Guitar Town
March 1st, 2009 from 2 to 5 at The Trading Post in Spring field, IL.For the uninitiated, this was the second annual event. Guitar Town is a 3-hour concert wherein local players from a variety of stylistic backgrounds participate. 
I didn't do last year, but was in on it this year, and I must say, a most enjoyable time. Figured it would be, given the people on the card, all friendly spirits as well as good players. Rock, jazz, country and blues(as well as the occasional 'eclectic mix')were represented as far as styles. For the most part, all guitar duos, which was the bill of fare this year.
I'm thinking of the joke, "how many guitar players does it take to screw in a light bulb". The response is, "four. One to screw it in, and the other three to sit in the audience, going 'I could do that' ". There was none of that kind of attitude at this event, at least none exhibited. Everybody was there to play, and to support the other players as well.
I think it was as mellow an event as it was because pretty much all the participants have some miles on us. We're too old and too tired to get too worked up about much besides the playing and camaraderie. Had we been younger, dumber and more full of cum, we may have had more of that competetive edge, that attitudinal "bad cholesterol" that unfortunately goes with the vigor of youth.
Still, a bit disconcerting to play for a room full of guitarists. Even if you are among friends. But then that gives you an incentive to push your shit a little bit more. It's all good. And as I said, everybody was encouraging.
There is always some banter though. Usually it's good-natured, and was on this day. Someone, himself a keyboardist, said to me(and twice at that- he just had to get it in again)"hey, what're you doing hanging around all these guitar players?" I shook it off, until a bit later when he commented about a point in the music, that it'd sound great with keyboard in the mix. I probably had that look on my face a boxer has when he sees a terrific opening. "You're right", I said. "Wonder if there're any keyboard players here today".
So, score a counter shot for Rog there, one right to the snotlocker . Then again, I took a pretty good verbal klop to the chops myself, later on .Someone, another inveterate musician-type(guitar)had his picture taken with me--or was it my picture taken with him- and in so doing I asked, "what, are you gonna put this on your MySpace site?" to which he replied, "no, I want to attract people to the site".
Ouch! I should've seen that one coming. All in good fun though. Personally, I only insult those whom I respect. Strangely enough, if I think that you're a shitty keyboardist or guitarist or whatever, I'll probably be a lot nicer to you.
Anyway. Viva Guitar Town! A successful event. Not that it didn't before, but Springfield now has a well-defined guitar community, made up of quality players in a variety of styles. And most importantly, I heard the bar made money, so there you go. That's the real deal, at least as far as next year's location. But it's nice when something succeeds philosophically as well.
I'm thinking of the joke, "how many guitar players does it take to screw in a light bulb". The response is, "four. One to screw it in, and the other three to sit in the audience, going 'I could do that' ". There was none of that kind of attitude at this event, at least none exhibited. Everybody was there to play, and to support the other players as well.
I think it was as mellow an event as it was because pretty much all the participants have some miles on us. We're too old and too tired to get too worked up about much besides the playing and camaraderie. Had we been younger, dumber and more full of cum, we may have had more of that competetive edge, that attitudinal "bad cholesterol" that unfortunately goes with the vigor of youth.
Still, a bit disconcerting to play for a room full of guitarists. Even if you are among friends. But then that gives you an incentive to push your shit a little bit more. It's all good. And as I said, everybody was encouraging.
There is always some banter though. Usually it's good-natured, and was on this day. Someone, himself a keyboardist, said to me(and twice at that- he just had to get it in again)"hey, what're you doing hanging around all these guitar players?" I shook it off, until a bit later when he commented about a point in the music, that it'd sound great with keyboard in the mix. I probably had that look on my face a boxer has when he sees a terrific opening. "You're right", I said. "Wonder if there're any keyboard players here today".
So, score a counter shot for Rog there, one right to the snotlocker . Then again, I took a pretty good verbal klop to the chops myself, later on .Someone, another inveterate musician-type(guitar)had his picture taken with me--or was it my picture taken with him- and in so doing I asked, "what, are you gonna put this on your MySpace site?" to which he replied, "no, I want to attract people to the site".
Ouch! I should've seen that one coming. All in good fun though. Personally, I only insult those whom I respect. Strangely enough, if I think that you're a shitty keyboardist or guitarist or whatever, I'll probably be a lot nicer to you.
Anyway. Viva Guitar Town! A successful event. Not that it didn't before, but Springfield now has a well-defined guitar community, made up of quality players in a variety of styles. And most importantly, I heard the bar made money, so there you go. That's the real deal, at least as far as next year's location. But it's nice when something succeeds philosophically as well.
See you next year!
posted by Roger U Roundly at 1:19 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home