some more stuff about the group

Haven't blogged in a while..
work has been going the same, which I never blog about anyway (okay except for that time during Christmas)

I have been continuing with getting together with Mike R., the bass player, and we are getting pretty tight. Stephanie has joined us and has started coming to practices.

I went to see the group "Centerline" http://www.centerlinetrio.com a few times, one time at Borders books and one time at "Bethany Village Grill". I really like that group, they are a trio of 2 guys and a gal, that sing very nice acoustic songs, covering a range of sounds like Country(ish) folkish, and songs that tell stories. Not all that unlike my stuff.

I have been conversing via email with Mark, the bass and acoustic guitar player. He has helped me with a lot of information for setting up a PA system. I actually went to watch them play Friday night and Mark went through all of his set up with me. I really appreciated that.

At the Bethany Village Grille I met with Mike R. and his wife, and another guitar player named Gary. We chatted and ate dinner there while watching Centerline.
In the mean time Mike had a conversation with the owner of the Grille, Les, and Les asked us to play there on the second Sunday of the month, and I am not sure if it's every month or not, have to talk to Mike about that one. So anyway it sounds like we have our first Gig.

We are also working on a name for the ensemble. I will keep you posted on that one.

Nuffa Dat

Andy

Forming a small Group

Blog for March 19th 2006

Haven't posted in a bit, I have been pretty busy trying to get a small group together.
What I envisioned was myself a Upright bass player, another guitar player, and a harmony singer or two. Actually the other guitar player was hopefully someone who is a writer also and we would work with each other on our music and back each other up.
What I have so far is an Upright Bass player, a guitar player who plays some nice fills and leads. My harmony singer is up in the air right now. I have a meeting with a young lady on Monday night so we will see how that goes.
I hate to sit here and post about things that aren't coming to fruition yet but heck it's just a blog.
I saw this girl at the Green Room open mic night, who I thought had a great voice, she plays the guitar okay but I could tell she hadn't been playing for a long time, anyway she ended up answering my ad, via email, and sending me the link to her "myspace" sight. I had thought about approaching her before when I saw her perform. I think I could back her up on what she is doing, that is to say playing guitar and singing harmony but not sure if she could reciprocate. I emailed her back, and we will have to wait and see.

So, Mike R., who is the Bass player, and I have gotten together a couple of times, the first night was just to introduce each other and kind of jam to see how it sounds, the second night we worked on 4 specific songs and got a good foundation. It's fun playing with another musician, although I haven't done it in years. It's a little distracting because I can't sing and listen all that well. I kept losing my spot because I was listening to him play. We had a good time. Mike R. is a great guy, someone who really loves music, he is very appreciative of my stuff and smiles a lot. He is quite experienced in the Portland music scene and has some great connections and has some good ideas for what we can do.

I am working with a guy named Damien who is a pretty good guitar player. Damien is very methodical at what he does so he is really studying my music and trying to come up with just the right sound. He really likes my stuff and wants to focus on my music entirely. He must be a good guy if he thinks my music is really good?

Nuffa' Dat!

Andy

Andy at "The Green Room"

Monday night at the Green Room....

Well I don't feel like I did as well as I did the last time but the response was very good! Of course 1/2 of the Audience were my dear friends..
I would like to thank Tina, Sheri, Pat, Christine, Annie and Hubby (sorry can't remember names well), Greggie pooh, Angie, Mike, Margie, Trish, Amy, I think that was the gang. What a great support group I had.

The room was full and it had a lot of good musicians there. I was very pleased that the guy that followed me was not the guy who preceded me. He was great, I am just glad I didn't follow him. What a voice and the chord progressions were awesome. I went up to him to shake his hand because I was really impressed. He was very kind in his compliments to me.

I was nervous couldn't quite loosen up to perform the way I would like too, but of course nobody noticed. I really enjoyed it and the time that we had after was fun also, we sat around talked, and also of course watched the other musicians play.
We probably weren't the best audience as we were talking quite a bit.

