Some Suggestions
Greetings from Medford, Massachusetts! I'm staying at the headquarters of That Promising Seadog Media--the folks that put out my CD. It's a prickly business coming back to your old haunts where it all began and ultimately ended. What I'm learning is that there are still people in this area that love me and that is a HUGE relief. Also, that there are place that I have outgrown and that is a little painful.
And then in the midst of all this, I play songs!
I took the bus to Providence, RI on Wednesday and played at a bar/cafe/restaurant. This is very risky business, but here's something I'd like to suggest to the smaller venues: When you have booked a show, and a person comes in with a guitar, looking lost and a little like they are trying to figure out where to eat their lunch, they are most likely the musician. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THEM. They could really use a "Hi there." or a "Can I help you?" I am extremely GRATEFUL for shows and for being booked almost anywhere, BUT it drives me crazy how 99% of the time the staff ignores me, or even sometimes seems to AVOID greeting and offering guidance and/or assistance. It would help tremendously to ease the already awkward feelings and that sense that I am a hobo begging for crumbs. The venues that do greet you, I just want to hug and kiss. The relief of knowing immediately that you are in the right place can be a transformative experience! This is NO SMALL POTATOES!
I walked into the bar/cafe/restaurant and wanted to laugh at myself. Every single time I don't play for awhile and I psyche myself up for playing again, I get these HUGE ideas and I pressure myself to be exceptional, and funny and interesting. Then I walk into these small venues and realize the real level I am at--that most of the places I play at are very casual and nothing close to Carnegie Hall. I mean the New York Times is not going to send a reporter to see the likes of me play there. So I sighed a huge relaxing sigh and knew that everything was going to be alright.
Here's something I'd like to suggest to younger performers who are first in a three person set: First, you are great and it IS exciting that you are playing out. Second, I am SO GLAD that your friends came to see you. Third, if you can just imagine for a moment what it was like for you to get up on stage and how it mattered to you to be heard, and then apply that to the next person playing. The girl who played before me had a beautiful voice and a love for Joni Mitchell (which, I've got to give it up for the love of Joni Mitchell, she RULZ), but she proceeded to sit with her friends not far from the stage and talk loudly through my ENTIRE SET. Actually, one of her friends, a gentleman in his 40's-50's talked so loudly (nay, SHOUTED) that I broke all my polite rules and said from the stage: "Maybe I should play a little quieter. I am noticing that people are needing to SHOUT to hear themselves." Well, my point was made--but not to him. He was talking too loudly to even notice me, a mere speck of a folk singer, standing 100 feet away, talking into a microphone.
I would like to thank the one couple who listened intently from the corner. They were straining to hear me over the shouting, but they stayed for the entire set, and whoever you are, my hands, my hands, my hands to you.
On the way home, Nathan informed me that my Portland, Maine show was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
So glamorous! So EXCITING being a musician!
Tonight I play in Connecticut. Tomorrow I play in Lowell, Massachusetts. The next day I will eat pancakes with old friends. The day after that I hope I see some familiar faces at a show in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The day after that I am on the radio in Amherst, and then I play a show in Northampton. Then I get to go home a day early--which, I don't really mind, because Graham is home and I miss him dearly.
For all of you doubting your abilities or asking yourself "Am I KIDDING myself??" keep swimming anyway. I'll be swimming right along side you.
And then in the midst of all this, I play songs!
I took the bus to Providence, RI on Wednesday and played at a bar/cafe/restaurant. This is very risky business, but here's something I'd like to suggest to the smaller venues: When you have booked a show, and a person comes in with a guitar, looking lost and a little like they are trying to figure out where to eat their lunch, they are most likely the musician. PLEASE DO NOT IGNORE THEM. They could really use a "Hi there." or a "Can I help you?" I am extremely GRATEFUL for shows and for being booked almost anywhere, BUT it drives me crazy how 99% of the time the staff ignores me, or even sometimes seems to AVOID greeting and offering guidance and/or assistance. It would help tremendously to ease the already awkward feelings and that sense that I am a hobo begging for crumbs. The venues that do greet you, I just want to hug and kiss. The relief of knowing immediately that you are in the right place can be a transformative experience! This is NO SMALL POTATOES!
I walked into the bar/cafe/restaurant and wanted to laugh at myself. Every single time I don't play for awhile and I psyche myself up for playing again, I get these HUGE ideas and I pressure myself to be exceptional, and funny and interesting. Then I walk into these small venues and realize the real level I am at--that most of the places I play at are very casual and nothing close to Carnegie Hall. I mean the New York Times is not going to send a reporter to see the likes of me play there. So I sighed a huge relaxing sigh and knew that everything was going to be alright.
Here's something I'd like to suggest to younger performers who are first in a three person set: First, you are great and it IS exciting that you are playing out. Second, I am SO GLAD that your friends came to see you. Third, if you can just imagine for a moment what it was like for you to get up on stage and how it mattered to you to be heard, and then apply that to the next person playing. The girl who played before me had a beautiful voice and a love for Joni Mitchell (which, I've got to give it up for the love of Joni Mitchell, she RULZ), but she proceeded to sit with her friends not far from the stage and talk loudly through my ENTIRE SET. Actually, one of her friends, a gentleman in his 40's-50's talked so loudly (nay, SHOUTED) that I broke all my polite rules and said from the stage: "Maybe I should play a little quieter. I am noticing that people are needing to SHOUT to hear themselves." Well, my point was made--but not to him. He was talking too loudly to even notice me, a mere speck of a folk singer, standing 100 feet away, talking into a microphone.
I would like to thank the one couple who listened intently from the corner. They were straining to hear me over the shouting, but they stayed for the entire set, and whoever you are, my hands, my hands, my hands to you.
On the way home, Nathan informed me that my Portland, Maine show was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
So glamorous! So EXCITING being a musician!
Tonight I play in Connecticut. Tomorrow I play in Lowell, Massachusetts. The next day I will eat pancakes with old friends. The day after that I hope I see some familiar faces at a show in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. The day after that I am on the radio in Amherst, and then I play a show in Northampton. Then I get to go home a day early--which, I don't really mind, because Graham is home and I miss him dearly.
For all of you doubting your abilities or asking yourself "Am I KIDDING myself??" keep swimming anyway. I'll be swimming right along side you.
posted by Summer Pierre at
11:59 AM
2 Comments:
Oh, I can't believe this, you are playing Northampton!! I am moving there but not for another three weeks! I definitely would have come to see you. I hope you have a great show there so that you'll come back soon.
By the way, I am very sorry to hear about those yobs who kept shouting over your performance; how rude especially considering that they were there to support THEIR musician friend. I used to date a musician who played smaller venues and we've experienced this, too. I guess this is where you grow a thick skin.
I hope you enjoy the rest of your tour, it sounds like you're doing great!
you rock! love reading your stories of life and song and its truly very inspiring.... will look forward to getting to see you in an NYC venue sometime soon! safe travels....
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