This is the gig that all our practice had led up to. For many of us in the group, this was our first time performing outside of college. There were a few who were very nervous to play this gig, but we managed to pull it off. After an introduction from Nic, we were ready to start.
This performance was very similar to the cafe gig. However, I don’t believe we performed as well. There were a lot more mistakes made during this performance, mistakes that we hadn’t made prior. Such as, the ending of our first song “Coming Home Baby”. Despite these minor slip ups, we carried on and made it work. In short notice Nic,had to step up and play bass, as our bassist had fallen ill. He did a great job with such short notice. As a group we played competently, communicating with each other to guide one another and also express concerns during the tracks. This helped us to get back on track whenever we made a mistake. Performing in the care home was not comfortable, having little to no space, and not having the regular set up we usually have. Despite this, we put on a great performance that made the day of many of the residents there.
My own performance was good. As I said previously, I struggled a lot during the rehearsal process as playing the piano is till new to me. However, I think i was pretty spot on with the parts that I was given to play. The script I was given for MC was more important in this gig than any. It really gave the audience something to rely on, to know which song we are playing and where it was originated. A lot of the songs we played were written in the residents generation, so it was nice to see a few of them get excited when we played a song the recognized.
Everyone should be proud of what they have accomplished. Thanks to Nic and the persistence of the band, we have put on two great performances, and managed to appeal to two completely different audiences. Given more time, there are things i would have liked to have change/work on. Such as, the transitions between solos. However, for just 5 weeks of playing a genre none of us have played before, I think we have done a great job.