The above pictures were taken by Christine, and Pat
After seeing these pictures of me I shaved off the beard except for the gotee to get rid of some of the grey. Didn't realize I looked so old..

I played...

"By the time you get to heaven no one will be singing but you"
"I'll Tell you Goodbye" Michael Greenberg's great tune
"It's the kind of day you just do what you do" (new and as of yet unreleased)

Again, had fun. Hope to do it again soon.
Next blog I will try to talk about something different

Nuffa Dat'

Andy

Playing out Mon night 2/27

I hate saying "The Green Room" again, but I am going to be playing Monday night at the "Green Room" again.
It's not like getting a gig, but I have fun doing it, well at least when it's over and I can breathe again, it's fun.
I told a lot of people about this. If everyone ends up going who says they are going there should be 15-20 people
showing up... that's scarey!! Gives me good incentive to do my best. It also calms me down a bit and lets me focus
so that I will perform my best. There are some people who know me that are going but have never heard me play.
I don't really have a lot to say in this blog... don't want to ramble.
If you feel like flying in to Portland for the evening you should come on down, would love to have you there!
I will let you know how it went.

Nuffa Dat!

Andy

2 days before Valentines

Sunday Feb 12th

Not much on the home front today, 2 days before Hallmark day, or is it Valentine's day? Cards and chocolate, there's something to look forward to. It's a week of transition at work, no sooner does the 14th come and we have to get Easter all set, and "you only have 2-3 days to do it"! Oh and by the way, the new boss is coming in on Monday so you had better be perfect! It's taken me a lifetime and I have accomplished that yet, so how can I do it in less than a week? No really I am asking you..

"Remakes and Remixes 2" or better known as "Remakes 2" is all re-recorded and remixed. I am at the final listening stages, so for sure by next weekend I will have this done, and start mailing out by the next week. In case you don't know when I make a "Remakes" it's all my older stuff, that I am trying to make better than the original recording, or maybe just give it a new sound.
I am repeating my self from an earlier post.

All together there are 10 songs.

I am also now 8 songs into the new CD that is called "It's Lovely when it Rains"

Had an interesting dream last night about a new song... it was very touching and emotional. I will have to see what comes of that.

Had a good response to my classified ad looking for a guitar partner. The person who answered described himself, and he sounded like me, I had to go back and check to see if I accidentally responded to my own ad. I sent him a few songs and he liked them. I am looking forward to hooking up with him, we'll see what happens.

Nuffa Dat!

Andy

A little Delay..

I have a little delay in putting out remakes 2, I have some things that I want to touch up a bit before I send it out.
I am also working on another "song compilation" (cd) at the same time that has all new stuff on it. Last Sunday I
ended up writing a new song and got that recorded, after the intial recording, which I thought was done, I started
experimenting a bit and finding new things that were working out nicely. This in turn has lead me to want to go back
on some of the "Remakes 2" stuff and touch up a bit... hence, the delay.
Just didn't want to say I was going to do something and not do it, or at least explain to you why I am behind on what I had
said originally.

No successful responses to my "Ad" yet..
will probably take time also.

I have been doing some serious self analysis on my songwriting in the last few days, self analysis isn't always the best thing
to do, but, I am listening like I am not me. I like what I have done but I am thinking that I need a shot in the arm to grow a little bit. I will be in listening mode for a while now to try to absorb some new stuff. There are a few things on the new CD that will kind of reflect a change that has already started.. but I will let you be the judge of that.

Nuffa Dat',

Andy

The Green Room again...

I went again to the "Green Room"
this time Tina, Sheri, Pat and Christine went to watch me.
I find it much easier to perform when friends are with me. I was nervous and quite honestly probably would have chickened out had they not been there.
I have never seen that many people at the Green Room ever before. I don't think there too many seats open.

Being nervous and having the friends really forced me to work through the nerves, I just got up there and belted out the songs.
I played:

"I can only show you what I am" New
"That's a Fact" Older
" I can't live with your Cheating no more" off of "The Only Road to Real" CD

I really belted out with my voice. I think I had a real good audience response.
Chuck , the Host, came up and said "Excellent" I hadn't heard him say that to anyone before.

