Old School plays Falcapalooza 2014

Falcapalooza made me want to gig more.  It was exhausting, helping to organize the whole event, trying to keep kids' interest and getting them to actually show up.  I think everyone had a great time, but I don't think anyone could have had more fun than I did.  There were many other bands, including The Bad Weathermen, the Onomatopoeia Organization, AuSm, Matter of Fiction, The Five Band, and the Session Guys.

Slapping the end of Sweet Emotion

"Old School" in 2013 was me, John Wagner (guitar), and Elliott Gray (drums).  This year, Tom Arnold came in on drums, Emily Nyman on acoustic guitar and Ruth-Ann Fletcher on lead vocals.  We performed twice, once in the afternoon for much of the school and again that evening in the real show.  Both times we played Sweet Emotion and Rock & Roll.  I felt the nerves at the beginning of Sweet Emotion, for sure.  I find when I play that tune that I just have to ignore Tom on it - he's with me on the ride cymbal part of the time, and then not - I may not really be playing the right rhythms!  Once the beat kicks in, it's way more comfortable.  Rock & Roll is so easy, but the guitar solo has a weird blues form in the background (1x almost normal, 1x twice as long with a stop).  As long as I stayed focused I got it.  But I screwed up the ending, going to the wrong one.  Ruth-ann stayed on, though so we followed her.  The evening show was perfect.  John moved his amp over where I could hear him, and that made a big difference.  In the evening, we also played AC/DC's "Let There be Rock."  Awesome.  I was playing through Eli's Orange amp, and it had just the right growl for the music.

I don't think I've EVER moved around this much.  Having the big open stage was amazing.  How to top it next year....?

The Tavern

I showed up and played a half-gig on a Wednesday night with Kyle and John. Fun gig, but no set list!  We played ETA's C-F medley of Season of the Witch with Can't Always Get What You Want and two other tunes, Black Magic Woman, and several blues tunes, and some other songs I didn't really know. I played my fretless through John's keyboard amp, which they were also using for vocals. I hadn't planned on being paid, but they gave me $40. They'd like me to do the whole gig next time, too!

City Band

I guest conducted the city band on 8/1.  After having problems with weather or electricity when guest-conducting the past two years, I was glad it was pouring and not questionable weather at all.  We went inside.  There were about as many audience members as there were band members.  I had a few conducting issues, mostly based around transitions.

I felt like TROMBONE KING, MINUTEMAN and HIGH SCHOOL CADETS had excellent dynamics.  I exaggerated those gestures to help remind them, and they really pulled through.  ANNIE was a bit of a problem; in fact, we had total silence for a few seconds because some of the low instruments were off.  They were off because of my confusion - the part was written in four, but it was marked to conduct in 2, but I decided to stay in 4, and it threw them off.  It's not a great arrangement either. CLARINET HOEDOWN was weird because the 3rd clarinet players weren't coming in, but it turns out they had trumpet parts. The young alto saxes did very well on their soli in WON'T LAST A DAY.

NEWPORT AREA CONCERT BAND

2013      ~     AUGUST 1 CONCERT

O CANADA / STAR SPANGLED BANNER

THE TROMBONE KING March

OVERTURE!

Selections from ANNIE

THE PHANTOM REGIMENT

MINUTEMAN March

CLARINET HOEDOWN

ARRANGER’S HOLIDAY

WON’T LAST A DAY WITHOUT YOU

THE BEATLES FOREVER

HIGH SCHOOL CADETS March

NATIONAL EMBLEM

Summer Band

Summer Band 7/8/13 went well.  I played Baritone BC parts.  We had 2 drummers, 1 mallet, 2 trumpets, 1 clarinet, 1 oboe, and 3 flutes.  Emily conducted - I sometimes had a hard time following her because the bass drummer was WAY off, but it worked out just fine.  I may put the playlist on here, but I may not - it was typical summer band stuff like "Band Room Riff," "Minor Rock," and "A Little Bit of Latin."  This was the first time I played in the group and didn't conduct it.  It was fun!

