Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This Friday, I'll be working a private party where I'll be performing in front of an audience for the first time since last August!

I'm going to be playing acoustic guitar and have a short song list, enough to whet the audience's appetite, but not too many where they're more interested in their shrimp pasta and/or salads.

I'll be using a (borrowed) Martin DX acoustic for the show, capoing it where required.

My song list is as follows:
1. Honky Tonk Women (combining the lyrics of the Stones' hit rocker single and country album versions)
2. My Sweet Lord
3. Angel Dream
4. Just Like a Woman (Concert for Bangladesh arrangement)
5. A Well Respected Man

Song list look good? An encore?

There will be lots of cameras shooting footage, I know my cousin will be shooting from my camera, and partygoers will be shooting video for their family and friends who know me, and I think there's supposed to be a newscaster there...not sure if he'll have his camera crew...

Anyone who's seen me at SCARF knows I know how to rock, but an acoustic solo show is something I haven't done too often. Any advice on what to do? How do I know when the audience is bored? Engaged? Enjoying themselves?

Also, I don't think the guitar will be plugged in, and I'm not singing into a microphone. I'm doing the George Harrison/Eric Clapton/Barbara Streisand way of coating the throat, gargling a mixture of warm water, honey and vinegar before I go on.

I'm excited, first performance in nearly a year!

Don't worry about them getting bored. You're a live juke box. They'll be more interested in the shrimp pasta, sorry to say. Some will listen, however. Just do your best. It's paid rehearsal. Actually, these kinds of gigs are really pretty low stress. So, break a leg.
JimK

P.S. Are you getting fed and watered there? If so, so much the better. Food, drink, and a little coin in your wallet. It's good.
jrk

jimk wrote:Don't worry about them getting bored. You're a live juke box. They'll be more interested in the shrimp pasta, sorry to say.

I don't blame them, it's good shrimp pasta!!

jimk wrote:Some will listen, however. Just do your best. It's paid rehearsal. Actually, these kinds of gigs are really pretty low stress. So, break a leg.
JimK

That's a relief. Like I said, the people who are going to listen are friends of mine and my mother's.

jimk wrote:Are you getting fed and watered there? If so, so much the better. Food, drink, and a little coin in your wallet. It's good.
jrk

There's Popeye's for lunch and then when I'm done, I get to eat the aforementioned shrimp pasta, as well as a heck of a brisket, some chicken fingers, crab cakes and heaven knows what else. I'm driving my cousin and myself home, so I can't drink any alcohol.

Any other advice. Without being plugged in or mic'd up, anything I can do for my voice? It's just 5 songs...

Maybe do a Petty number for an encore ? A lot of those tunes will sound good on an acoustic.

8mileshigher wrote:Maybe do a Petty number for an encore ? A lot of those tunes will sound good on an acoustic.

Angel Dream, believe it or not, is a Petty song:


Thanks, Rich. I chose these songs because of the acoustic ambience.

Break a leg Jake. Don't worry if people look bored or don't seem interested. I play 2-3 nights a week to people that couldn't care less that a band was on the stage.

Most importantly, have fun!

Too bad you guys don't have anything good to eat in Louisiana. Man, I'd even go for the Popeye's!

Just do your thing. Those with a musical ear will take notice and those who like to hear themselves gab won't. But it's a good playlist and I'm sure you'll turn some heads.

Break a leg Jake! Have fun with it and enjoy.

You should be amplified no matter how small the gig. I used one of these when I was doing acoustic gigs:

http://www.fishman.com/products/view/loudbox-mini

Inputs for both mic and guitar. Sounds great and surprisingly loud. Reverb & chorus too.

Is this a paying gig?

Yes and no.

Yes: I'm helping them set up for the party, and I should be getting paid roughly $60 for working and playing.
No: I'm only playing for about 5-6 people, so I don't know if I'm getting paid for playing as much as for working.

Oh, I suppose you don't need an amp for five people. Shoot, your acoustic alone might be TOO loud.

I rounded up about how many I'm supposed to play for...about 10 people. Just heard that they ARE going to need someone to check the microphones.

What I'm doing is playing for some of the people who organized the party, as well as their friends and family before the party starts. When I'm done, we open the doors because we've got a guy on a Korg keyboard for the main party.

Hope your public acoustic debut went well, Jake!

It went better than I thought. The doors opened immediately when I started playing, so I was playing for a LOT of people. I thought no one was listening, but it turns out they were. I got a lot of compliments, and an Englishman told me that I nailed "Well Respected Man". That's about as good of a compliment as one can get!

I did not mic the guitar, but I had a mic on my voice. It was a big room, but people in the back could hear my guitar.

All in all, I enjoyed doing it, and it was a nice change playing through a cranked amp hearing: "Turn that [stuff] down!!" Playing acoustic is nothing I want to do for the rest of my life, though.

To Erik Kutzler: Didn't need my cheat sheets, and even nailed the Dylan song! Also to Jim Krause and JB: It turns out I DID get paid for the gig, too!

OK, one down with more to go. Easy wasn't it? I hope that they let you eat well also.

Craig