My monthly gig for the old folks. I was worried about the new guitar because of all the feedback problems I've been having in Laguna, so I spent the morning building a soundhole plug, which Taylor says I don't need, but I think maybe I really do and figured better safe than sorry.
But I got there and set up while the old folks were out, and didn't have any trouble with feedback at all. I even took the plug out, and it was still fine. I'm starting to think that the trouble in Laguna is only when I'm on the Fingerhut side, and the amp is pointing directly at the low wall, 8 feet away. Whatever it is, having at least one example of it working really well makes me feel a lot better about the whole New Guitar thing.
Anyway, I played a few songs and then started John Denver's "Country Roads" when a very old guy got up and started chugging across the middle of the room. People do that from time to time at these gigs, and a caretaker always jumps up to intercept them and find out where they're going. One of them ran over to him, and he took her hands and started dancing with her -- which was pretty amazing considering he could hardly walk. In fact, when she started towards him, I thought she was at least going to get his walker and put it in front of him before it was too late and he'd fallen. The power of music, huh?
Later on, I asked if anyone had any requests, maybe from songs that they've heard me play before. Some guy called out "Johnny Cash!", which wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but, hey, I'm all about playing what people want to hear, so I dug up "Folsom Prison Blues" in The Book and had the caretaker ladies boogy-ing in the aisles.
After that one, one of the caretaker ladies called out, "Do some Elvis! It's 'Elvis Week'!" Um, OK. So I did "Can't Help Falling In Love" and most of the room sang along. Then a young caretaker dude called out "Sinatra?" Well, not really, but I do "The Way You Look Tonight", and so did Sinatra, though his version is 60's cool, finger-poppin' jazzy, and mine is based on James Taylor's pretty ballad version. Close enough I guess, and the old ladies loved it.
I also did "Cool Water", which I always do at this gig 'cuz I figure it's the only audience I get that remembers it, and it sounds *so* cool with the harmony box. One of the office ladies came rushing in to hear that one. And I ended with "Bridge Over Troubled Water", 'cuz the acoustics in that place are amazing, and it knocks their socks off.
All in all, a great time.
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