My last performances were in the Spring of 2021. They were NOT a good shows.
I was unpracticed, my hands were stiff, my mind dulled by inactivity. And they insisted that (in the first one) that I wear a bloody mask! Keeping in mind I use a headset mic, so should the mask cover the mic? Or should the mic be outside the mask picking up my muffled voice?
The second, no mask but neither could I leave the stage area to wander and interact with my audience.
I've turned down many requests to come play since then. Until last week.
I have a booking to play through lunch at Charter Senior Living of Smyrna
I went there last week and played for a few minutes on THEIR piano, those that were eating lunch seemed to hardly notice me, and all the stiff fingers and dull memory were still extant, but I decided to go for it.
So I am booked to play again May first at noon for $150 (for the hour)
Yesterday, I gathered up my gear that was scattered between my house and my studio, connected things to be sure they were functioning (need batteries in a couple of things) and
LO!
It all was still functioning.
Now if I could get my brain and hands back.
It is truly daunting when I sit down to play, and songs I've played for YEARS from memory, no lyrics, no music... just me, I begin to play a given song and I either can't remember how it starts, or part way through I lose the thread and have to drop the song.
Both of these things are a disaster for a live performance.
↑Original image from 2016↑
Many folks say to me: "why do you stress of this so much? You KNOW that most of them will not know you made any mistakes"
About playing in a memory care they say:
"You KNOW they won't remember what you played last time, so why do you worry?"
I'm sorry, I cannot make myself be that callous and cynical.
I WILL KNOW that I didn't do my best.
I often think my abilities have gone down the drain
↑Image found online years ago↑
Now I have two weeks to be smoothing out my old material to go play for this group, and this activities director
(That's her on the left, from a LONG time ago)
I am filled with trepidation, anxiety yet hopefully looking forward to getting back in the saddle
This is me playing and singing, although you can't see me. I created this video. and recorded the music during a performance.
Not THIS performance
I will try my best to do a great job for this event, and hopefully I will be able to pick back up and make more folks happy, as well as make my bank account happy.
Updates as they come.