Some blonde chick in the back was really getting into it, she stood up and watched from the corner, okay so I am only mentioning that because I noticed how much she was really getting into it, and I appreciated that.
Tina said "someone back over in that corner was really getting into it"
Could have been a dark haired guy for all I care, it was just nice that someone liked it that much.

I also noticed some of the other musicians really paying attention to what I was doing.
This was also the first time that I have performed standing up using a "guitar strap", that made it much easier to get the nerve kinks out of my system.
I actually really enjoyed it. I want to do it again real soon, but I don't want to be one of those guys who goes every week and wears out the novelty of it all.
I am thinking once a month.

I put an ad in the local area paper, it's online mostly but comes in print also. I was advertising looking for an acoustic guitar playing, singing, songwriting person who wants to team up. I would really like to have someone as passionate as I to play out in public with. I miss playing with Michael, I really enjoyed that time of our lives when we played all the time.. Miss you Mike!
Got an email response already from someone, I am going to be very picky!!

Nuffa Dat!

Talk to you soon...

New Song Compilation coming to you

Well, I know it's been a long time in coming but I am announcing the release of "Remakes 2", this is the sequel to "Remakes and Remixes". I tried to redo only ones I haven't redone before, but I ended up with "Solace from the Pain" again, sorry but I can't seem to stop recording that one.
This version is raw, or "live". I recorded the vocals and the guitar at the same time, so I am calling it "live". I did the same with "She Brings that to Me".

Today I am finishing up the "Artwork" for the cover and remixing one of the songs. So I should have this out by Week's end.

If you are anxious to hear some of the songs they are available on my podcast, which is now on "itunes" Go to podcasts and search "Andrew Scott Frost" and you will have to subscribe to it and there you go. I think the songs show up around podcast 2-6. Podcast 6 is on there but itunes hasn't updated it yet, neither has Podcast.net. They must not work over the weekend.

My two favorite remixes on this new CD are, "I am Lost" and "Home" I like the guitar work on these two. On "I am Lost" I sped up the tempo just a bit and used as many as 4 acoustic guitar parts, giving it less of a country feel and more of a, I can't say "Jazz" but it has a different feel to it. You also swear that there were drums on this mix but there isn't, I was really getting into the second guitar part and was tapping the guitar. I was hoping to have Michael Greenberg on this song with me, but we never seem to be able to get together, he lives about 10 hours away.

I will have more in depth accounts of the songs listed on the website if you are interested.

Another Day Another Age...

So another 12/25 went by and now I am 46, been here for 46 years, Mom and I were talking about how fast it goes by, and I said "no it goes by just at the right speed" I think we start forgetting more as we get older so those cherished times of our youth are forgotten and it's like waking up and "poof" it's gone. Well I am refusing to let that be true, everything has happened and gone by just at the right pace. After all, I lived this life already, I am just remembering it now...
Being born on Christmas means nothing really. Mom was great in that she would celebrate my Christmas birthday on Dec. 24th eve. that way I could open up birthday presents that night, and then wake up and open up Christmas presents on the 25th.
That was very good for me. It doesn't work that way now as I am older but La Resa is good at making sure I am recognized on my Birthday, she contacts the local press and it's usually front page of the "Oregonian" after all it is really big news!

Work is work, we have to clean up all of our messes, and get on with business. That is all i am going to say about that!

Thanks for the cards, and well wishes, the phone calls and the "text" messages. Thanks for taking a moment to make contact with me on the 25th of yet another December.

13 days of Christmas..