Annie

I just finished the first night of this 6-show gig at the Haskell Opera House.  We only ran the show through on two nights of rehearsal, which seems like far too little.  Much of the timing for the music wasn't exact yet.  The pit band consists of two keyboardists, a drummer, and me.  About five songs had to be transposed down a step, which isn't that hard but when in the key of Gb and you lower it a whole step, it puts you in the key of Fb, which doesn't technically exist (it's 6 flats and a double-flat) and there are all sorts of accidentals and key changes.  I found it easier to write out the transposed charts during the massive amounts of down time - rehearsals "began" at 6:00 with us not playing music until at least 7:30.  Sunday's rehearsal was scheduled from noon-5:00, but I didn't play a note after 2:30.

In the end, it's a good show and the music is fun to play.  A few of the singers project so well that we can play without the worry of being too loud.

Here are the songs we played:

• Overture – Orchestra
• "Maybe" – Annie and Orphans
• "Hard Knock Life" – Annie and Orphans
• "Hard Knock Life" (Reprise) – Orphans
• "Tomorrow" – Annie
• "We'd Like to Thank You Herbert Hoover" – Hooverville-ites
• "Little Girls" – Miss Hannigan
• "Little Girls" (Reprise) – Miss Hannigan
• "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" – Grace, Annie and Staff
• "N.Y.C." – Warbucks, Grace, Annie, Star-to-Be and Chorus
• "N.Y.C." (Reprise) / "Lullaby" – Warbucks
• "Easy Street" – Rooster, Miss Hannigan and Lily
• "You Won't Be an Orphan for Long" – Grace and Warbucks

Act II

• "Maybe" (Reprise II) – Annie
• "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" – Bert Healy and the Boylan Sisters
• "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" (Children Reprise) – Orphans
• "Easy Street" (Reprise) – Rooster, Miss Hannigan and Lily
• "Tomorrow" (Cabinet Reprise) – Annie, Roosevelt, Warbucks and Cabinet
• "Tomorrow" (Cabinet Reprise II) - Roosevelt and the Cabinet
• "Something Was Missing" – Warbucks
• "I Don't Need Anything But You" – Warbucks and Annie
• "A New Deal for Christmas" – Warbucks, Grace, Annie, Roosevelt and staff

________________________________________________________________________________

The next two nights of the show went well, in fact getting better with every playing.  Notice in the picture that I'm wearing a fleece?  It's VERY cold in front of the stage when the AC is on.
 

Kingdom Dixie at Westmore Field Day

Kingdom Dixie played outdoors for Westmore Field Day 7/6/2013.  We had two sets, 11-12 then 1-2. In between our sets a fiddle player performed, as well as a ukulele singalong and a singing duet that was quite good.  It threatened to rain the whole first set, but never did (KD had played in the pet parade without me and got soaked the night before!). During the second set it got so bright that I had a hard time reading my music. It's nice playing with this group, because I can just read and listen. Sometimes staying focused can be a problem, though. For this gig we got payed about twice as much as usual, and we got fed. Fun gig!

11:00 to 12:00

 

1 Panama

2 Blizzard Head Blues

3 High Society

4 I Can’t Give You Anything But Love

5 Millenberg Joys

6 Muskrat Ramble

7 Basin Street Blues

8 Randolph Street Strut

9 Dixie Down Beat

10 South Street Rampart Parade

 

1:00 to 2:00

 

1 Sensation

2 When My Sugar Walks Down the Street

3 Darktown Strutters Ball

4 That’s a Plenty

5 Livery Stable Blues

6 Fidgety Feet

7 Coney Island Washboard

8 Louella

9 Maple Leaf Rag

10 Don’t Mean a Thing

July 4, 2013

Soul Kingdom - the highlight of the day, at least for me

This was a great day of gigs, but it didn't go perfectly.  It started off with phone call asking if I was playing our regular gig on the boat....  I didn't remember having the conversation with her!  Apparently, I did mention it to the Kingdom Dixie bandleader, and he said that I told him we were waiting for her call but never received it.  It still sucked.

