My first gig of the new year

[kiramdear]

was on a big raft in the middle of the harbor during the Super Bowl festivities. Some of the guys rounded up some big floating sections of dock and tied them together at the end of one finger of Gate 3. Some 40 feet out, surrounded by 100 boats and our adoring neighbors across at the mall, we rocked it hard for an hour and a half. We shook it like a dog shakes a rat. Guitar Dan, Crazy Chris on drums and me on bass. Sorry I'm not playing my rick, but for this gig the hundred dollar hofner copy was the better choice, considering the likelihood of water damage and drunken mayhem (those guys, not me). My amp was cheap too so all I had to worry about was keeping the groove going.

We played Crossroads, Sympathy For The Devil, Love In Vain, Get Back and much more, all in extended jam format. Everyone who wasn't dancing was either smiling or hanging their jaw. We were awesome.

Alright, I know, Alicia Keys I'm not. But I play real good and I don't get drunk

[scotty]

Cool,glad you had a great time Kira!

[kiramdear]

Yeah, thanks, Scotty. The fun part was that we did it without any announcement. I didn't even know I was playing until this morning so it was just us and the neighbors. And the cops didn't even come Don't let the size of that amp fool you. When I started to play you could see heads turn and smile for quite a ways. Dan was pretty loud too; I guess we had a nice amphitheatre effect going on. We had a few kayaks and canoes paddle by and some fish float belly up nearby (just kidding about the fish; no living creatures were harmed during the show).

[winston]

Looks like you had fun. Crossroads eh? Cool. That's one of my faves. Did you play the faster Cream version or a slower version like I play? I'll have to record that song before too long. I have been dying to do my Jack Bruce imitation (but at a slower tempo). I don't want to have to go down to the crossroads without doing that first...........

[kiramdear]

We did the fast version. It was a real hit.

We just played everything instrumentally, no time to look for a PA. But keeping it simple was what made it so much fun. I don't often do these jams because the "scene" sometimes gets to me, it really does get too crazy with some of these guys. But when it's good, like today, it's great. All fun, no fuss, and a huge audience

[ajish4]

Very cool Kira!

I'm SURE the sound carried on the water quite well. There is a small lake (about a 1/2mile in circumference) right in front of my home. At night, we walk out on the driveway and we can hear people laughing from across the far side of the lake.

Good call on not bringing your RIC, besides, your copy looks like it could float should there be a mishap!

[jimk]

Crossroads, eh? One of my faves, either way; Cream's version or Robert Johnson's original. Another one of those types of blues I like is Statesboro Blues. I'll take it either way; Taj Mahal/Allman Bros version, or Blind Willie McTell's original. It's all good.

[kiramdear]

Thanks, guys. It was a lot of fun.

'Scuse me while I eat a little crow here: much as I am not a fan of copy instruments, this little bass has earned its stripes. It sat around neglected for a long time but one day I gave it a proper setup and now I'll never get rid of it without a darn good reason (like trade for something better). I'm even considering putting a little more work into it. It has a great thumpy tone and plays like a princess. Crossroads, anyone? I wouldn't try it on just any bass. It sounded fantastic on Sympathy. I'm glad we didn't give it the float test.

[ozover50]

Looks like heaps of fun, Kira. Glad you could get out there and 'float your boat'!!

[cjj]

Way cool Kira! Sounds like it was a lot of fun! Too bad you didn't have a $100 Rick bass to take...

[kiramdear]

Yeah, CJ. If you hear of one let me know.

[cjj]

I will, I'll even send pictures - shortly after I buy it

[tallpat1]

My first gig singing with the new band on Jan 31, doing lots of Beatles which I surely missed in my last 2 bands as well as lots of classic Zep, the Who etc...

website on myspace http://www.myspace.com/theallnightersrock

song samples will be uploaded soon.

[woodyng]

very cool,kira! i love impromptu get-togethers like this! those hofneroid basses are fun too, ROCK ON! in my garage band days (daze?) my little group liked to do all over now,dead flowers,and sitting on top of the world....

[kiramdear]

my little group liked to do all over now,dead flowers,and sitting on top of the world....

Woody, that's a real coincidence. Although I didn't do those three the other night, all those songs were in Mike Wilhelm and Loose Gravel's setlist when I played for him. All three are real crowd pleasers. Mike did an acoustic version of SOTOTW that would send you straight to fingerstyle blues nirvana.

Thanks for reminding me of those, Woody!