I got down to Laguna at 4:00 but although there were no Tommies in sight, there was a girl playing classical violin songs on The Corner. I set up on the Fingerhut side, hoping that she'd been there a while and would be done soon.
No such luck. Not only did she stay until 8:30, she kept coming over to ask me to turn down. I politely complied the first time, but that made my output so quiet that I couldn't hear it myself, which really puts a damper on my ability to perform well. When she came over the second time, I told her that I was already too quiet, and that she couldn't really expect concert hall silence out here on the street corner. I've certainly had my share of someone else playing too loudly nearby, and I'm sure I wasn't half as loud as what I've had to endure.
She even convinced the junior cop that was monitoring the crosswalk to come over and make a speech about some vague "chain of command" that wanted me to turn down. And that I "wasn't really supposed to have an amp, but if it was quiet enough it would be OK". That, we know now, it just a lie, since I really *am* allowed to have an amp, but I didn't bother to correct him. I just pretended to turn it down, and he disappeared soon after anyway.
I did have a few moments with nice families that were waiting for a table at the pizza place. And a local guy who I remembered from the Fete came by and was apparently impressed. He bought a Kids' CD, and said that he's been doing puppet shows around town, and was going to see if any of my songs would work, and maybe we'll do some gigs together. Sounds fun! I told him to listen to "Waltzing With Bears" especially -- it made a good cartoon, so it would probably make a good puppet show.
But finally Fiddle Girl left so we quickly moved over and had a great gig from then on. There was this sudden surge of people in the right age-range, and we had a pretty big crowd going. It helped that the weather was so nice that the ice cream store stayed open really late.
A guy asked me if I knew any James Taylor, which, of course, is my specialty. So first he asked for "Shower the People", which is on the list, and then for "Copperline", which isn't. But it's in the book, and I can play it, but not too well if I haven't in a while. After about a third of it, I got the hang of it again and did OK. He was impressed, anyway.
Bottom line: It was terrible on the Fingerhut side, and terrific once we moved to the ice cream side. I don't think I'll bother with the Fingerhut side anymore -- it's not that there's no tips over there (though there isn't), there's just no fun.
I went down at 5:00, but despite the three-hour limit supposedly going off at 5, the meter still wouldn't let me pay for more than three. The random meter rules are really getting frustrating...
Anyway, there was a new guy sitting on the bench with a 12-string, playing the chords to songs. Not singing though, so it was impossible to tell what songs they might be. I suppose they sounded good in his head...
Not that anybody could hear him anyway. I just sat on the side bench and waited. After a while he broke a string and came over to ask me if I had a spare, which I didn't. I took the opportunity to ask him how long he'd be playing, and he thought maybe another hour. But then he said that he was going to take a smoke break so I could set up 'cuz he'd like to hear some of my songs, and maybe jam a little. I told him that I don't really know how to jam -- I just play the songs as they are.
So I set my stuff up, and of course, with my amp, people could actually hear my songs, and were stopping to listen. When he seemed ready to play again, I felt like I had to let him, since it was still "his" corner. So we kind of traded off, with people looking at me like "What's going on?"
I hadn't brought out any of my "marketing" stuff: the song lists, CDs, and my tip jar, but when people would stop to listen, I pulled out a list and handed it to them, and they'd pick a song, and I'd have to wait for the other guy to finish one of his before being able to fulfill the request. It was really awkward, but he seemed oblivious -- and he did have "first dibs".
And then people started coming up to hand me money, which got even more awkward, 'cuz I had to get my tip jar out, and no one ever put any money in his guitar case, just my jar. Finally around 7:00, he caught on that people wanted to hear me play actual songs instead of his random stumming, and he wandered across the street to listen to the Tommies.
So I really only had an hour left on my parking meter to play without the confusion. A girl and her boyfriend came up and stood right next to me and right in the middle of the song she asked me "Were you born in 1951?" That was an unexpected question, not to mention the awkward timing, but I managed to spit out "four" in a break in the song. By way of explanation, apparently, she said that I play all the same songs her dad likes. OK, good to know.
Anyway, it was mostly a blowout because of the Corner ownership confusion, but the good news was that the rain from the night before had soaked the "merchandise table" trashcan lid so I was able to clean it up pretty well -- you can imagine what the trashcan in front of an ice cream store gets to be like -- and wipe down my song lists to get some of the sticky handprints off of them, too.
I got down to Laguna at 4:00, but Tom is clearly on to us, and was already on the ice cream side. I'd played the Fingerhut side a few days earlier and found it pretty awful, but thought I'd give Saturday a try anyway. And it was a little better -- more traffic, and less "local color". But still not a lot of people stopping since there's no ice cream, and no bench.
