Some time back, I raised the question of where/what was your most memorable gig. There were very many interesting responses - I especially liked the gig at the nude Medieval Fair! My question now is:
Do you have any funny/interesting stories of outdoor gigs affected by weather conditions?
Last Fall I was playing on an outdoor stage in bitter cold and the guitarist thoughtfully pointed out to the audience “bejaysus, see the steam shooting out the end of her whistle” Of course after that, the audience stared at me the entire rest of the gig - a bit unnerving.
Pray, do tell -
Well, when I was in high school I played violin in a string quartet for an outdoor wedding. The bride and groom decided we would look most dramatic off to the side, away from the sidewalks and mowed grass.
We were, naturally, eaten alive by the insects that were so especially at home in the wild grass and weeds.
I guess the story is more of a lesson than an amusing anecdote:
- Play fiddle, not violin
- Do not play in the weeds
- If you must play in the weeds, make sure you get more than $25.
Sarah
during four years of marching band i’ve had more bad weather storys then you could imagine. the best was a saint patricks day parade were it was so cold we physicly couldn’t play.
C&Fers from the US may know that each year, before Christmas, there is a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the grounds of the White House. The President speaks and flips the switch for the Christmas Tree lights. The US Marine Band in always present to add to the festivities.
I hate to date myself like this, but I was a percussionist in the Marine Band the last time Lyndon Johnson officiated at this event (Christmas, 1968). Best I can recall, the temperature was somewhere south of 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12C). We had to sit there a looooong time before we actually play anything.
Apparently, cold affects the pitch of wind instruments in the opposite way if affects barred percussion instruments. I had to play a little glockenspiel part, and when I came in I wasn’t just out of tune, it sounded like I was playing in the wrong key. I tried briefly to transpose a half step but that wasn’t much better, so I had to give up and drop out.
–Jay
Reminds me of a scene in an early Woody Allen (Take The Money and Run?)movie where he plays Cello in the High School marching band…