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Topic: 1st gig report card |
Jim Peters
From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 12:26 pm
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Hi, here is my "report card" from my first steel gig:
Tone: A, the GFI Ultra and NV112 sounded big and fat and loud as could be. This was with a really loud band in a loud club.
Technique: B, this may go down when I hear the recordings this week. Course it may go up! I tried really hard to concentrate on intonation, and kept my playing simple,partly 'cause I can't play anything really hard..yet.
Musicality: B, but again the tape won't lie.
Nerves: D, I had to sit several hours between soundcheck and my songs, by the time I got up, I was tired and cramping just from sitting, so I went into the dressing room and did a few minutes of exercises before I went on.
Fun factor B+, would have been higher without the nerves.
Overall, for the first time out, I think I did pretty good. I got lots of crowd comments afterwords, and from the band as well, all positive.It was really strange after 40+ years playing out on guitar, to play a steel. I also played 4 songs on 6string, trading bars with junior, the crowd always loves that. This gig was at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis,approx. 300 people. Thanks for this forum, and Don E. Curtis. JimP |
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Billy Woo
From: Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 12:54 pm
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Cool way to start your pedal steel gigging career..Blueberry Hill..Is that down by the riverfront? I seem to recall whenever I go down to the ISGC at St. Louis they always have a blues festival in the downtown area with many diverse bands and way cool atmosphere. Any rate keep on a pickin.
Best,
Bronco Billy
Zumsteel U-12 |
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Gary Lee Gimble
From: Fredericksburg, VA.
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 12:57 pm
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Hey Billy! |
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Jim Peters
From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 1:02 pm
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Billy, it's in U. City in the Loop. I played the blues festivals downtown, thousands of people, and Javier Mendoza(the band I played with Sat) opened for Los Lobos this summer, 15-20 thousand people. Way cool. JP [This message was edited by Jim Peters on 29 November 2004 at 09:34 PM.] |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From: Saugerties, NY
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 1:24 pm
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Cool, Jim. Wish I could tell you something about the nerves thing but I suffer big time myself. It sure can suck the fun out of things but it also just plain happens to be the way I am and the way I get things done. If the nerves and the fear of utterly screwing up are what motivate me to do the best I can, I guess it would be playing with fire to mess with the formula. On the other hand I have found that distractions such as a recent gig where a forum member introduced himself to me before the set and engaged me in good steel chatter for a few minutes was cool because it allowed me to pretend that I was calm and collected--no harm, for sure, since there was precious little I could do then and there to better prepare myself for the set so why not act calm. Next best thing to being calm.
Anyway, there's nothing like the first time. Congrats. It is a milestone to build on. |
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Jim Peters
From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Brad Bechtel
From: San Francisco, CA
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 2:59 pm
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Congratulations, Jim! Blueberry Hill's Duck Room is a very nice spot. Twangfest is held there each year in June - I hope I'll see you there in 2005!
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Brad's Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars
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Jim Peters
From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Nov 2004 3:09 pm
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Brad, I'll look for you. One of my good guitar buds, Gary Hunt plays in the Rockhouse Ramblers, they play Twangfest, I think. JP |
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Jim Peters
From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 30 Nov 2004 5:04 pm
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Still waiting on the tapes.JP |
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