Marid Gras at Pop Brixton Saturday 25th February
Delighted to have been asked to play at this by headliners 7Suns following our joint gig with them back in December.
So, following what was supposed to be that one-off 20 year reunion gig for "The Rhythm Method", it looks like some sort of momentum is developing.
Details of this jazzy, funky, Latiny, Afro-funky event at uber-cool venue Pop Brixton TBC...! (My lot will be on in the afternoon I would imagine.)
Comments
I'm certainly feeling proud and excited and grateful about it. All those feelings are insisting it's pretty cool. :-)
Obviously I couldn't admit to that. That would be uncool.
And, I'm highly cautious about believing whatever it is that my feelings seem to be insisting about the world at any given moment!
Have been working through technical needs (number of mics, stage placing, etc.,...) with the event organiser today. The whole thing seems very well organised. :-)
The number of times in the past we turned up at a venue for a gig and the sound man (usually a scruffy, late-middle-aged, jaded, out-of-shape, deaf in one ear, hifi-forum type of guy, in a late 70s rock-band T-shirt) looked blankly at us and mumbled "Oh, no-one told me there were 10 of you...And a horn section and percussionist and backing vocals as well as the lead vocalist...? So this one microphone and 4 channel mixer might not be enough then...?"
Yes. This feels like a safer pair of hands. :-) Who knows, maybe the sound engineer next Saturday will have some hearing in both ears. ;-)
But, come on, you don't 'alf expect the world on a stick! You'll be wanting all the yellow MnMs removed in the green room next.
Feeling focussed. A sense of purpose always galvanises my being.
And a sense of excited anticipation too - I hope to enjoy the gig.
Also intrigued. We are without our usual trumpet player (he lives in Spain these days), and have recruited a suprano sax from 7Suns to fill in. She's very good, and following some horn section sessionals will be fine with her parts, I'm sure. We've also written a new song which will get it's first outing. Always intriguing to see how a new song behaves in public. And what the public think of it!
Reasonably confident. I think I'm on top of all my parts. Being the biggest show-off in the band, I appear to have become the de-facto between-songs front man. I enjoy this more than I feel the additional pressure, so that aspect is more confidence-boosting than it is confidence-sapping.
Some apprehension. The last gig was a great experience (everything came together (generally that is, as opposed to specifically musically)), I can't be completely sure this will be the same positive socio-emotional experience.
Additionally feeling self-conscious. The Scotland v Wales game is on earlier in the afternoon. I want to catch as much of it as I can, and am worried about being seen as being a dick about it.
Regarding rehearsals... it's always a challenge with this many people. But yes, you're right, the geographical scattering makes whole-band rehearsals very tricky. So there's a lot of variety in how we rehearse. We have a whole-band rehearsal next Thursday evening. 6 or 7 of the guys got together in London for a practice about 10 days ago (I facetimed in from Glaws). Last month I had a writing session with the guitarist and the singer. Next Tuesday the horns are meeting up. We all practice along individually to recordings.
And yes, as ever, concerns about inclusion and reputation predominate the human condition! ;-)
You're right too about a fear of disappointment / anticlimax / downward-slope.
Rationally tho, I know that it'll be fine (at worst).
And we played a bit too.
Went really well actually. Felt like we moved on from last time (rather than back to square one). Tighter and more dynamic. Which always makes me feel satisfied and confident. :-)
Fab work, Rhythm Method all! And thanks for sharing videos.
btw, don't think you're fooling anyone with that 80s dress code comment ;-)