Keith at Irvine Spectrum -- Sun, 17Jul2011

The first time I got booked for a Sunday, the booking lady unexpectedly asked me what time I wanted to play.  I figured that since the usual shift is 6-10, but the stores close at 8 on Sundays, the logical shift would be 4-8.  But after trying it a few times now, it's clear that (A) it's terrible playing at 4, and (B) the actual shop closing time doesn't really have much effect on the strolling people that come to hear me.

It was pretty darn lonely up there, playing to dead silence, from when I started at 4 until about 7.  That's also when the sun had gone down behind the buildings behind me, so it wasn't miserable.  And, once the evening set in, people started hanging out to listen, so it got really fun and I ran way past 8 (until almost 10).  I think I'll admit the obvious and start playing "6-8", which will really be 6-10, just like a regular Friday or Saturday (which actually turn out to be more like 6-12...).

But it did get better later on.  I had some young teen girls who were too shy to ask for any songs, but I asked them if they'd seen "Tangled", and they had (of course), so I did that song for them, then the one from "Aladdin", and then completed the Princess trilogy with the first public outing of "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid".  I've decided/rationalized that it's OK for me to sing it, even though it's clearly written for a girl singer, 'cuz, although I'm not a girl, I'm not a mer-person, either.

Also, since the last Harry Potter movie opened a few days ago, there was a "parked" line for the IMAX showing, right at the side of the plaza, so I had those people as a captive audience for a while.  Didn't get much reaction from them, though.

I made $84 in tips, which ain't bad for a Sunday.  I just think the first few hours, so early in the afternoon, are wasted -- nobody's really there to just "hang" yet.  That's what the evenings are for.