saturday I played a private party. It was ultra reserved and I hardly broke a sweat and people came up afterwards saying how much they dug it. I use to try and force the scene to get moving. I have learned over the years to let the energy of the gig guide me. It was very relaxing even in the 88 degree humidity. Today was a big blues and jazz festival in Columbus. I played the kids stage and mike (harp player for Ray fuller/terry davidson and the gearw sat in with his old premier amp).
We had a couple thousand dollars worth of instruments to give away and I got kids playing them with me. The energy was over the top cooking like when I played the juke joints to mostly very high african americans. Kids have no inhibitions if you gain their trust. I had kids burning their juices on 10+. The older folks even got dancing. It was mainly an african amerercain crowd and they sure can get it moving the way I dig to move with. It was like the old days. the bad news was they had a stage less than 100 feet from ours and it had a big band playing disney tunes with the lead singer dressed like mini mouse. The first hour I played they hadn't started yet and it cooked. Once they came on it was a mess. I couldn't even hear myself through the mega stack pro line PA they were going through and there was a radio station with a van a few feet away playing their station on top of it all.
I really had to to work on keeping my cool and connecting with the kids once that band started. The organizers must be nuts to set things up in such a way. I have done some crazy gigs over the years but this one was right up there in the top 10. A great, magical, first set, and the second a freaking nightmare with innocent childrens eyes looking in mine. I felt like it was a bad acid trip at times. Luckily those kids faces and energy kept me sane. I came home and had to record some in a sane environment. Here are a couple. I wish my wife had a camera to capture these kids. People were taking videos and pictures but who knows if I will ever see any of it. The newspaper was there taking pictures the whole time. Hopefully they will publish a good one. I love playing to/with kids. They really show the real beauty of the soul. After the gig Judy and I ate at a mexican restraunt. the place froze when I walked in with my suit on. It brought back memories of when I played around the world and going in places to eat. Most people are dying to know just who the heck you are but are to reserved to ask. Kids come right up and ask. That is how I live life too! I got paid a ton of money this weekend. It reminded me to not play for peanuts anymore. Walter
songs:
when the gig is over if you died today are you satified
The crowd in this video was exactly what we had going before that disney band started. Man I could do gigs to this kind of scene till I die. I am thankful I had the chance to do it one more time.
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
thanks Sarge! You would have dug it. It got me excited to play gigs again. I am thinking about giving the IBC a shot again and show the world spontobeat can compete with rehearsed music industry approved stuff. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
