I had a gig yesterday. Yeah, I know, I have lots of gigs. But this one was special.
It was in a tiny place in a small town where my mother's mother lived. As a matter of fact, the place was a pub back then too. But one of those places that all the adults yelled at us kids about, even though we never got close. Just to drive the point into our brains. Stay away from that place and anyone coming or going from it.
Well, last night, Rick and Marilyn rocked the place. I imagine my songs about prison and turning tricks and drinking for breakfast… you know, folk songs!! lol… would not have made my grandma very happy. I never did find out what she thought of her daughter, my mother, marrying a man whose parents were so poor, they had no electricity or running water. And the story goes, the only thing his father could do was play the fiddle. So, making music in my family of origin was a shady thing, at best.
But the place is redone now, expanded and although still a pub (The name is ‘The Pub’), the menu is not restricted to typical pub food. I got the lobster mac and cheese, and it was really good. All reports are… YEAH, it is good!!
I was not feeling bad, but not my most chipper, when I arrived at the pub. I was going to make two trips to the car to get my gear, but I hear, ‘Marilyn! Hippie!’ and a couple walked over to me, looking familiar and smiling big, but I could not place them. However, he offered to help carry gear, so I gave him the lightest thing. Already, things are looking better!
Getting in the door, I see Rick and Judy at a table. I am greeted by the staff, and Nicole, the owner, comes up to me and welcomes me. I put my stuff down and go to say hello to Rick and Judy, and then walk around the room and see if anyone else was there that I knew.
Nope.
So I set up my gear and tuned and got otherwise able to play some music for the folks. There were quite a few seats filled. Rick and I did our thing. It seemed that people were appreciating the music, and that is always good. It helps me get even more into it and I found energy somewhere and sang our first few songs.
Then people started to come in that I knew. Some people that I used to talk to from my first days of making music... At that time, there was an open mic there at the pub that I would go to every week. There were people who would come often to listen and talk and drink. And they still do!!! And it was fun for me to AGAIN entertain them, this time sounding a whole lot better than back then! Then there was a guy who once interviewed my dad and asked him about his ‘first time’ with my mother. Somewhere, I have that on tape. And the owner, Matt. He did the woodwork in the place, and it is wonderful!! An artist in his work. My friends Todd and Vanessa. Oh yeah, and Vanessa told me who the couple was from the beginning of this tale… we met them the week before at another bar, LOL!!
That sounds bad, I guess.
So this gig was like coming home. I saw people I had not seen in maybe a decade, and I certainly plan on going back soon (i would have tonight, and I love the band, but the place is small, it always gets packed with them playing, and i really dont want to be THAT close to a lot of people) It also helped me remember how much I love playing for people!!!
I wrote this piece after the gig, but i am just putting it on the blog now, after a few weeks… I SO enjoyed that evening!!!!
