Woot! First real gig in over two years tonight.

[Bonhomme Richard]

We used to play out a lot but got tired of it a few years ago. We still practiced and added songs every week like a weekly poker club and we did one benefit a summer.
We decided it was time to get out again hence our gig tonight. It ought to be fun. The first song out of the box is Synchronicity 2 and will ramp it up from there. It's also my first time out since learning to play lead guitar. I'm psyched.

[Scuba]

1. Don't forget to post the .aup files!!!

[Bonhomme Richard]

2. What a night.

Played to a packed house and couldn't have had a better time. Have to tell you I have to exercise my hands more. Midway through the 4th set my fingers were cramping like hell. We were doing Funk 49 and no way would my fingers do that little run down the notes. Thank God the keyboardist backed me up. The regular rhythm chords were just fine because my hand was already cramped in that position LOL.
Other than that it was a great night. Happy club owner...happy band.

[guitar man]

3. Awesome!

Good to see players getting back out there and doing it, here's to many more!

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. What makes me feel good is that even working musicians.....

that were there were blown away with some of the songs we did. I guess what stood out the most was Mr. Blue Sky by Electric light Orchestra. They couldn't believe it.
The thing is you are never sure how your stuff is going to play and when it works it works, A good time.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Great For You!

We host a jam night every other Friday, and i still enjoy getting up there. The owner bought a 3rd of our PA, and we got him another amp (his money) to run it four way. So, he's got a 6 cabinet, two horn PA with 3200 watts of power and 24 lights (also bought some of our stuff when we liquidated) and a four cabinet monitor system.

So, it's like a real show when we play there. The jam night denizens love playing there, because most of them have never played through a real system before.

The owner also bought an inexpensive set of drums, so we only need a little backline and we're ready to roll. He even bought mikes for it, so we don't have to bring any of our stuff. We bring extra cables just in case, but mostly just 3 guitar amps and a bass amp.

GAC

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. I bring way too much crap but....

I can't help myself. I want it to sound right.
Now that I learned how to play leads this year ( always rhythm and lead vocals) it has given me new juice. Between the 3 guitars, LP, Strat, and Hamer, my amp, Fender Super Sonic 60, pedal board, triton keyboard ( I lay in some background stuff behind our keyboardist), mics, stands, harmonicas, some odd percussion stuff, not to mention I also bring the PA, it can be exhausting just setting up. It's all worth it. I told the owner of the club that we play for free and get paid to lug the equipment.
I am trying to learn different styles of lead playing. Right now I do the leads for Jessica, Let it Rain, Black Magic Woman, REO Speedwagons Roll with the Changes, and now I am adding Sultans of Swing. LOL, learning to use the fingers and no pick is a challenge but I am getting it.
It sounds like your guy has a great setup for musicians to come in and play. My nephew in DC goes to a warehouse, pays $15, and a bunch of strangers sit in and jam. He has a blast.
Enjoy.....I am.

[ProfessorGAC]

7. Funny Bit About Multiple Guitars

First, at a jam night that we run, other guys will let us use their stuff if a string breaks. But, the really cool part is that the bass player, who has 5 guitars, lives upstairs in an apartment over the club. The other guitar player lives 3 blocks away, and i live 6 blocks away. So, we don't even have to bring extras, because worst case is we run home, and back, in five minutes with a different guitar.

Me, i don't play finger style much. I have a VERY deep quick, so by the time my nails grow out past the end of my fingertip, their too long and get brittle. Maybe i need to drink gelatin or something. Mostly, i'm just a really fast player so i stick mostly to picking everything.

But, i learned the solos on Sultans a LOONNGGG time ago. I saw them on that tour. My wife and i had 2nd row center seats at the Uptown Theater in Chicago. Saw them on the tour for the 2nd album too. I actually liked them less when Knopfler bought a distortion unit. LOL!

And, EVERYBODY should know at least two Santana solos. Black Magic Woman, Oye Como Va, and Soul Sacrifice are those i know. But, i'm a pompous ass now, so i never play any solos note for note anymore. I kind of adopted a style and i stick to it. I'm too old to care if someone doesn't like it. It's just how it is.

Also, on lugging equipment: When we were playing all the time, we had a truck that was 7200# empty, and 18.600# full. So, i know what you mean.
GAC

[Bonhomme Richard]

8. Yeah, I figured I would learn a bunch of styles...

so, when I am comfortable, I can kind of explore different things. I'm 58 and never had a desire to play leads. My guitar was always my second instrument behind my voice, Well, the band used to have 3 guitarist and when one left the other lead guitarist couldn't handle anything that required an internal religious type feel for the notes like Santana so I decided that I'm old and my voice is going so I might as well really learn how to play guitar LOL.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. We're Roughly The Same Age

You're a couple years older, but i get the voice thing. There are things i used to be able to sing easily that are either no sale or really hard now. I used to have a really good and strong falsetto. Not so much now.

I've always pursued lead because i was a jazz piano player before i started playing guitar, so that whole single note lines things was in my head.

About 7 or 8 years ago, i decided to get really serious about exploring my own thing and have played like that since.

GAC