Family day gig

[Balamuthiah]

Hello all,

In case you were wondering what I was doing this week, every year at my work, employees get together with their families and celebrate what we call a family day. This is when the top cats from the parent company in Japan visit to keep check on things in the United states. But at the end of the day the occasion is for everyone to chill and enjoy. Two years ago, the lead guitarist from this gig and the bassist, played a couple of songs. And I told them that I would like to join them next year. Well we didn't do it last year but we decided to do it this year. Now these two have had tons of experience doing live shows (30 years of performing). So I really wanted to do this to step up my game but it was also quite intimidating for the same reason. What's funny is we didn't practice as a band until hours before the show. It was very challenging and an enjoyable experience. I had trouble with starting the "gotta be cool" line during the practice session but somehow made it at the end. I still have a sore throat from the cold from last week and couldn't hit the pitch right sometimes. But singing a bunch of times during the practice session didn't help with it either.

And also with the mic, they advised me to "eat it", "kiss it" and "make love it". But I kept going away from the mic quite a lot. Something there to work on.

As for the show, we planned on doing three songs in the following order:
1. Crazy little thing called love - Queen
2. Basket case - Greenday
3. Sweet home Alabama - Lynyrd skynyrd

But at the end of the show, everybody requested an encore. So I asked the audience what to play and they requested either Hey Joe or Hey Jude or Yesterday. I chose Hey Jude to involve the people gathered. I had so much fun doing this. We have also decided to jam regularly and play more gigs locally.

There were some really funny and fun moments in the whole show. However, I don't have the full video yet. These are just gathered from different sources and are just bits and pieces. But I will share the full video once I get it

P.S: I really need to remember lyrics and chords!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtLKY1_jPG8

Edit: One more thing. I've never listened to basket case before and didn't learn the song until hours before. So if you noticed that I was only playing the D chord for most part, that's the reason

[close2u]

Kudos and congratulations to you for stepping up your game several notches. Playing to colleagues and families must have been somewhat nerve wracking. It's good fun at bottom and that came through.

[Balamuthiah]

Kudos and congratulations to you for stepping up your game several notches. Playing to colleagues and families must have been somewhat nerve wracking. It's good fun at bottom and that came through.

Thank you Close. I was nervous the previous night cuz we didn’t practice together at all and I didn’t want to play something entirely wrong to what the others were playing. But once we did that in the morning, I felt very relieved. I was fine by the time we started. It was pure fun after that. The open mic helped a lot too.

[redrhodie]

You guys sound great, Bala! I think you guys should keep playing together. If you did this well with no real practice, I think you have a lot of potential. You did great!

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[Balamuthiah]

You guys sound great, Bala! I think you guys should keep playing together. If you did this well with no real practice, I think you have a lot of potential. You did great!

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Thank you Lynn! As a matter of fact, the bassist’s wife is a drummer. She couldn’t join us this time but we made her promise to play with us next year. She’s actually in a proper band making music locally. So all this is good for me right now. And we are planning on playing live more often! They want me to open for their band and they even said they’d help me out in my open mics. So plenty of live shows and jams to look forward to and it’s definitely a step in the right direction!

[redrhodie]

That's really excellent and exciting! I knew you could find a band, and isn't it just like fate to make it happen? I think this is going to be great for you! One thing leads to another.

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[Balamuthiah]

That's really excellent and exciting! I knew you could find a band, and isn't it just like fate to make it happen? I think this is going to be great for you! One thing leads to another.

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Thank you Lynn! It’s definitely exciting! And it felt so great to finally play with a band! Perfect rockstar fairytale this! Lol XD but I really feel alive playing live and to be doing that in a band is definitely a dream come true! But there’s also the added responsibility now to step up my personal game too and practice a lot more. Most importantly learn many new songs and remember them properly!

[DavidP]

Well done, Bala, that looked great, a lot of fun. Brilliant to step up after the open mic and start playing live with others.

Keep on rocking, living the dream!!

[Balamuthiah]

Well done, Bala, that looked great, a lot of fun. Brilliant to step up after the open mic and start playing live with others.

Keep on rocking, living the dream!!

Thank you David! Each step I’m taking in this journey just keeps getting better! Makes me realize how much I love to play and sing! 😊

[LievenDV]

rockstar!

Really brave of you to straight up ask them to join.
As I saw it, you weren't lacking any confidence and you pulled off some nice stuff there!

great look btw

[Balamuthiah]

rockstar!