But we had a few nice moments, usually when a parent would stop with a little child. One little girl in pink just danced and danced, to the delight of many other passersby. The family was there for maybe a dozen songs. After a while, the little girl came over and just stood up against my leg. Hiding? Resting? Hard to tell...
Discovered something I hadn't thought of. I made some "Kids' Music" lists with pictures of the associated characters next to the song titles. This lets even the kids that can't read yet find the song they want. But I had a family from Spain come by, and the kids were able to choose the song from Tangled, even though they didn't speak any English. I didn't realize that my lists were "multilingual" by being "nonlingual".
A guy came by with his family that I see all the time at Spectrum. He asked me when I'd be at Spectrum next, and I said, "Never. They changed the way they book it." He sighed heavily and said, "Oh, they have terrible management. I know some people. I'll talk to them." I hope he can get me back in there, but I won't hold my breath.
Around 9:00 the "possible thundershowers" that we'd all discounted actually arrived. We got some sprinkles, then some more, so I laid my plastic-protected song lists over the top of the electronics. But it finally got wet enough that we had to pack up for fear of the guitars and getting electrocuted.
By the time we were completely packed up, though, it had stopped. The Tommies had cleared out too, so I figured, what the heck, and rolled over there to play some more. But I only managed to play two more songs when the battery quit. Oh well.
Got to The Corner ahead of the Tommies at 4:30. Fridays have been unusable lately because of Sanchez, but since he got busted for "unreasonably loud", he hasn't been a problem.
Of course, everybody else has to work on Fridays, so it's pretty dead at 4:30, but by 6:00 or 6:30 it livens up. I had a lot of friendly people and a huge Disney song party happened around 9:00. I had a nice and not-in-a-hurry local couple volunteer to watch my stuff just at 7:15 when I needed to go put some more money in the parking meter. The city recently reprogrammed the meters, and the rules are implemented somewhat randomly these days.
I was hoping to get myself to quit somewhat early to save some finger stamina for Saturday night, but that never works. Fortunately (?) around 10:30 some surly homeless guys came and started demanding songs, so I decided it was time to go home. Overall, it was a pretty good night; lots of friendly faces to play for, good tips, and seven CDs sold. Fridays are worth doing, but only on the ice cream corner.
I didn't have anything else to do so I thought I'd see what it was like in Laguna on a summer Tuesday night. Turns out, pretty poor.
Or at least, pretty poor on the Fingerhut Gallery side. The Tommies already had the ice cream corner staked out. There are some benches on the Fingerhut side, but to play towards them, you'd have to play directly towards the Tommies too, and that would be really rude. So it's impossible to build up much of an audience other than my own reflection and people who are willing to sit on the gallery's windowsill.
But the Fingerhut side has other disadvantages. It's mostly where the local homeless guys hang out. There's Disabled Veteran Guy, who's really nice and not scary, but still sitting there with a cardboard sign, which puts people off.
Also big-bearded Gordon, who's OK sometimes, but not when he's drunk. Which he was. He tends to babble stuff at me that I can't decipher, except the part where he hates James Taylor for some unclear personal reason.
And young Crazy Dancer Guy who stops at random spots in the sidewalk, throws his hat on the ground, and dances weirdly to the music that only he can hear through his headphones. Unfortunately, people encourage him by giving him money, though it's mostly on account of his ridiculousness, not his dancing.
And Hawaiian Buddha Guy (aka, Mark) in his weight-lifter leotard, whose Crazy Street Artist routine is, I think, entirely an act. I guess he's decided that paint dribbled onto a sheet of paper sells to tourists better as "art" if they go home with a "wild man" story to go with it.
None of these guys are actually dangerous, probably, but tourists from Poland or Argentina or wherever don't know that, and tend to just hustle by, just in case.
I did have one brave Norwegian lady stop and listen for a while, and then come up to tell me in her outrageous accent that she loved my voice, because "it's like... everything I like!" She wanted to know if I would be there tomorrow, because she wanted to buy a CD, but didn't have any cash with her. But after that compliment, I insisted that she just take one on the house.
Later on a guy came by who was very complimentary about my playing and my singing style, and asked me if I'd ever played on a cruise ship. I told him that I'd thought about it, after seeing a guy on our first cruise who, objectively, wasn't as good as me, but then I'd talked to another guy who told me that it's a terrible gig. This guy said that he'd done it and liked it, saw all these European countries, and since your room and board is covered, the money is mostly free and clear. He said I should re-think it. And, since I don't have a Real Job anymore, I think I will.
