahem, Holiday Music.
Towards the end, a whole group of well-to-do Persian ladies with some kids came by and tried to listen in. One of them asked me if I knew any French songs. All I had to offer was the Beatles' "Michelle" with Paul's school-boy French lines in it, which they graciously took as Good Enough. Then the younger ladies found some songs they knew on the list, so I did those, but there was a toddler boy who they wanted to get to dancing, so I did some "rock" for him, while all the grammas took pictures. I'm sure that between them all, they accounted for a big piece of the $50 I took in.
And in the last 20 minutes or so, a middle-aged couple came and sat listening for a while. Eventually the wife came over to talk to me -- I assumed she was going to make a request. She did: "Can I sing a duet with you?" Um, sure! I was just noticing that afternoon as I was putting the Xmas tunes into the Big Book, that I have two songs that I can't sing: "Santa Baby", and "Baby It's Cold Outside". They're apparently there for just such an occasion -- so I asked if she knew "Cold Outside", a classic and perfect duet, but nope. "Santa Baby"? Also nope. Shucks. (In her defense, she was clearly a WWII Japanese war bride.)
But she knew "White Christmas", and turned out to have a huge near-operatic voice, way too loud for my poor microphone, but it was OK. She wanted to do another one, so we did "The Christmas Song" (Chestnuts roasting...). It was a bit of a challenge on both of them to follow her near-random timing ideas, but kinda fun. She was done, but wanted to know how often I was there, and how to contact me. I showed her the website address on the songsheet, but I'm not entirely sure I'm hiring right at the present...
Anyway, fun, crazy, different kinda night. I'm definitely glad I took the chance and went -- it only rained a few drops just while I was packing up, just in time.
8 comments:
I shop a the Spectrum....a lot! I rarely have time to sit down and enjoy the people singing but I would like for you and your fellow entertainers toknow just how much we all appreciate hearing you even if we are just passing through. Thank You
This is such a great little story, Keith... felt like I was right there with you.
I'd suggest working up a version of "Alouette"... if it weren't about torturing small birds. Try "La Vie en Rose" instead. I'm sure it'll get you some BIG tips... from the ladies.
I dunno -- you'd think after almost 8 years playing that I'd'a heard every kinda request by now, but that was yet another first; they just keep surprising me. But since it'll probably be another 8 years before someone else asks for a French song, I think I'll wait.
I wish I was there with you.
Is this bizarre stage location just a one-off anomaly, or the official new location thereof?
It appears to be pretty permanent. The old stage location has been "walled off" by a dozen pretty heavy-looking planterbox hedges, creating a semi-separate "room". I have no idea why -- it looked like it could be meant to be a bookable Private Party space, but that'd be ridiculous.
It's a wonder they didn't scuttle it altogether.
Especially since I'm apparently the only guy playing at the Food Court at all anymore.
I imagine that they think they've improved my situation, though. Looking at it on a overhead map, I'm in more traffic (similar to Myrtle Court), closer to the movie crowds, and near the patio seating of the Champs restaurant and bar.
It's only when you're there in person that you notice the fountain noise and the high volume of the piped-in music. And, just like everywhere else we've ever played, the people who manage these things *never* deign to *attend* them.
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