Last night, I had one of those experiences that I hope to remember for the rest of my life. Our band was hired to play at a summer kick-off party down at the Camden Harbor. We were told that we’d be playing on a barge. Now, when I think barge I think of something flat and square. When we got to the harbor, we were faced not with a barge as I’d imagined it, but with a lobster boat named the Mojo.
I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun playing music than I did last night. It was a beautiful evening with clear skies and only tiny wisps of cloud. From the boat we could see Camden rising up above us, surrounded by green hills. Schooners sailed in and out of the harbor around us, paddlers sat in their boats in the middle of the harbor and paused to listen to us play, and families lounged on the decks of their sail boats and power boats at dock. Our audience surrounded us.
I play the upright bass, which has a tendency to sway under the best of circumstances since it stands on a slim rubber foot. Put a bass on a boat and you’ve got double the sway. By the time the show was over I felt like a jelly fish, my limbs all noodley from the unconscious strain of keeping my instrument from falling into the harbor.
Music is a very zen art, especially when played live. Every note created vanishes almost immediately into the past, no mistake can be hidden. Music is living in the moment, which can sometimes be completely nerve wracking, but when the moment consists of a postcard view, an ocean breeze, and a gently rocking boat….All I can say is that I often found myself too caught up in the moment to remember my chord changes, especially towards the end of the show.
But even knowing that I made mistakes cannot tarnish the perfection of last evening. The weather was idyllic. People came to the show and they liked it. We had enough money in the tip jar to cover post-show drinks and snacks. And last night was the first time I played an entire show solely on my upright bass. I am nothing but proud and excited to see where we will go next as a band.
Thank you for reading.
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