Around 9:00 the Tommies packed up, so I moved over to the ice cream corner and did way, way better until it went dead at 10:00, and more-than-tipsy Wendy showed up and stood way-too-close and demanded song after song. Sorry Wendy -- let's just say you're not my Target Audience...
We went down at 4:00 to get the ice cream corner, which worked. There was a slow section around dinnertime, but it was a pretty great night, overall -- lots of friendly tourists.
And not-so-friendly. A family came and sat on the bench to eat their ice cream, so I brought a list over to them. The mom curtly said, "No, thank you." Ouch, but OK. I put it back, and played a few songs anyway, as I do. After a while, they apparently noticed that I was really playing decent music, and not some kind of panhandler. The teenaged girl came shyly over and looked at the list, and picked "Time After Time", and put a dollar in the jar. By this time, I could tell they were Not From Around Here, and asked. Apparently, in Austria, us street musicians have a reputation of being shifty. Or something. But it was gratifying to earn their trust after such an awkward introduction...
The Tommies were playing on the opposite corner, and we had a short visit from little Tomi herself in her jaunty hat during their break.
Around 9:30, there was a vacationing family from Arizona on the bench, and a group of dressed-up young ladies appeared. They both were big Disney song fans, so I played "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid", and we had a huge sing-along. So I invited them to come up for the next one, and ended up with a "battle of the bands", with two girls from each group singing away on "Let It Go".
The Dress-up girls had somewhere to be, though. After they left, the Vacation cousins wanted to sing "I See the Light" from "Tangled". I had them stand in front of me, moved the music stand so they could follow the words, and let them hold my mic between them so they could be heard. I almost never let someone else sing on the mic, but they had proven themselves with the previous song, and it was great -- and probably a pretty good vacation memory for them.
It went dead at 10:00, so we packed up. The owner of the ice cream shop is always inviting us to have some free ice cream, but I can't eat it while I'm singing, so it never happens. But this time, we were done, and the shop was still open, and he was still there, so I finally had a scoop. Pretty good, too.
It's a long ugly story, but since Spectrum changed the way they book the gigs, this was very likely my last time ever. It started out pretty hot, but there were lots of people out. Not a very responsive crowd, but quietly appreciative, I think.
A lot of my family turned out for the occasion, my brother and his wife, and my wife and kids with the dogs. And my wife's best friend (with dog) who's been promising to come out for a while but could never seem to make it...
Lots of little kids in the beginning, and a girl (now young lady) that I know from the Trailmates program came by on a scavenger hunt. Her team needed to record a 90's love song, so I did "Whole New World" from Aladdin (1992) for them.
Anyway, I'm glad that it was a really good night for my last time. The sound was good, I always had people listening, and my voice was in fine form. I had lots of fun from 11 to midnight singing my best stuff (and the high stuff) for my older daughter, who stayed quite late with me, which was sweet of her.
This gig is kind of a pain, and they treat the musicians poorly, not to mention the $50 charge for the privilege of playing there, but I'm sure I'll miss it.
I didn't really intend to go down, but I wasn't doing anything else, and a girl who had bought a CD the night before but had mistakenly taken the Kids' one was wondering (by email) if she could trade it in, and I felt bad about that, so I told her I'd be there. I didn't really have a full charge in the batteries, so I didn't know how long I'd get to play. Turned out: four hours -- I played from 3:30 until everything just slammed off at 7:30, right in the middle of "Let It Go".
It was a pretty slow day, though. I should probably quit thinking that Sunday afternoons are a good time to go down. Of course, come wintertime, I'll be wishing it was as "bad" as a summer Sunday...
I did have some cute kids and a sweet couple on their first date (to the beach?!?). The girl was a big Disney song fan, so the guy wanted me to keep playing for her, 'cuz it was really making the date special.
I kinda turned into a circus, though. I was on the ice cream corner, and the Tommies came and set up on the Fingerhut side. Then, to our horror, Sanchez showed up and since the corners were taken, he set up in the alcove of the art school museum, just a few shops down the street. And of course, although he could have set up in the alcove corner facing *up* the street, he deliberately set up so he was aimed diagonally across the street straight toward the Tommies. What a jerk -- but at least the Tommies had prevented him from setting up across from me.
And then, when my amp shut down at 7:30, since my car was close and I still had lots of time in the meter, I put my stuff away and came back to listen to the Tommies, and chat with the big sister and little brother. Apparently there's been some drama between Sanchez and the homeless people (who hate him) and some other musicians (ditto). The guy does show some impressive determination, coming back again and again in the face of such animosity...
