A Real Gig

Saturday was the day of my gig with Dean and this band that was called "Tite In The Corner". It isn't really much of a band per se, led by a Carson-based guitarist named Stan Sanchez. But with three-fourths of BW in tow (myself, Dean, and Tom - I can never remember his last name! - on the bass), we played the second set of the Grand Reopening Party at Toad's in Carson City. It's a nice enough place, and the staff and management there were very, very nice to us.

But as with all gigs, there was a last-minute curveball. Since Toad's 'reopening' was because of its expanding into the next stall of the strip mall it was in, we figured that we'd be playing indoors. But instead we were outdoors on a day where the temperature was a thin red hair below 100. At least we weren't the band that came on at 4pm for the first set. I heard them as I was presetting my kit in the parking lot behind the bar, nice enough stuff though their harmonica player was playing over the top of everything, and that got on my nerves a bit. Stan and Tom helped me get my stuff over to the tent we'd be playing under during the one-hour changeover, and we started up right on time at 8pm.

We were nice and in the groove right away. And that's always the best way to play. And it was so nice to play in a REAL band with REAL musicians, no backing tracks, no canned backing vocals, no canned LEAD vocals, just four guys and their gear, the way it ought to be! Dean brought his keyboard out for a version of Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight", and he told me after the show that it was the first time he'd played the song with a drummer who played the original beat of the song!

We jammed well and hard until it became dark, which necessitated the temporary theft of the light rig that was being used by a DJ inside the bar in order to continue the show. We played until 11pm to much applause from the crowd, and the fastest payday I think I'd ever seen in all my years of playing. The bar manager actually handed the envelope of cash to Stan before I'd even managed to take off my gloves and headset mic after the last song had ended!

We were also informed that the owner of Toad's would get us gigs at Doppleganger's, a very nice brewpub in town as well as repeat performances at Toad's. Tom also invited me to join him for a side project that would have me playing at the Farmer's Market in Fallon on a pair of Tuesdays in July. "Tite In The Corner" could turn out to be a better moneymaking opportunity than Bridgewater.....

Oh yeah, I was informed that Bridgewater is no more. At least in name, that is. Joy told me after the show that Shelly (Dean's wife) had told her that Bridgewater was now "Strange Loop".

Wha?

At least I had a great time playing in this group. My playing was generally fluid, sharp and concise. Which has always been my general style, more Phil Rudd than Neil Peart. There were a few very minor flubs for me, but nothing anybody other than myself noted. Joy took a bunch of pics and a video or two, and I'll see if I can get them up on the blog or on our MySpace ASAP.

Now it's a few days rest before I head over the Sierras to Oroville and the Gold Country Casino with my friends Steppen Stonz on Wednesday for the July 4th weekend. Wish me luck!