Played Live With A Band For The 1st Time Ever

[hekawi]

My guitar instructor has a Blues/Rock band that performs on the weekends. He's always asking one of his students to join the band for a couple of numbers when the band does charity gigs. So, after four lessons with him, this past Friday is my turn. YIKES! my only time playing in front of people has been a few solo things where i just sorta provide some background music. i had ONE practice with the band (the night before), playing on two songs. the night of the show, i was real nervous waiting for my turn, but it all melted away when he called me up and i actually got on stage and plugged in my Telecaster. Then it's "one, two, three, four!" and we are pounding out "Jumpin' Jack Flash" with me on the main riff and rhythm. It is hard to describe the power of a full rock band as you are playing. a good drummer and bassist really grab hold of you and carry you along. amazing! the second song with me is Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do" a good ol' blues song....and i actually have to take a lead ...i stumble through a sloppy little pentatonic solo, but the crowd applauds. before you know it, it's all over. less than ten minutes on stage and i had the time of my life.

here's a couple of blurry pictures (my daughter had the camera on the wrong setting, oops!):

[51mike]

HA!
Now you're infected!
You've got no chance to survive now.
I'll bet you've already scoured the want ads looking for some band, any band, who needs a guitar player.

Woe be unto you, till you find a band to play in.
Succumbed to the audience whims, you have. (yoda)

[Telemarkman]

That's great hekawi !

Though it's more than 40 years since my "live" debut, I still remember the sensation ...

[Paul in Colorado]

I have a friend who has been singing for years, but never with a band in public. She and I hooked up with a local reggae band and we spent an afternoon jamming with them and recording it. I'll never forget her reaction after a couple of songs. She turned around to me with a smile plastered across her face and she said, "This is better then surfing!"

Welcome to the dance!

[neocaster]

That's so awesome, man. I'm glad you had a good time. What could matter more?

[Jelly]

Those pics are actually kind of groovy!

[boneyguy]

Rock on dude. There really is no feeling like it is there?!! Especially when the bass and drums are really working together and you just get to float on top of it effortlessly.

So my wish for you is that you continue to play for appreciative audiences and that you always get a good rythym section.

[Joe M]

Ain't it fun....

[maestrovert]

Originally Posted by neocaster

...../..... I'm glad you had a good time. What could matter more?

when it's trippin' yer trigger, an' yer gettin' their tooties tappin' an' their noggins bobbin', that is what it's all about my friend !

Congrats !

[stephwills]

Congrats! There's nothing like the adrenaline rush of walking onto stage for the first time and cranking that first song.

[blue metalflake]

Congratulations - now you're hooked. Downhill from here on in!

[Big Tony]

Congratulations, hekawi!

It's quite a rush, ain't it!

Now you're hooked.

/ Tony

[aunchaki]

Originally Posted by hekawi

It is hard to describe the power of a full rock band as you are playing. a good drummer and bassist really grab hold of you and carry you along. amazing!

Amen!! I've only played live in church, but it can get pretty rowdy (in a Godly way). When I was a kid (decades ago) I took guitar lessons, but I never played with another person, except when I was actually in my lessons. Needless to say, it wasn't that fun and I let it go.

Twenty years later, I picked up the guitar again, this time to play with other musicians in a church band. I started out with just A, E, C, D and G (the only chords I could remember) and took off from there (I soon learned the all-important Bm!).

If I only played alone, I'd probably stop playing so often and eventually give it up again. Playing with others is where it's at for me! Congratulations!!

[woodman]

i like those psychedelic photos ... you drank the kool-aid, right? hahaha!

[Flat357]

Fantastic news

Now you've been bitten by the bug , be sure to find another opportunity to do it again real soon .

Great stuff !!

[garytelecastor]

Whooooeeeeeee boy, you went and done it now, fer sure!!!!!
YYEEEEEEHHHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yup, you done let the genie out of the bottle. Playing with a live band is like losing your virginity. Your scared (insert your own expletive here) until you do it, then you can't get enough of it, and you wish you could do it 24 hours a day.
Yep, you're chasing the dragon now, (plus any other euphemism for addiction)
Congratulations Hekawi. Just remember that the crowd wouldn't have been applauding if you had stunk so you must have tore it up. Keep it up man.

[beep.click]

Originally Posted by hekawi

Then it's "one, two, three, four!" and we are pounding out "Jumpin' Jack Flash" with me on the main riff and rhythm.

Now that's just plain cool. Congratulations!

[BAW4742]

There's nothing like playing live is there? To me it's a lot of fun to get together with a bunch of guys and reheasrse but getting on stage is waht it's all about.

The more you do it the better it gets. When you're relaxed on stage it's an unbeleivalbe amount of fun.

congrats man. There's no turning back now.

[Buckocaster51]

That's neat!

Nothing like your first "recital!"


Very good job my man! Very good!

[garytelecastor]

One other thing, you must have an exceptional instructor. Four lessons and you're playing live????
This guy is a motivator.