Frozen Java Monkey
Posted on February 9, 2010 with 0 comments
Well, the latest gig at Java Monkey was a bit of a challenge, to say the least. First having to set up outside in 37 degree weather was a bit unexpected. I mistakenly expected that they would have relocated the music inside, but that didn't happen. The folks at Java Monkey were really helpful and very nice and helped set up the house PA. It was so cold that I was unable to remove my jacket so I must have looked a little like the Arctic Balladeer!
I took the stage, and began to play my first song of the evening to a small crowd that had gathered outside to hear some music when the PA started making rattling and buzzing noises. I didn't even get through the first line of the song and had to stop and try to figure out the problem. After a few minutes, one of the guys that worked there determined that the PA was having issues. So I unplugged my guitar, pushed the mic to the side pulled up close to the front of the stage and played an hour of music for the few who had decided that music was worth freezing for.
It was a really cool (no pun intended) hour and much more interactive than a "normal" gig. The unplugged atmosphere allowed folks to ask questions about the songs and talk to me about how the songs related to them. After an hour, everyone listening decided it was too cold to stay outside. And since my fingers were cold enough to make more challenging chords even more challenging, I decided to call it a night. It was a brief show, but one of the more interesting one's I've played lately. This experience has made me think of playing more "acoustic house shows" for smaller audiences.
For both fans and musician alike, it wasn't the ideal evening but it turned out OK. The Java Monkey folks were awesome and the few music fans that braved the cold were much appreciated. Hopefully, I gained a few new fans in the process.
I took the stage, and began to play my first song of the evening to a small crowd that had gathered outside to hear some music when the PA started making rattling and buzzing noises. I didn't even get through the first line of the song and had to stop and try to figure out the problem. After a few minutes, one of the guys that worked there determined that the PA was having issues. So I unplugged my guitar, pushed the mic to the side pulled up close to the front of the stage and played an hour of music for the few who had decided that music was worth freezing for.
It was a really cool (no pun intended) hour and much more interactive than a "normal" gig. The unplugged atmosphere allowed folks to ask questions about the songs and talk to me about how the songs related to them. After an hour, everyone listening decided it was too cold to stay outside. And since my fingers were cold enough to make more challenging chords even more challenging, I decided to call it a night. It was a brief show, but one of the more interesting one's I've played lately. This experience has made me think of playing more "acoustic house shows" for smaller audiences.
For both fans and musician alike, it wasn't the ideal evening but it turned out OK. The Java Monkey folks were awesome and the few music fans that braved the cold were much appreciated. Hopefully, I gained a few new fans in the process.