Anyway, right after I abandoned the ice cream corner, a guy came with his electric guitar and mic, and stood up on the side bench like it was a stage and started his screech-singing songs. He was way too loud (surprise!) and his amp was pointed straight at the Tommies, too. Fortunately, he just played 4 or 5 songs and left.
But about that time some teenage girls were hanging out on the Fingerhut corner, waiting for a table at the pizza place, and decided to do an impromptu "talk show", telling "jokes" to passersby, asking them when their birthdays are and then singing to them, regarless, and generally being obnoxious. The Tommies couldn't take it, so they packed up and moved over to the ice cream corner. The danger was that Sanchez would notice the Fingerhut corner being empty and move over, but I'd had enough craziness for one night, and went home.
They apparently love me at the Artisan's Faire, 'cuz I'm kind of the default band. I only didn't do last month because it was the same day as the Fete de la Musique in Laguna.
I asked for, and got placed closer to the other booths, 'cuz last time it was pretty lonely way out on the edge. Being closer also made it a little easier for people to come up and look through the list and/or buy a CD.
One lady came up and said that she'd seen me a few weeks earlier in Laguna. She had taken a card because she works for Ayres Hotels, and wants to call me the next time she's planning a party 'cuz, "You're great!" Sounds good to me.
But there were hardly any people there, again, although that makes it nice and quiet. Which makes it easy to hear what I'm doing, but puts a level of pressure on me that I'm not used to 'cuz it means I can't screw up...
So since I was done at the Sawdust Festival at 3:30, I packed up and drove down to see if The Corner was empty, and it miraculously was. *And* I found a parking space. Of course, having played for five hours the night before at Spectrum, and 5 half-hours at Sawdust, my fingers were already pretty sore, but I couldn't resist.
It was pretty hot, even still at 4:30, but there were lots of nice people out, and the ice cream shop was doing good business, and so, so was I. at least two groups of people who had seen me at the Sawdust Festival came by and said, "Hey, didn't we just see you..?"
The CD buying spree continues. I brought ten of each, and sold out of the grownups' CD, and seven of the kids'. I just don't have room in my bag to bring any more inventory than that -- I'll have to think of something.
Warren showed up awhile after I started, but he left at 6:00 or so to get down to the Full Moon Drum Circle. I carried on solo until my fingers couldn't take any more at 10:45.
I did take two breaks, which I never do. The first one was to eat half a gyro for dinner. And then I had two of the local beach bums show up and monopolize the bench along with an elderly guy who comes by once in a while to tell me that he used to be a folk singer. I needed a break anyway, because every time I played a barre chord, my index finger was seizing up and wouldn't bend anymore, so I sat down and talked with the folk guy until the beach bums got bored and wandered off.
He's 73, and has lost most of his short-term memory. He asks me the same questions, over and over: Where you from, originally? What's your name? Where do you live? He must have asked me if I know the old Harry Belafonte hit "Down the Way" (actually called "Jamaica Farewell") 10 times. I suppose I ought to learn it, just to have a different answer next time he comes by. Frankly, I don't know how he finds his way home.
I was kind of hoping to be able to stop earlier than usual, just to give my hand and fingers a break, but of course, as it gets later, the car traffic, Harleys, and sirens lessen, and my quiet stuff starts to really work. I don't get many "golden hours" like that (and the way my hand is getting, I may not get many more), so I gotta capitalize on them when I can.
The tip jar was a new record, and I know I'll be suffering all day tomorrow with my back, knees, feet, and fingers, but for now, it was totally worth it.
This year I only got two gigs at the Sawdust Festival (last year I got three), but one of them was a Saturday, which is pretty cool. It was at the Greek restaurant on the south corner, but the restaurant was closed due to "equipment failure" for most of the day. Which was OK -- it just made the seating area into a nice place for people to stop and rest, and listen to me.
I played from 11:00 until 3:30, but in their enforced half-hour-on, half-hour-off schedule. This is meant to prevent people from staying and listening to a band instead of looking at, and buying, art. And it works. And it's a bummer to get an audience established and then have to shut down so soon. Though it is flattering when everyone gets so loudly disappointed.
My brother, his wife, and their grandson came by for the last set. It clearly blew his little mind to see his (great?) uncle up on a stage playing music instead of at, say, a Christmas party.
There was a big "trumpet playin' band" up on the main stage. They were supposed to play the half hours that I wasn't, but they always cheated over their stopping point, and they were *really* loud. Much louder than I would have thought was allowed, since the contract you have to sign is 90% about not being loud. And if you are, they'll ask you to turn down. And if they have to ask twice you'll be sent home and not invited back. But I could hear these guys from out in the street in front of the Festival grounds when I'd go out to the van. But when my slot came around, I'd just start anyway -- I'm pretty used to playing over the top of a nearby rude band...