Really brave of you to straight up ask them to join.
As I saw it, you weren't lacking any confidence and you pulled off some nice stuff there!

great look btw

Thank you for the amazing compliment Lieven but there’s a long way to go before I can truly be a rockstar. I will work very hard towards that though!

I felt I was reckless at the time I asked. But if I hadn’t asked I wouldn’t have practiced hard enough to have done it now. So I feel relieved that I braved up to do that.

I didn’t feel nervous as much when we went out there but as for the confidence I was surprised too. But I’ve kinda always been the guy who was always shy and nervous before I got on the stage. Once I get on I’ve never had issues since childhood. It surprises a lot of people too. Myself included. It’s more of a conversion of my fear to confidence by force! Just like when you’re so afraid of something but you dive right in and it turns out all right in the end.

I also thought carefully about my look. I didn’t want to look too flashy but at the same time wanted to look like a rockstar. So I went shopping for band shirts. I also remembered I had these John Lennon glasses at home. Have been growing out my hair for a while. I’m just happy that everything turned out good. Just need to work on “making love” to the mic. As a band’s frontman do you have any suggestions?

[batwoman]

Wow Bala, what a step up! You present so well, sound so good and you rock! I hope you can gig with the guys on a regular basis.

[oldhead49]

Hey, Bala, You're living your dream!!  Good for you.  I remember reading something from you early on about wanting to play with others and wanting to get in a band.   Congratulations.  You've go some good sounds going there and I enjoyed your vid.   Onward and upward!!  Open mic, too.  Just great stuff to see.

[CT]

Sounded good to my ears and looked good to my eyes. By the way, thanks for not making love to the mic, I'm still trying to flush that out of my memory bank. At any rate, play on playa!

[Balamuthiah]

Wow Bala, what a step up! You present so well, sound so good and you rock! I hope you can gig with the guys on a regular basis.

Thank you Maggie! I want to improve my presenting as well. Kinda want to use some witty jokes but I guess that sort of thing only comes with time. I sure want to keep gigging.

Hey, Bala, You're living your dream!!  Good for you.  I remember reading something from you early on about wanting to play with others and wanting to get in a band.   Congratulations.  You've go some good sounds going there and I enjoyed your vid.   Onward and upward!!  Open mic, too.  Just great stuff to see.

Thank you Dave. It sure wasn't long ago that I wanted to play in a band. Just been magical lately. Onward and upward indeed!

Sounded good to my ears and looked good to my eyes. By the way, thanks for not making love to the mic, I'm still trying to flush that out of my memory bank. At any rate, play on playa!

Thanks CT! Haha I wasn't planning on making love to the mic. But I do need to watch my distance from it! Will keep playing even if it was my last day!

[glpguitar]

Nice one! You guys rocked and I love the approach of "throw yourself in the water and learn how to swim" !

You did an amazing job here and keep us updated on future gigs!

[Balamuthiah]

Nice one! You guys rocked and I love the approach of "throw yourself in the water and learn how to swim" !

You did an amazing job here and keep us updated on future gigs!

Thank you glpguitar and the approach surely works! Especially in this case. Playing with a band to me has always made my playing better cuz I can better keep time and the chord changes somehow become smoother, probably cuz subconsciously I’m challenging myself or something. But it certainly works. Also considerably reduces stage fear.

I’ll definitely keep you guys posted

[LBro]

Gosh Balla,
You guys overcame much to pull this off. My hat is off to you for doing so well considering all that was in front of you. Sweet home was my favorite as the lead guitar player is pretty good too. Great stuff and nice job all around.

I would say next time you should make it easier on yourself and practice, but duct tape that mic on! lol

All my best as you keep on rocking it down!
LB

[Balamuthiah]

Gosh Balla,
You guys overcame much to pull this off. My hat is off to you for doing so well considering all that was in front of you. Sweet home was my favorite as the lead guitar player is pretty good too. Great stuff and nice job all around.

I would say next time you should make it easier on yourself and practice, but duct tape that mic on! lol

All my best as you keep on rocking it down!
LB

Thank you for the listen and kind words Lbro! It was a lot of fun. And the lead guitarist is solid good considering the fact that he never practices! Well he must have when he was younger, probably a lot!

I do need to practice a lot though! Not just for my gigs, but in general. So many songs I want to learn and possibly master!

And I had the wrong mic stand holder so we had to duct tape the mic And then had to stay very close to it. That was difficult!