Was the 13th day of Christmas and My True Love Gave to Me.. another day at work and a Customer that won't let me be...
I think only my fellow Managers can know what I am going through right now, I think it's called apothy, or I don't give a sh__.
I am so tired of stacking appliances, walking through my store looking at at the super structures, walking through the stockroom looking for a Bissell Sweeper in the hopes that some wayward husband might think it's the perfect gift for the love of his life, unlocking the key to the valuable room/cage hoping that that walgreens 9 volt battery holds enough voltage to inspire some lonely housewife to "buy me" cause I am on sale 3/$1.00 and like it really would last long enough to power up the Radio Controlled Battery Operated Remote Control High Speed Blender that will mix all the Chaos of my holiday cheer into a Swhirling Bottomless box of emotional bliss that when I check out, finally, I find the key to life and an elixir worth mixing and sharing with a gathering of well conceived bossom buddies and a tabernacle of emotionally deficient high schoolers attending a pre-prom gathering hosted by not only all of the people who attended the first day of kindergarten with but also the last day of boy scouts and the first day of college. Now if you don't understand that then you haven't had enough coffee and haven't answered enough "customer service calls line one" or code 30 in the pharmacy, or IC3's, and you have absolutely no idea what I am talking about. Tomorrow is another day and I love my Job!!! Only 2 days left. Can I possibly show up and know what the heck I am talking about. We'll see, oh and by the way, enjoy your Christmas day, it's the only day off you will have in the month of December, but be there bright and early on the 26th it's an important day of doing absolutely nothing but cleaning up the mess of all the people that were there on the 25th who absolutely had no foresight to plan on buying everything that they might have needed for that all important 25th of December. Who's birthday is it really anyway.. oh yeah MINE!!!

All I want to do is dance...

Okay, I don't really have a reason to title this Blog "all I want to do is dance" but I seem to have that song in my head, it's an "Eagles" song I think or at least Don Henley sings it..
All of us Managers at work are going on day 7 out of 13 in a row before Christmas day, but the other way that we look at it is we only have 1 day off in 21 days. It used to be worse, it used to be that we had Thanksgiving day off then that was it till Christmas day, sooooo it is much better, but it still is tough, we are losing patience, are a bit testy, and may I say slightly "pissy".
I am working on the new CD but I am at a standstill right now because of work, I have been playing my guitar but I haven't had much energy to actually record.
On Tues. I drove down to perform at "Haven" coffee house but when I drove by, they didn't have anyone there playing and they didn't have the sound system set up, so I think they aren't doing open mic night for the winter season. I am going to call and see what's going on. I was really kind of looking forward to playing, oh well. I am thinking about the "Green Room" for Monday night but that takes a little more preparation, mentally, for me.

Oh the weather, well "Baby it's Cold Outside", it's been very chilly in the Pacific Northwest this week. Speaking of that song, if you haven't heard James Taylor and Natalie Cole singing "Ooohh Baby it's cold outside" you are missing a great rendition of that song. If you like I can send you an MP3 of it, just drop me an email ... I think that may be illegal sharing a song like that, oh well sue me!

My Life is settling down a bit, I have written a few good songs lately and am hoping to get 4 more new ones so I can release the new CD. "It's lovely when it Rains" so far I have 6 new ones. I am also due to send out a new podcast. I will try to do that before the end of the week, even though this is the biggest weeks of the year. Oh and did I say, I am ready to retire...

Nuffa Dat,

talk to you soon,

Andy

The Christmas Season...

Does anyone really know why we do this thing we call "The Holiday Season"? It seems so pointless.. I don't really want to rant about this and I know what I say isn't going to be all that creative or funny. I can also so that this is one of the calmer Christmas seasons that I have had, it is in a new work location, and I have a lot more space to work with where I am this year, which initially is tougher to set up, but once it's set up it's easier to maintain, less time stocking the shelves, you can set certain time periods earlier than most other locations so you can stay ahead of the game, also you have more space for your customers so there is less stress for them in their shopping experience, with all that said, I guess I don't have a lot to complain about other than the fact that people are so negative this time of year, they are struggling so hard to buy something that is going to make themselves happy, you know, that particular ornament that reminds them of their child hood, or a particular "Lamp" that they just have to have, "I have to have that" why?? One thing I can't figure out is why do the masses of people all decide to shop on a particular day at a particular time. People shop in clusters, if you watch all of the stores in a "District" or "Market" we are all busy exactly on the same day.. or we all are slow on a particular day. How is the state of consciousness of the human race all linked in that they would all shop exactly at the same day same time in all retail locations? It's amazing to observe this, and I think that most people aren't aware of this. It's most notable when people shop your pharmacy on the same day at the same peak time and they want their prescription at that same time, "right now!" Leaving no room for the understanding that there is someone in front of them which a much more serious need, nope! it's all about me!!! I can't change this I just wish more people could observe this and take a deep breath, calm down, it's not like you are in Iraq! It's 5 o'clock on a Monday in Downtown USA, relax, you have it better than anyone else in the world right now, yeah I am sorry we are out of the 39 cent scotch tape you are looking for, I know.. we did it to you on purpose, we knew you were coming so we purposely sold out before you got here because it was you, oh did you hear, 10 marines got killed today??? how many of the scotch tapes did you want? 3? okay, I am so sorry...

my email...

Sorry if you receive several copies of this email.

I am not going to be using the afrost59@comcast.net email address anymore,
I am only going to be using this, afrost59@gmail.com and my cold cut
recording email address andyfrost@coldcutrecordings.com

I am getting a huge amount of spam on comcast, and they aren't doing
anything about that so I am not going to use that account anymore.

Thanks,

Andy Frost

I'm Back...

Boy it's been a while since I have been here, hope you all didn't forget about me. I think I have forgotton about me also. I have not been myself lately, it's been a rough month. I haven't played out in public in a bit, and I am missing that, I am thinking that my nerves are going to be back in full swing when I finally get back out there.
I have been on a roller coaster of emotions for some reason, maybe it's because I am 45 and 46 is just days away. Nothing really happens when you turn 45, it seems quite harmless but then that year goes by fast and all of a sudden you say, "Is this it? is this all there is?" What you do with the answer to that question can go either way. I guess my resolution of that conflict isn't quite over, I wish it were, and I wish I didn't just go through that, think I would have been better off not going through that questioning, but I guess in the grand scheme of things, "everything happens for a reason" whatever!! Unfortunately those that you love have to suffer through this also, let's not forget about that one.
Sorry this is gloomy, wish I had something fun to talk about.
Well I can say this, for all the times that people have come to me with a heartache and I didn't understand and I didn't help you out, I appologize, my feelings are now wide open for you, I will be there for you next time for certain, and I will know exactly what you are going through and feeling.

Interesting week

I try to keep my work out of this, for 2 reasons, I am sure it's boring to everyone and also I don't want people to figure out where I am, you know people who don't really know me, not that I am paranoid or anything.
Let's see, what's new, mostly unfortunately it's all work related, the economy is tight so work is tightening up on expenses which means payroll, so we are cutting back and the stress level is very high.

On the music front, I took a week off and didn't appear (play) anywhere, but I am working on the latest CD, actually working on two CD's at the same time, a new one, which is currently called "It's Lovely when it Rains" and the other one is kind of a "Remakes and Remixes II", I haven't really figured out what I am going to call it, but I will keep you posted. I wrote a new song this week that I think is really haunting, even though haunting is probably not the most accurate description, I sent it to those who have high speed internet access, and I will probably put it on a "podcast" sometime this week.

I am glad you are reading my blogs, and I know this isn't as personal as a personal email, but for some reasaon it's more fun because I can put in some pics and select an interesting background etc.

I have a new friend, that I have been having some good email conversations with, it's acutally someone that I would probably call my new "biggest" fan, I won't mention their name here, to protect the privacy etc. Of course Mom is probably my biggest fan but that goes without saving. Some nice doors have been opened up for me since I have been playing in public lately, have met some really nice people.

Nuffa Dat',

Andy

GregoryLygon.com :: Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter, Teacher, Performing Artist, Recording Engineer, and Voice-Work Artist based in Culpeper, VA

I belong to a "Breedlove" guitar users group on Yahoo, and one of the posts I put on recently included a link to my blog. In response to this post I got the email, shown below, from Gregory Lygon. Very nice compliment concerning my Podcast 4 "She brings that to me"
I responded to this email, very casually and didn't think too much about it but then I went to Gregory's website and was floored when I listened to his music..
what a great compliment from a great musician! I will have to thank him a with a little more compasion.