Other than that, it's a perfect little gig for me, perfect for the style of music I play, and for the kinds/ages of people that are there. And the sound was really good -- I guess I'm not used to not having either automobile or mall shopper traffic noise while I'm playing...
The cool part was, it seemed like almost every group that stopped to listen bought a CD. I had to go out to the van during my breaks, twice, to fetch more of them. I ended up selling 17 CDs. I think that, now that the $5 price is more obvious, people are buying a CD instead of just tipping -- if they were going to throw a couple of bucks in anyway, why not just up it to five and take a CD home?
So, I had a *terrific* time, and got paid, and more than doubled that with the tips and CD money. Sure wish I could do more of these!
Really nice weather, but not many people out, since it was a Friday. The people that were there seemed to be on their way to something, not just strolling, so most of them couldn't/didn't stop. I did have some young families, so of course, a lot of "Let It Go", including one on-stage sing-along.
But sometimes when there's only a few people, they get embarrassed to be clapping into the silence, so they don't, making the silence even worse. Then other people come up, and when the next song is over and nobody else claps, they don't either, and the cycle perpetuates. I hate to be an applause whore, but if I want to play to awkward silence, I can play at home for my cat.
So I did the unthinkable: I took a break. My wife was there with the dogs, so I just sat down and waited 15 minutes or so. And it worked -- by the time I started up again, the non-clapping people had wandered off, and the new crowd wasn't in that mode. It doesn't happen very often, but I'll have to remember this "fix".
I knew I had to play at the Sawdust Festival (for money!) the next day, so I tried to quit earlier than I usually do, but around ten o'clock, people started hanging out, asking for songs, and dancing (!), so I ended up playing until 11:30.
A few days earlier, I got an email that they're going to start using an agency to book the music, starting in August. That probably means the same agency that books the other Irvine Company mall, Fashion Island, and since I made that guy mad (for having the gall to expect him to return emails) a year ago when trying to get in there, I'm pretty sure I won't be playing at Spectrum any more, after one more later this month.
This is the only booked and scheduled gig I have, so I consider it my "best gig", but it is pretty awful, really. The $50 fee, the obnoxious house music that won't turn off and the fountain noise... I have a feeling that I'm the last band that puts up with it, so they had to find a new method. Of course, they'll have to radically improve the conditions to get any "real bands" to play. And pay them, instead of charging them. Doesn't seem fair that after 6 years and more than 150 performances there, I'm gonna be shut out.
The summer is really here -- the Sawdust Festival is open, and they've changed the rates and rules on the parking meters downtown. A few months ago it went from a dollar an hour to a dollar twenty-five; not so bad. But now it's jumped to two dollars. But what's worse is that you have to pay up until 9pm now, instead of 7pm. Cost of Doing Business, I suppose...
We thought (incorrectly, it turns out) that there was still a three hour maximum, so I arrived at 6:15, so my three hours would span the 9:00 end time. But since that was when all the Sawdust and Pageant of the Masters people were arriving, finding a spot was impossible. I circled, hoping to catch someone leaving, for 45 minutes. The upside was that when I finally found a spot, I only had to pay for two hours...
With so many people, locals and tourists, out, we were amazed to find The Corner open. But right off the bat I had an equipment failure -- my Old Faithful thumbpick cracked at the tight bend. I've been using that one for years, and frustratingly didn't have a spare. (There are some in the guitar case, but I leave it in the van). I had to bind it to my thumb with a rubber band, which worked quite well, except it precluded me from taking it off to play those few songs that I play without a pick.
We had lots of people there listening all day, and some familiar faces. The super-friendly HR lady from Linksys happened by, and my doctor with her husband. She asked for several songs, and then "Your Song" by Elton John, which she said that her husband had sung to her at their wedding. They slow danced to it, and when she turned around, she was crying.
Also our cute little Vietnamese super-fan came by. I'd been holding copies of the CDs that I don't normally bring, just for her. Now she has a complete set of four.
The good part about starting so late is that it's possible to play later. And there were people to play for until midnight, when it finally got slow enough that I could try some new songs out. But then a guy came by and wanted to "buy some songs" with a ten-dollar-bill. So I played a few for him, and then the bar traffic suddenly started up. So I tried to be a party band, playing upbeat songs for the party kids, until finally at 1:00 am, by battery just quit, forcing me to try to finish "Sweet Caroline" acoustically (which was a *big* fail).
