Saturday, August 15, 2009

Let There Be Light

July was a very lucrative month at work, so about two weeks ago I went to the local music store that I have been dealing with and purchased the headset mic that I have had my eyes on for the last year or so. Then, a couple days ago I went back and paid off my lights. I must say, it’s the coolest thing. My living room looks and sounds like a night club. That may sound strange to most folks, but to me it’s extremely exciting. Every time I get a new piece of equipment, it’s like a child with a new toy. It’s like Christmas morning, seriously. I probably could have waited, but I really wanted to have the chance to try them out and find out how they work. We are doing a karaoke show at a local bar on August 28th and I want to be ready. I don’t want to do this half-ass, I want to be as professional as I can be. People can tell if you don’t know what you are doing. I had a college professor who said “You can teach a monkey to turn knobs and push buttons. The difference between you and the monkey is that you know WHY you are turning the knobs and pushing the buttons.“ I have been to many shows where it was obvious that the performers didn’t put a lot of thought behind what they were doing. They were unsure of how to talk to the audience, they had no idea of what to say in between songs, they didn’t make eye contact with the people in the audience, there was too much time or “dead air” between songs, they didn’t give any thought at all to their wardrobe (I hate paying a lot of money to see a show where the performer is wearing ripped jeans and a t-shirt), and, one of my personal pet peeves, they introduce each song with “My next song is….”. Performing live isn’t the same as a chef in a restaurant making dinner for someone. If they don’t like what you cooked for them, you can always make them something else. But being on a stage live is a one-time deal. You either get it right or you don’t, and either way, you will leave a lasting impression on all in attendance. I want the impression I leave to be the best that it can be. Even if it’s just a karaoke show. Anyone can spin a disc and announce the name of the next singer. But what if it’s a slow night? What if there are only five singers? It’s hard to fill four hours with the same five people singing over and over, especially when most folks only have two or three songs in their repertoire. You have to know how to keep the crowd interested and make it a fun night. I remember a few years ago when I hosted a show for a friend. It was September and the show was at a marina at an outdoor bar on the banks of a river. It was a bit cold and it was drizzling now and then, and I think there might have been one person who wanted to sing. We spent the entire night singing songs ourselves. We had an audience of three or four people, maybe five. But, as they say, the show must go on. This show is no different, except that this time my name is on the product and how I present myself determines the reputation I leave behind. If you give the client a sub-standard product, then your reputation will be sub-standard. I’m a professional and I want my “product” to say that I'm a professional. A friend told me once, “Do what you can do”. So I have put everything I have into making it the best it can be….money, time, energy….whatever I can do. I may never get another chance to this, so I’m gonna do whatever I can to get it right the first time.


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