 

NCAVB on the float

FIRST GIG was with the Newport City Area Volunteer Band (NCAVB), riding the float through the parade.  I played euphonium, and as usual each time we played the three pieces I got better but my lip didn't hold up too well.  Sounded pretty good though, I think.  It's fun to play for this appreciative audience.  At the end we have always turned right and looped back to our cars.  This time, we couldn't get through so had to wait until the very end, meaning we sat there for about 1-1/2 hours.  Glad I brought water!

The Session Guys - Alex

2nd GIG was with The Session Guys (Chandler (set/vox), Alex (gtr/vox). I was subbing for Eli (bass/vox) because he had to work.  I had learned all of their songs, which are all originals, the day before, and we had no rehearsals.  I wanted to be there a little earlier, but the parade held us up.  Kyle and Chris arrived with the sound equipment shortly after we did, so we were able to help set up the PA, and I was able to use Chris' bass amp.  It took a while to set up, but I was told the sound was great.  I used my earplugs the whole time, because the bass amp was very loud.  Chris changed the stage volume after a bit, though, so it got more comfortable. My effects board really didn't change much when I used the overdrive, but it may have been the earplugs.  I didn't dare use the flanger.  The octaver sounded great on an introduction.  I wish I knew the songs a little better, so I could have relaxed.  It's ALWAYS fun to play a gig with Chandler!!

The Session Guys -Chandler

3rd GIG was Soul Kingdom.  This was the highlight of my day, for sure.  I got there at about 4:40, knowing things would be a bit behind, but the 4:00 band was on their FIRST song.  The rapper who went before them had gone on too long, and had to get kicked off the stage!  So we waited until they were done, set up quickly, and got started.  It felt great to play the music I've actually been rehearsing.  My stage sound was weird though.  Way more bass was out front than from the amp, and I felt like I wanted more - but on the plus side, my ears weren't bleeding by the end.  Using Chris' amp made things much easier for me, but gave me far less control.  I didn't bother using my effects board.  The songs were played very well except for two little things I need to watch out for - first was that Brett played a triplet fill that threw me off for a second.  It shouldn't have surprised me; I should have just solidly hit the one as usual.  There was only a slight hesitation on my part, but I noticed it.  Also, we had a problem on the intro to Black is Black - I started in D, someone else started in E, and then I saw Kyle going back and forth, as in the verses.  Now I'm doubting myself - who's right?  I'll have to check.  The rest of the song was great.

NCAVB at Irasburg

4th GIG was with the NCAVB again, in Irasburg this time.  We played in the town square, beside the small but tall gazebo.  Since Chandler wasn't there, I played bass drum.  The audience was appreciative and we had a good time.






The Session Guys (all originals):

I was 16
Maggie Rae
27
5 Years Gone By
Send me to AZ
Bleach Blonde Hair
Call It Quits
Confined
Ballad of Ms. Jones
Over and Out
Wannabe
Brand New
One Way

Soul Kingdom:

Soul Finger
The Letter

In the Midnight Hour
Higher and Higher
Black is Black
I Got You
The Chicken
Midnight Confessions
Knock on Wood
Got to Get You Into My Life
Vehicle
Hold On
I Wish

Newport City Area Volunteer Band at Irasburg:

STAR SPANGLED BANNER (only)

THE LIBERTY BELL March (Red book “Marches of Fame”)

Highlights from THE MUSIC MAN

SING FOR AMERICA

OUR DIRECTOR March (red book)

SHENANDOAH

GASLIGHT GAIETIES

SALUTE TO THE DUKE

SYNCOPATED CLOCK

THE ENTERTAINER

BEACH BOYS ON STAGE

12^TH STREET RAG

STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER