Well, dear readers, we had an excellent stumble-through yesterday and then a pretty damn terrific first show last night. We did a sound check prior to the show and their sound guy got everything the way I liked it but got it perfectly by the second song in the show. The room holds fifty-six but we had around forty last night and they were a wonderful audience. I’ll talk more about what was in the show and the performers after tomorrow night’s show. In any case, we were six songs from finishing and I got up to introduce the next number and just as I was finishing up there was a loud POP and the sound went out. Our sound guy came up and checked the mics and they were fine and he checked this and that and ascertained that their amp was probably fried. So, I said we’d finish the show unplugged and that’s what we did and the kids were total pros about it and did great. The club people were grateful that I remained calm and got us through the show and they said everything will be ready for us when we arrive at four to do a quick sound check to make sure the settings are all good. Anyway, I was very proud of the kids and the really worked like gangbusters. Sequencing is everything and there has to be a method to it and you really have to be good at it, which I thankfully am. The show ended at eight-thirty and we all hung out for a bit, then I left, stopped at the nearby gas station and filled up the motor car and then came home. I’d only had a tiny Caesar at the club so I ordered my pasta dish from the Cheesecake Factory. Whilst waiting for it to arrive, I wrote another two new pages, so that was good. Then food arrived and I ate it all up, I had a telephonic conversation, and then it was time to write these here notes.
Yesterday really was fun. I was up at ten-thirty after eight hours of sleep, I managed to futz and finesse everything from the day before and write a couple on new pages, then shaved and showered, at which point people arrived for the stumble-through. We began on time and, as mentioned, the show structure worked like gangbusters and the kids all did great. The rains came again, so we were all worried about how long it would take to get to the Gardenia, so I said I’d give notes there rather than here. So, we all left and shockingly, it was clear sailing all the way, with nary a slowdown at any point. Our sound check was relatively easy, although I can be a handful about the sound I want, but he got it pretty quickly and all was well. And he did the lighting so that I could see my patter very well and that was always a problem in the old days when we first began at the Gardenia. Lots of new menu items, and that’s a good thing. Peyton Kirkner came with her mom and she seemed happy and healthy, so that was good and we’ll get together soon for a Smokehouse meal.
Today, I’ll be up by eleven or thereabouts, I’ll futz and finesse whatever there is (I’m hoping to do a few more pages once the notes are posted), then I’ll try to write at least eight to ten pages before I leave for the quick soundcheck, which is at four. Doors open at five and then we do our show at seven and I’ll have a much more complete report for you in those notes. After the show, I’m hoping some of us can grab a bite to eat.
Tomorrow, it’s back to writing, writing, and more writing and catching up on the two days where I didn’t do what I normally do. But first thing that morning, after futzing and finessing, will be sending Muse Margaret the next 110 pages, which will put us at 220 manuscript pages. I’m not sure how much more book there’ll be, but it will at least get up to 270 manuscript pages and may be even more. Interestingly, because of the style of the book and what the book is, I have already surpassed my usual word count and of course an nowhere near finished yet. The rest of the week is more of the same and announcing at least one Kritzerland title, if not two.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up by eleven or thereabouts, futz and finesse, write new pages, shave and shower, have a quick sound check, do a show, maybe have a bite to eat after, and then I can try to relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely topics and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, having done our first semi-Kritzerland Unplugged.