Andy,

Concerning . . .

****************************************
Check out my latest blog!!

http://frostfamily.blogspot.com/

****************************************

Very pretty tune! I was listening to "Cold Cut Recordings PodCast 4 (Sep 19, 2005)" (She
Brings That To Me).

Can you tell us about the guitar and small-condenser mic you used?

Of soul, spirit and song,

Gregory Lygon
Ravenwood Music Services, LLC
http://www.gregorylygon.com

AAA/Contemporary Folk Singer Songwriter
Nominated "Best Instrumentalist" Contemporary Folk by WAMA, 2003

Played a lot this week!

This week in update, well it was pretty busy at work, we had a "big wig" in town so we all were scrambling to get it all "right", I am sure you know how that goes.

On the personal side, Tues night I went back to "Haven" coffee house and performed. There were a lot of great performers that night, it seems like when I first go to a place to check out the talent, there is a slow start to it, but then within a couple of weeks the place is just crawling with great musicians. I think everyone must be doing the same thing I am doing, out there searching for places to go, once they find it the word spreads and the place just grows and grows.

This week went much better than the first time. I am still having a bit of stage freight, can't quite loosen up to the full extent that I am at when I am playing at home... this is my ultimate goal.
By the time I got up to perform there were so many people there and the line behind me to perform was pretty long, so the host asked me to speed it up just a bit, so I chose to do only two songs. I did "She brings that to me" and "Solace from the Pain".

I don't think I was imagining things but as soon as I started to play the place got very quiet, I noticed everyone was listening, even the people in line to get coffee and the person who owns the place also. This was probably the best compliment that I could get. Finished the first song, got a big round of applause, then I did Solace, and the reaction to that song was tremendous. I think my mellow stuff is more appropriate for coffee houses, I think that is what people like to hear there.

There was a guy who played cello with another guitarist there who really wants to do a string arrangement for solace, so he gave me his email address.
There was a person who talked to me and when we were done he said to his buddy, "were meeting a lot of great musicians in Portland" nice compliment.
Then there was a lady who was sitting down where I was sitting who thanked me for my performance (always one of the nicest compliments to get) I made eye contact with her during "solace" I could sense her reactions to that song.

and finally when I was leaving the owner of the coffee house thanked me for coming down to play. She is very nice and went out of her way to call me over to her before I could sneak out the back. Didn't want to be rude by not staying to watch the final acts. I had to stop in at work for preparation to the "Visit"

The week was topped off by my performing at Kim's house for a select group of friends and their families.
That was an absolutely wonderful way to finish the week. I played for over an hour to a really great audience of friends, the response was great. I pretty much stayed mellow, mixing it up with a few "bluesy" type songs , just to break up the mellowness of it.

I made a mistake of telling the story behind the song "Sometimes" which made it very tough to play.. I almost lost it during the song.

anyway, the food and atmosphere was great, I liked doing that and it was great of Kim to host that event, again. I hope she realizes how much I really appreciate her doing that for me.
I would go into a lot more detail on what transpired at Kim's house but I already have written the longest blog that I have ever done at this point.
Let's just say, it was great to be so appreciated by people I really can call my friends.

One last thing, I can't tell you about the new guitar I got, I am already in hot water over that.

Andy

Another Open Mic Night

I went out and played this evening at another open mic night. It was much more difficult than playing at the green room. I think it was because of the small room and people right there in front of you. At the "Green Room" they have the lights shining in your eyes, you are up and away from the audience, it's a little less personal.
I don't think I did all that well this evening, I did okay but I wasn't loose and relax, and I made more mistakes. I seemed to be more focused on my distractions and my nerves rather than letting it flow smoothly etc.
I think it went over well, I believe that the people who were still there by the time I played enjoyed what I was doing.

There was a very good group of musicians playing tonight. It seems to be that way every time I decide to play.
The evening started out with this 10 year old girl who was absolutely impressive. She was playing a full sized guitar and playing bar chords. She played 3 songs that she wrote, she wasn't even nervous, here writing was great. She was about where I was when I was 20 years old.

