The Gig

I haven't told you about The Gig. (WAH-WAH ECHO SFX)


It seems that Anna, the woman who runs the jam session I attend, has gotten us a gig.


It doesn't pay all that well; actually, it doesn't pay anything at all. It's a small venue, connected to a local centennial celebration, at a neighborhood park. I don't know the particulars, whether we'll be inside or out. We're all playing acoustic, so I don't know what kind of sound system they'll have. It's in about a month and a half, which given that we get together once a week, means only five practice sessions. Not awful, if we are only going to do a few songs, right?


So I asked, how long is the set?


We have an hour, she said.


An hour? Geez Louise! That's fifteen songs!


Well, yes ...


At least we get to play sitting down. And we can use our books.


So, we came with with suggestions, looking to cover a wide swath, and there is a tentative set-list. Tentative, because some of us haven't played some of the songs on it together, and we don't know how they will sound.


We have half a dozen numbers that I think sound pretty good, harmonies work, the instrumentation is okay, but five rehearsals? I dunno ...


We have folk songs, blues, country, standards, R&B, roots, and even a reggae. 


Something to offend everybody ...


The list: 

1.  Sloop John B

2.  Country Roads

3.  Tonight You Belong to Me

4.  Kansas City

5.  Your Cheatin’ Heart

6.  House of the Risin’ Sun

7.  Last Thing on My Mind

8.  I’ll Fly Away

9.  My Creole Belle

10. King of the Road

11. Midnight Special

12. Under the Boardwalk

13. Jamaica Farewell

*14. Woke Up Dead Blues 

*15. Blowin’ in the Wind 

* Not sure which we'll end with. Dead is funny, but the Dylan song is the one we sound the best on, and the choice is to leave 'em laughing or maybe thinking we didn't sound all that bad.

I'll let you know how things go ...