Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.

Subject: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 06:46 PM

In about twenty minutes I'll be leaving for a coffeehouse, where I'll be singing/playing (banjo, guitar) tonight. I will perform from 7:00 until 9:00, with a break of course. This is definitely the longest program I've ever done in public. All from memory; I think playing from music gets in the way of showmanship. No lack of material; I could have filled that space several times over as far as material goes. But I'll be standing most or all of that time, and I expect my dogs will be barking, and I don't know what my voice will be like at the end.

I've spent some time programing the evening. One or two banjo pieces, a few guitar pieces, maybe an unaccompanied, then banjo, guitar, etc. Also attention to changes in key and fast/slow, funny/romantic, etc.

Tell ya about it later.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: mousethief
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 06:50 PM

Good luck! You can do it! Attaboy! Break a leg! Huzzah!

Relax and have fun; I'm sure you'll shine.

Alex

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Chicken Charlie
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 07:07 PM

Sounds like a great set-up. Best of luck.

CC

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: JenEllen
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 07:14 PM

Go get' em Tiger! We're pulling for ya (and your little dogs too! *g*)

~J

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Áine
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 07:14 PM

I know you've probably left by now, but great good luck to ya, Dave!

-- Áine

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Noreen
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 07:16 PM

Hope all went well, Dave.

Noreen

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 07:23 PM

Hey, the gig's not over til it's over! Hope all is GOING well!!! Them coffeehouse folks can get really belicose if they don't get what they wants.;-)

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Jeep man
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 07:49 PM

Look 'em in the eye and say, "This is my music, the way I like to do it, and I really hope you like it too".

Jeep

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Susan from California
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 08:23 PM

Yehaw!!! If Keith ever gets his voice back, we want next! :-)

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: CarolC
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 08:28 PM

Good luck, DaveO!

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 10:34 PM

Break a G string!

Rick

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: katlaughing
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 11:07 PM

If it is anything like what you've done in Paltalk, they will love it and beg for more. Hope you are having fun and your little footsies get a nice massage when you get home.

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Marion
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 11:08 PM

That's great, Dave! I'm too late to wish you good luck, but I'll look forward to hearing how it went.

Marion

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: harpgirl
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 11:17 PM

...Gee Dave, I thought you were already a seasoned performer...hg

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: TishA
Date: 22 Jun 01 - 11:23 PM

Hope you blew their socks off! You have to file a full report A.S.A.P.

Chip A.

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 09:52 AM

INTERLUDE

There are ninety-two verses, I'll stop and explain,
For I learned them this morning with infinite pain;
I'll just mumble the ones I've forgotten again,
And 'tis not what I'd sing 'twas I sober.

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: pavane
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 10:11 AM

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: pavane
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 10:15 AM

Mate of mine used to sing a song called 'I'm sorry, I've forgotten the words'. I will look it out and maybe post it - might be useful to you (or anyone). He write quite a few, including 'Matty's new restaraunt' - a parody of a will known song! And a monologue called 'The Polite Force'. But I am long out of touch with him, so I can't ask his permission.

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Sam Pirt
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 10:27 AM

Hope it went well

Cheers, Sam

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: wdyat12
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 12:04 PM

Don't be afraid of that horse and don't be too sure of him either. Just get back on him and do your work.

wdyat12

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: InOBU
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 12:21 PM

Why stand the whole time? Pull up a stool and enjoy yerself! Cheers, Larry

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 12:24 PM

Okay, debriefing time!

Frankly, quite a disappointment. From the time I arrived, half-hour early, to set up, to the time I left at 9:00, not counting my wife and son there were six--count 'em, six--customers, two of whom were for carryout. Two sets of two to play for, at different times. I was mostly singing for myself and the counter help, and from about an hour into the time, for my family.

My thought in preparing had been in terms of a program, with introductory comments, jokes, and stories. When the only audience is two individuals, and they sit in the overstuffed furniture sort of around the bend from where you're singing, those intros just don't make sense, seems to me, so I just sang the songs. The spoken intros, if given, would seem a little too in-your-face.

One woman, though, could see me from where she was, and she spoke to me, and was complimentary, exacerbated my ego some.

As far as being a seasoned performer, Harpgirl, I've sung for audiences, and big ones, but not as the only performer and for two hours, as I had envisioned.

