Called on short notice to fill a gap in an ecumenical worship service held on the Green, which closes a big festival here, we whizzed up 3 songs for a singalong medley. I confirmed ALL the arrangements TWICE with the sound man... plans included an indoor alternative in case of weather. Well, tourists strolling the craft fair in weekend-long rain made the Green a sea of chair-sinking mud; it was about 50 degrees; their tarp "stage" failed to include room for the tabletop autoharp from which I lead our band-- which I had described when we accepted the booking to bail them out!

Did they move it inside? No..... so we were to be the first group singing.... He had forgotten the two boom vocal mics we'd requested and that he had refused to let us supply.... it was clear during sound check that the guy's sound system was overwhelmed and so was he, in running it-- too many inputs, didn't label any channels, power problems with no one on hand from the power co. to help... finally got all the bands straightened out, with plans to swap mics around during the event (so tacky)... even though we did finally add two mics and booms from our church, standing right behind us on the Green...

So the service opens with the first of 3 pastors making some welcoming remarks, and as the first one comes forward I note my mic is not live and neither is my autoharp. Soundman nowhere near sound controls finally appears. I'm gesturing tactfully that there is a problem... behind me my husband HAS a live mic that's going to boost up his fiddle, and should I switch it real quick? No..... (silly me let Mr. Soundman decide).... I'm looking out seeing Mr. Soundman frantically swapping channels, pulling the XLR plug out, trying other slots, panicked face looking back at me to see if I am live yet. I'm unearthly calm. I turn to my husband and tell him he's singing the first number with about 2 seconds to go till we come in.... OK, I'm thinking, we're just going to sing anyhow!

Well, my finger pick breaks off in the first number, where my vocal cuts in and out under my husband's. I use it like a thumbpick, hoping not to lose my grip, and carry on. Second number comes-- I know my husband doesn't know the tune, so I go for it, again cutting in and out. People sing along..... as we come to the end I realize the bluesy rocker we have planned for our third and final song absolutely cannot be put across at all, without the autoharp keeping the band together, and without my pick intact there is NO WAY. So we smile and depart to clear the way for the next group-- no sense eating the clock any further with what the people cannot hear and Mr. Sound cannot handle!

The service has been held for about 30 years, but this was the first time the people clapped after each song. I think they liked our pluck!

Irony-- final song, "It's all right to go ahead and have a goodtime.... in the Lord!"

What's YOUR story?

~Susan
The Good News-Goodtime Band