The second person was extremely deep and very good, can't remember her name. I won't go on with all of the details.
I think I will go back next week for the practice of playing in front of people again, it was good, even though my hand was shaking, and I forgot the words to one of my songs that I have been singing for 20 years... geeshhh! I think it may have been humbling karma.. which I think I needed, I was getting a little cockey! and had no right to be.

See you soon,

Andy

Not much activity on the home front....

...and not many emails coming around. I am not sure about anywhere else but here in the Pacific Northwest, it was almost instantaneous the change of weather when it actually turned Autumn/Fall. We in the Portland area have gotten a heck of a lot of rain in the past 3 days. It seems so gloomy and it definitely affects people, but, I still kind of like it when it goes into rainy mode.
I am sitting in the nook looking out into the back yard and off into the distance, it's dark because of the clouds but the greens are shimmering from the dampness and some of the colors that are starting to turn to their harvest oranges and browns, are quite pronounced, the contrasts and blendings are quite nice to see.
Some of the differences in looking out in to the distance now are the amount of houses that have gone up around our location in the last year. The changes are staggering, anyone who has visited would be amazed. In one spot relatively close to us thy have literally "moved a mountain", and quite honestly it doesn't look safe.
They have changed the beautiful natural face of many of the areas around here.
We knew it would happen eventually and luckily we are in a neighborhood that is pretty much set. The houses behind our house and in our main view have been there for quite some time, I am supposing that nothing will change there until the people there know leave the earth and their houses to their children who will then sell them to some land developers.. and then hopefully by that time, we will be ready to move or do something.

Nuffa Dat!

see you all soon,

Andy

Well I did it!!

Well, I did it!

I went to the open Mic night at the "Green Room" Monday night and performed in public for the first time in years, and really long years because I really only played one song at a time at a major seminar.

I will try to recap the evening but keep it short...

Let me start out by saying every week that I have gone there have been mostly okay performers and a few that are a bit rough around the edges, so, the night I choose to give it a go, everyone was very good to great! I was so laughing about that... figures huh?

In the line up I was number 6. The first guy was Brandt something, he was awesome, had a great sound and wrote some great stuff, great voice, wow!
The second guy I can't remember his name, but he was weird but extremely talented, I think his name was DJ, that's all I have for a name . I don't know if he had original stuff or not, but if he was singing his own stuff, he was and extremely great song writer.
There was a guy/gal combo that did well.
The person before me was kind of esoteric, which doesn't always bode well in a "Bar" environment, soooooooo

When I got up there I was a bit nervous but it took a while to get set up, which is good for a distraction of my nerves. The first song I played was Michael Greenberg's "I'll Tell You Goodbye". I really stretched out the intro, to get my fingers time to loosen up. I then played "To Be with You Tonight", and then "The Other Guy".
I only played the 3 songs.

It's kind of a tough crowd because most of the people there are the other musicians and I think they feel like you are the competition, but the people who I considered real good, seem to be listening to me, in fact the first guy, Brandt, came up as he was leaving a gave me a "great job" comment, which I wish I had been able to give to him.

I was noticing that I had some people's attention, I think playing my "Bluesy" upbeat stuff paid off because it wasn't being played by others. 3 older guys, probably a few years older than me, occupied the seats in front of me and to my left, they seemed to really appreciate the music, they alone made my night worth while.

All and all I was really relaxed, I made a lot of eye contact, I didn't stare at my hands. It was good and I feel pretty good about it. I called Tina a couple of minutes before I was leaving to let her know I was going to play, I felt like I needed a little bit of moral support, she was very excited and didn't hesitate to come along. I really appreciated her coming. Tina is always a good supporter, I think it was great that she was available to come at a moments notice, I really appreciated her being there.
I think I would like to do the coffee house thing next, a little mellower.
But also, Stephanie and I are going to work up a set so that we can go to the Green Room and perform.

That's basically it!

Thanks for reading.

Talk to you all soon.