So, big night, big fun, big tips, and I sold eight CDs. I need summer Saturdays to last all year long!
When I got to The Corner, there were four young girls, singing a cappella songs. I figured they would give up soon enough, so I just sat on the side bench and tried to figure out what they were singing, since they were both inaudible and unintelligible. After a while they "took a break" and then decided to try a different location across the street, so I took over.
Unfortunately, they chose to stand directly across the crosswalk from me, with the brick wall to their backs, which, with all four of them singing, was pretty intrusive on my "sonic space", but they were just having fun, so I didn't mind much. It was a pretty slow day anyway, being a Sunday.
They toughed it out for a surprisingly long time, and after a while, one of them went home and got her guitar. It was ludicrous but cute that they were singing current hits, be they hip-hop, electronica, or dance music, nearly a cappella but for the few chords she knew. But of course, cute draws in the tips, so they thought they were doing great.
Blain, who appears to be independently wealthy and spends his days down on the beach spinning a Frisbee "for peace", came by. He loves my stuff, and sometimes gets ideas about what song I ought to learn. Lately he's been hounding me to learn "I Write the Book" by Elvis Costello. I checked into it, and it's not for me, but the Costello song I dearly love is "Watching the Detectives", so I worked that one up instead. I feel awfully white and geeky playing Reggae, but it occurred to me that I can't be much whiter or geekier than Costello himself...
About 8:30 it was pretty dead, but I guess dinner hour was over because we started getting lots of people, and forming pretty big crowds. One little girl came up and asked for a song I'd never heard of, so I asked her to choose a song from the Kids' List. She took it back to the bench and her mom, so I followed them over there (the benefits of being wireless). Of course, I knew what song she'd undoubtedly pick, so I started looping the intro, and when she finally pointed to "Let It Go", I just started singing it, much to their surprise.
Nice weather, good turnout. Lots of young families, but most of the kids were too young to be brave enough to come up and sing, so I only got one big "Let It Go" singalong going. "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" is also a big hit, and a surprise for the kids since it's not on the list yet. I can also play "For the First Time in Forever", but it's more obscure, so I can only bring it out if the kids are hard core "Frozen" fans.
I was playing "Kiss the Girl" on spec, hoping to drag in some kids or teen passersby, and a little girl came running up out of the crowd, wearing an Ariel costume (I think it was actually jammies). She was pretty thrilled.
And later on I was playing "Let It Go" for some teenagers, when a little girl appeared, carrying her Frozen doll. It's actually both sisters -- you can flip it upside down and invert the long skirt, covering one sister and revealing the other, to change between the two. It was in Elsa mode when she came up -- correctly, since "Let It Go" is Elsa's big number. Naturally, I did "Snowman" next, and the little girl knew that she needed to flip the doll over, since that's an Anna song. Really cute, and a treat for them to be able to participate.
After a couple more songs, her dad gave her a tenner, and told her to put it in the jar and take a CD. She didn't know which one to take, so I showed her which one had "Let It Go" on it. She looked confused and said, "But, I already *have* 'Let It Go'..." I had to explain that, yes, but on this CD, it's *me* singing it.
So the Fête ran from 1:30 to 4:30, so I just rolled on down to The Corner afterwards and set up to play some more. I bought a yummy Greek chicken wrap thing from the shop next to the ice cream store, had some dinner, and was playing again around 5:00. And we had lots of nice people all night long so I couldn't seem to cut if off until 10. Longest I've ever played in one day -- eight hours is toooo long. Especially since I'd been recording a new Kids' CD the whole week before, so my fingers and voice were already partially worn out.
And indeed, it was literally too long for my iPad songbook. When its battery went out at 9:30, I had to play only songs that I've got memorized, which is a pretty short list 'cuz I'm used to the safety net of the words and chords sitting there, even if I only need a glace or two. But actually, having been forced to try, I was surprised to be able to do at least nine songs: Hotel California, The Boxer, Blackbird, Over the Rainbow, You Got a Friend, Homeward Bound, Let It Be, Sounds of Silence, and Leaving On a Jet Plane.
Warren's friend, fiddler Doug Miller, came past on his way from the Fête, and joined in on 4 or 5 songs. He's very good, but he thinks so too, and plays too loud, and quite distractingly. It's somewhat amazing that he can play louder than my amplified guitar and voice with just his fiddle. It was pretty cool, but I wasn't disappointed when he had to leave...
So, we had a great time overall, made pretty good tips, and I sold another 10 CDs, which is flattering. But, ouch, my fingers...
