So You Want To Be In A Band Part 16

Patsy Cline –A Musical Retrospective...

That’s how it was billed. I arrived at the Williamsburg Dinner Theater at 6pm, dinner for the patrons was scheduled to start at 7 and we were to start the show at 7:45. Jerry, Al, Joanie and I started to set the stage. Very soon after Pete, Todd and Mike arrived and everything was ready for the show. For the final touch the owner of the venue flipped the stage lights on. At this point it

occurred to me how different and vibrant a

theater stage looks with the horns, keyboar

ds, drums, guitars and BlueShadow banner---I liked it!

The Band members hung out in the back room where the equipment and props from other shows were being stored. Dave had not yet arrived he wasn’t late, just the last member to show up. So, as always, the other members begin to speculate. He arrived and slipped on stage and plugged in. With that we all put on Country Western attire. Joanie, with her red cowgirl dress with white fringe, went out into the crowd and

mingled.

After waiting back stage for 45mins I began to hear announcements, with that the rhythm section went to one side of the stage and the horns to the other, waiting to be introduced. Joanie had somehow arranged to have Michael O’Shea, the local Oldies radio announcer, introduce the BlueShadow Band. He was very good. His radio style voice and ability to work freely with the Band primed us as well as the audience for a memorable performance.

We took the stage. I was a little on edge. Not because it

was a full house or the fact they paid top dollar to eat good food and hear us perform, it was Joanie’s reputation on the line. I didn’t want to let her down. I believe the rest of the guys felt the same. The first couple of tunes we were a little tight. As we progressed through Patsy Cline’s career the Band began to loosen up and hit our stride. The crowd was really into it, some dancing near the stage others between the tables. Jerry said, “Let’s make it a show.” With that we really sold it with horn movements and working the music with over the top dynamics changes. By the time we played “Bill Bailey” the audience was ours. We “one more timed” that final song to a standing O.

A final stat—out of 120 available tickets 126 were sold.

There is a Post Script to this entry. This would the last gig Dave North played as our regular Bassist. He has started a new band called Trilogy. Dave is a fine bass player and does the best cover of "Rainy Night in Georgia" I have ever heard. I will miss all of his talents. Good Luck Dave!

So you want to be in a band 15

Now for Something Completely Different

The BlueShadow Band is still playing nearly every weekend. We have been adding new songs to sets and as a band really gelling with very few issues. BlueShadow has gigs lined up to finish out the summer and get into the fall. Things have been going along smoothly. That’s always the way just before…
Joanie (our exceptional lead vocal) came to Blueshadow from a very successful stint as Patsy Cline in the play “Always, Patsy Cline”. This role has followed her ever since. So much so that we have added a few Patsy Cline charts to our sets. It is inevitable that we get P.C. request when she is recognized on the stand.
A few months ago Joanie and Jerry began kicking around the idea of a Patsy Cline show/review. This was proposed as a 2 hr show. As we had only 2 P.C. charts I didn’t think much about it. Of course I would be happy to play in any form of our band but at that point it seemed far away.
Now, let’s refer back to an early part of this blog. Jerry has only one speed…go hard! He and Joanie contacted an arranger put up the money and charts started to roll in. Next thing I know I was handed charts, a shirt (with rhinestones) and a ten gallon hat. Cowboy up! You’re in a country western band.
I started looking at the charts first of all the Bari sax will be replaced with a clarinet. The next change is the keys these charts are written in. Gone are the friendly keys of F, D, C typical Motown and Rock Roll saxophone fare. Now we have B, F#, and C#. Get a rope!
In 3 weeks the first of these shows will be at the Williamsburg Dinner Theater. A venue I have always wanted to play. The first site reading proved to be challenging. Other than Joanie none of us knew these tunes (unlike Motown). I had to research for melody lines and style. It was quickly decided that it will require two rehearsals a week.

I will tell you how it goes.