Dave Johnson Music | Blog

A learning experience.
I played solo at the Old Hat on Saturday August 15th. It was a learning experience. I had booked the gig about 8 weeks prior and forgot about it. About a week before the show I happened to get on the Old Hat web site and saw that I was booked to play. Because we were planning to go to the cottage on that date, I thought about cancelling and trying to find someone else to fill the gig. The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a better idea to play the gig, I didn’t want to burn my bridge with the Old Hat, namely Tom Fuller.
So I started getting my act together. Was I going to be able to play for 3 hours? No way in hell. I quickly began combing through my collection of music to find some “easy” songs to play. I managed to pull together a list of about ten songs to add to the 15 originals and 10 or so Midwestern Lull covers.
Next I created a flier. It always makes the venue happy when you hang fliers. I still think the flier I made was a pretty good one. I included my “tiny bio” which is a version of a very long bio I wrote a long time ago. If you can make yourself sound good in just a few sentences, you’re better off. Its all about short and sweet, less is more. Revise toward a “snap-shot” type of biography. What credentials you have, what you sound like, and what other people think of you. It’s nice to have the “tiny bio”. Its almost like having a little letter of recommendation.
The night before the show I crossed out some of the songs on the list. There were to many songs that I felt I wouldn’t be able to play with confidence. Looking back now, I could have crossed out more. Some song just don’t fit with the other songs on the list, some were bad song choices for my voice.
I was really nervous the day of the show. I had an upset stomach for most of the day. When I got to the Old Hat I started setting up a bunch of guitars thinking I would play them on various songs. It didn’t work out that way. I ended up wasting time and energy by setting all that stuff up. I had a hard enough time getting the PA to sound good. Even by the end of the night I still was not convinced that it sounded good. I had trouble hearing myself at times.
Finally it was show time. I was so nervous that I just blocked out everything else. I didn’t acknowledge the audience- bad mistake. I felt like I was shaking so bad I couldn’t play the chords. When I looked out into the crowd, they were looking at me like they were watching me die. I felt like I was dying. I was sweating bullets, my glasses were slipping down my nose. I couldn’t snap out of it. Usually when I play with the band I have a few drinks before we go on. I didn’t drink anything before this show. I was hoping to put on a good show without the alcohol- bad mistake #2. By the third set I had consumed at least 1 glass of wine. If you are familiar with Old Hat wine, you know its potent stuff. So my final set went great. I played my “best-of” material. There were a few people still at the bar and about 10 family and friends down in front. People were singing along, bobbing their heads.
The staff at the Old Hat said that they had enjoyed my show. “Really?” I thought. The first two sets were awful in my eyes. They said they were going to recommend to Tom Fuller he invite me back. I hope they do have me back. Next time I’ll get someone to open for me so I don’t have to fill 3 hours. I did manage to pull off three, forty minute sets and got paid accordingly. Last night I pulled out my set list from that night and paired it down to about 23 songs, which is plenty for now. Also, next time, I’ll be bringing one guitar and perhaps the banjo. No more over doing it. Less is more after all.
I think I learned a lot from this gig. What to do…what to do more of…what not to do…what to do less of.
I need to write some new tunes, get some new covers together and start playing in front of crowds more often. I think I’ll do just fine.