This was the 7th annual "celebration of music to start the summer" Fete, and my third. This year they expanded the time from two hours to three, which is no problem for me, of course. I was assigned my usual spot in front of Johnny Rockets restaurant, at the corner of Ocean and PCH.
It's a pretty good spot -- I'm under a canopy out of the sun, and a lot of people pass by walking along PCH. Unfortunately, it's not a very wide spot in the sidewalk, so people feel uncomfortable standing there for very long, so nobody stays for more than a song or two, and I can only collect a crowd of 5 or so.
Still, people were friendly. Most of them had no idea why there were so many bands all over town. But lots of people took advantage of my request list, and I sold 11 CDs, which may be a new record.
They always have a party for the performers the night before in a zillion dollar mansion overlooking the ocean. I've never made it before, but this year, I made myself go, even though I knew I wouldn't know anybody. Except the organizer guy, who almost didn't recognize me without my hat, and who immediately clamped onto me and made me get up and perform -- mostly, I think, just to dislodge the people who had monopolized the "stage".
I had brought my guitar just in case, but had thought it would be, like, a living room kind of thing. But it was a loud party, and the only way to be loud enough was to hook into the *terrible* amps they'd borrowed. So I played two songs, sitting down ('cuz I'd forgotten my strap), with a mic on a stand (instead of my usual head-mic), and barely being able to tell what I was doing with the weird sound. It felt weird, and it sounded weird (though a whole bunch of people improbably came up to me afterwards to tell me how great I sounded). More "dues" I guess.
Terrific weather, lots of people out, and we did really great. Played from 5:00 until 11:00, the whole time with people listening and requesting songs and having fun -- even dancing. It seems like every time I have a terrible night, the next one is that much better to restore my faith in this job.
Lots of families with kids out, so we played "Let It Go" a lot, frequently followed by "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?", and this time I played "For the First Time in Forever" a lot better. Unfortunately, it's not a song that people remember well from the movie, so I'll have to hold it back for the really dedicated Frozen fans.
At one point three little kids were on the bench with their grandma, eating their ice cream and ignoring me. I started up "Let It Go", and the look on those three little faces as they recognized the song was heart melting. Worth all the trouble, right there.
A crazy blonde lady came by, very enthusiastic, dancing, interacting with the other people. She had some kind of outrageous accent, so I asked her where she was from. She came up and whispered in my ear, "Poland". I'm not sure why, and from whom, that's a secret...
My sweet little superfan lady (she calls me "Mr. Comer") and her husband came by again. She already has the main "Favorites" CD, but asked me if I had any others. I told her about the other two, but that I didn't have any with me. I've put some in the bag for the next time she comes.
I've updated the request list, removing some songs that never get requested, and adding some newer ones or songs that I think are getting strong enough to deserve a spot in the top 100. It only took two or three songs before someone noticed the addition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water", which I've known for a long time, but couldn't risk putting on the list 'cuz it's really high and I couldn't sing it if someone asked for it too early in the night. But my voice has moved up a bit, and now I think I can get away with it any time these days. And it's a real crowd pleaser, and tends to attract the attention of people walking by. It got requested three times, overall.
The new sign continues to sell lots of CDs -- eight this time. I'm going to have to start bringing more inventory to these gigs. One lady said, incredulously, "You're only asking five dollars for the CDs?" I said, "Well, you can put more in if you want to. I won't look!"
Sanchez was acceptably-volumed for the first part of the evening, but there was almost nobody out. When the galley closed and the foot traffic went up, he not only got louder, he went back to his car and fetched a roller cart with a full-on concert rig -- two big speakers, amp, mic and stand (though I don't know for what, since he never sings), and more effects than usual, I think. I don't know where he was getting the power -- my best theory is a car battery and inverter.
So, about 8:30 he was louder than he'd ever been. Way louder. I tried to keep going, but it was futile. A lady came by and leaned over and said, "That guy is too loud and annoying. You should do something." All I could say was "I wish I could."
After a few songs, and since it was a dead night anyway, and I just conceded defeat and went home. I guess I'll just have to abandon Friday nights if he's gonna just go nuclear like that.
The bike cop came by twice, once before Sanchez got the big amp out, and once after. He just hung around, but didn't talk to either of us, either time. Notably, the second time, Sanchez finished the "song" he was working on and got real "busy" with tending the wires and other stuff so as to not be playing while the cop was there. I guess, without any complaints, the cop couldn't/woudn't do anything.
