Last Friday, for the first time in forever, I went to see a gig again. It was the opening of an acquaintance's bar, and me and some friends from my old job (not that I have a new one) decided to go check it out. A lineup of bands, free entrance, okay food, and cheap booze. It's been a while since I've been in that scene, either as a member of the audience or as one of the performers, but... nothing has changed.
These band people still walk around with an all-important swagger, unsmiling. Their hair is still messy or unkempt. (There was this Kurt Cobain wannabe--vocal style, body movement, outfit and all--who had his hair all in his face. So you would think, okay, this guy doesn't give a shit about his hair. At least, that was the desired effect. The illusion, not very convincing to begin with, was shattered when he got thirsty and very carefully lifted a curtain of his hair, just one side, up and back toward his ear and took a drink of water, and then just as gently eased his hair back to cover his face. OhmahLawrd.) They all still sound the same. There is still a lack of originality.
But. Inasmuch as I hated on them, I was actually happy and relieved. Happy because I'm never happier (well, maybe not never) than when I have something to bag on. Relieved because, well, it's good to know that I'm still up to par. It's good to know that I haven't gotten left behind. That world is almost exactly as I left it, and were I to return (and I will), I'm still good for it.
Last night, I went to see a gig of a friend of mine. His band, Sound, played at 19East in Sucat. That place, by the way, is awesome. Lots of parking, nice garden tables, spacious music hall, fantastic sound system. And the drinks are yummy. The only downside is that you have to go down to the basement to use the bathroom: not exactly convenient or easy when you've had a few drinks. And the place is a little out of the way, so it doesn't really fill up. Sayang (it's too bad) though.
Sound played along with two other more-or-less jazz bands, Yosha and The Group. They were all really good. I mean like really good. Sound seems to be sort of feeling their way into something a little different from their old stuff, probably mostly owing to their lineup change, from a band of 6 to a 4-man lineup. Sounds good, though. The Group plays old stuff (the guy up front is kinda old too), The Police and Toto, and they don't sound like a cheap imitation either. In fact, if you close your eyes, you'd swear it was actually Sting singing. The discovery of the night, though, was Yosha, a 3-piece band fronted by a female vocalist. I don't even know where to start. Those guys are amazing, very clean and tight, and they've got this energy/vibe that's chill and subdued but with a kick. Definitely worth going to see.
So. I've been to 2 gigs within the span of a week. One showed me that I haven't been left behind and that I can still make it. The other showed me that there is so much more fantastic talent out there, that perhaps they have been working on their stuff for a long time, and that they are definitely on their way to something fantastic, coz by God, they got it. And I guess what I got out of them both is a good kick to my backside to get back on track already. I know that I still got it, that I can keep up with what's out there. But I'm not the only one, and I'm not getting any younger. So it's about time I really just went for it. I've been biding my time, doing things I needed to do first, and waiting for when it would be right. Well, that time is now. I'm not gonna be any more ready or in a better position to go do this. There is no more point in putting it off.
It's time to just take a deep breath, close my eyes, and jump.
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