All in all, it was fun (and I'll do it again) but not as much fun as I'd hoped for.

Both parties left tips, for whatever that's worth. A grand total of six bucks! On the other hand, that's the first money I've earned directly by my singing and playing, out of fifty years singing folksongs.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Áine
Date: 23 Jun 01 - 12:39 PM

Hey Dave -- Haven't you heard, size doesn't matter...! If you are proud of your performance, then that's all that does matter. And since I've heard you sing, I have every confidence that whoever heard you, heard some pretty dang good stuff! And six bucks ain't nothin' to sneeze at, boy-o. Like my daddy used to say, "It's more than you had yesterday, so be glad and say 'thanks'."

Great good luck for the next time, Áine

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Sam Pirt
Date: 24 Jun 01 - 10:26 AM

Don't be let down some of my most entertaining gigs have been when there is not much audience about. OK so there not many people, audience partcipation, ask them their names bring them into your act then sing the odd song, but don't be disappointed and don't give any less to the performance as 'You never know who's listening!!'

Sonds like it went fine, it was just the lack of audience, which I see as more the venues fault for not promoting the gig as well as they could have not yours.

Cheers, Sam

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 Jun 01 - 12:10 PM

The coffeehouse has only been open three months, and is NOT well known. Plus, I think it's got a bad location trafficwise, behind a gas station. They think it's slow partly because of the summer, warm weather, and hope traffic will pick up when it gets cooler, in the fall and winter. Lotsa luck, says I! I wonder if they are capitalized to survive to find out.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: SINSULL
Date: 24 Jun 01 - 12:22 PM

Congratulations Dave. Tips from perfect strangers who enjoyed your music! Any chance of putting this coffee shop on the Mudcat Tour? Might help them and us. I would pay money to see you perform live!

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 Jun 01 - 12:53 PM

Sinsull, I know not from Mudcat Tour. Tell me about it.

I'm sure the proprietor(s) of the coffeehouse would be ecstatic at anything that might bring in any business.

DAve Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Jun 01 - 01:17 PM

I love hearing when someone elses gig goes well... means good things for all us workin' folkies (Eh Rick?!? LOL!)

:-)

After gigs 3 nights running, I'm looking forward to parking my ragged ass infront of my new 27" TV tonight, and putting a serious slope to the sofa!!

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Whistleworks
Date: 24 Jun 01 - 08:37 PM

Hey Dave,

Please let us know how it went. I know you slayed 'em. Just need to verify.

Bob Pegritz

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Mudlark
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 01:13 AM

Dear Dave...

Congrats for getting up there and doing your stuff....despite small audience it might be that word of mouth of your being there, providing stellar intertainment, might just get this coffee house off the ground(s). (sorry,,,,couldn't resist).

I will never forget the few bucks that were thrown n my guitar case while I just played to pass the time during a slow hour at a Renn. Faire where I was showing pottery....thrilled me far more than the money I made selling pots.

Don't stop now! Go again, get a mailing list together so people who love your music can find you. Email works great for this too...

Now put your feet up!

Nancy

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Pinetop Slim
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 10:41 AM

Dave: A UU church coffee house where I've volunteered has, over the last 10 years, put on at least a few shows that drew audiences no larger than the one you described. My guess is that most established folk entertainers have had at least one experience similar to yours. The performer ultimately has no control over the size of the audience. Hope to see more 'wish me luck' items from you in the future.

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: pavane
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 11:03 AM

Why not try the COFFEEPOT SONG
on them one day? < BG >

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 11:43 AM

Pinetop Slim:

I'm a UU myself, and I just had the idea of sending out a circular to UU churches within say a 250 mile radius, maybe with a short demo.

Pavane:I don't know that song, but may try to work it up. I use a song I wrote (most of), called She'd Rather Make Coffee Than Love. It's based on three verses and an unsatisfactory (to me) chorus without a tune in the DT. I wrote a tune and "improved" (to my taste) the chorus. I always get a GREAT response when I sing it.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Wish me luck. Coffeehouse gig tonight.
From: CamiSu
Date: 25 Jun 01 - 12:07 PM

Yay Dave! Next time it will be 12 (people)and so on! Just put eh music into the air and it will be heard by those who need it.

Big hug from CamiSu who sometimes tell stories to really small audiences too.