Even more annoyingly: As I was putting my stuff in the van, the cop rode up and all friendly-like said, "How's it going?" I said, "I'm giving up -- that other guy is too loud." No response to that. Instead, he wanted to talk about the $5 CD sign, and whether or not that was a "donation". I said, yes it was, and he took that as OK, despite there being nothing on the sign to that effect. Weird.
But, really, my $5 CD sign is what's bothering you, not Hearing-Damage loud guy?!?
It was an unexpectedly low turnout for such a nice summer Saturday, but we had nice people most of the time anyway. My new big-font sign is still working well -- I sold six CDs.
A pair of girls came by and one of them stopped when she recognized my name on the sign. She was flabbergasted that it was "that guy from Indian Princesses", and remembered that "Walking (sic) with Bears" song. So of course I played it (well, "Waltzing...") for her. It was fun to see her so completely blown away.
I had the continuing sound problem with the guitar, but this time I bypassed the wireless but *not* the tone box, and the problem remained, indicating an easily fixable dead battery in the tone box. That one lasts six months or more so I don't think of it when I have problems, and I don't recognize the symptoms. But maybe next time I will, and it's a relief to have it be so easily fixable and not have to get the wireless rig repaired, which I was dreading.
The Tommies (dad Tom and daughter Tomi) are back in town for the summer, and they set up on the corner across from us. It's disheartening to be playing to 3 or 4 people and to look over to see a crowd around them. Musically, they're kind of awful, but Tomi is just so cute, and impressive (for an 8-year-old) on the lead guitar. But I guess you use what you got, and young and cute beats out old but good.
But it was fun enough that we played until around 11:00. After we'd packed up, we were hanging out on the bench when a young couple walked up and the girl asked if either of us had any scissors. There's a tiny pair on my pocket knife, so I said that I did, and fished them out. I thought she might have a price tag or washing instructions tag that she needed removed, but she wanted to chop the entire bottom of her dress off!
She said that it was a bridesmaid's dress that she hated and was going to throw away tomorrow anyway, but it was too long and she couldn't dance in it, and it was ruining her evening. Her boyfriend was skeptical and tried to talk her out of it, but she was determined, and I had already produced the scissors. She started to cut into the dress, but the tiny scissors and her awkward angle weren't up to the task. Once she'd put a hole in the dress, I figured there was no going back now, so I had her stand up on the bench and switched to the knife and just hacked it off for her.
After she'd spun a full 360 and I'd hacked off a jagged 8-to-12 inch ring, she stepped out of it and dropped the over-skirt, which *wasn't* too long and covered up the field repairs. She was thrilled, and bequeathed the dress remainder to me, her hero.
As they walked away, the boyfriend inexplicably handed her two bucks to put in the tip jar. It's all part of the service, ma'am.
When I was setting up, the maintenance guys came and turned down the fountain and turned off the music in the plaza that I play in, as usual. But they left the music in the corridor right ahead of me on, and it's way louder than it used to be at that.
I called the guy, and he said that his boss told him not to turn the music down in the corridor any more. I have a feeling that the only way they can is to turn the music off in the whole mall, so I can understand his position, but it really sucks. Not having much choice, I just went ahead and played, and at least it wasn't as bad as I was expecting.
And then I was having trouble with the guitar sound. It was all distorted, so I got out a cable and bypassed the wireless, and the distortion was gone, but the tone was all messed up because I was also bypassing the tone modification box. Ack.
So, after all the trouble, I wasn't much in the mood to play. But I had some cute kids and friendly people come by, and I gradually came around. Right off the bat I had a big rock'n'roll dance party start up. And I got some kids up to sing "Let It Go" this time. And later on, a really nice thing was a group of teenagers who came up and started playing with the littler kids -- initiating "Ring Around the Rosie" and such. Must have been ex-Girl Scouts.
It was a nice sunny Sunday afternoon and I didn't have anything else to do, so I went down. Only played two and a half hours, though, 'cuz I ran out of battery power -- I must not have gotten it on the charger right.
But it was fun. Lots of nice people out. A little girl was sitting on her dad's lap on the bench, looking bored and burned out. I fired up "Let It Go" and she just lit up. That was fun. And of course other people stop when I'm playing that song (or their kids do, so they have to), so I accumulated a little crowd pretty quickly.
So I had people there listening most of the time, and a surprising number of people put money in the jar just as they were walking by, without stopping. And my new, bigger font, "CDs: $5" sign is working really well -- I sold 4. I guess I should have thought of the sign revision a long time ago...
I had played at Spectrum the night before, and there were two friendly guys for a while. And here they were again, wandering by, smiling. And a group of young teenage girls came by and said "Did you play at Spectrum last night?" Yup, that's me. Not a lot of guys out here with this hat.
