I just got finished playing an awesome gig at Fitzgerald's. I'm playing with an alternative rock band, and we've only been playing together for a week (every day last week). But we sounded really tight and we went over well.

I met the band's leader a couple of months ago at a blues jam. Her band played the first set, but it wasn't really blues. After they were done they all packed up and left and it was my turn to do a set. I gave it 100% since the guitarist before me was essentially showing off and that always puts me off. The band leader's Dad stuck around to hear me and called her back to see me play. We exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and got together to jam.

Last week she asked if I'd be interested in playing Fitzgerald's with a new band she put together, so I said of course. I have a vested interest in Fitzgerald's since it's one of the same stages that SRV played on. We played upstairs too, which is the main stage. I played Little Wing and Hideaway during sound check, just because it seemed like a cool thing to do standing there in the same place playing the same songs SRV did nearly thirty years ago. It felt good to hang out with the band in a real backstage too, I couldn't help but think it's probably fairly close to how it was back then. I didn't tell anybody in the band that the reason I was especially stoked was because I was playing guitar and hanging out in the same place as SRV. I don't think they'd quite understand how much that means to me. It think there must have been some serious residual Stevie mojo in there too, because I played better than I've ever played with this band before.

The cool thing about this band is that I play blues in it. Granted it's more of a Jimi Hendrix/Santana style blues, but it's still blues. It kind of gives it a different sound than most run of the mill rock guitar solos. I admit I totally stole the idea from listening to Let's Dance, and while this music sounds totally different the concept is similar.

I also met some important people at the gig. The girl I'm playing with (she's a singer/songwriter/rhythm guitar player who's extremely talented) has recorded some songs at one of Houston's best recording studios. The owner of the studio is also her producer. He was there tonight and apparently he's flipped out over the band. He came up to me afterward and is extremely excited about recording us. He wants to do it as soon as possible, so I could be going into a real professional studio to make an EP as soon as next month! We're already lining up more gigs with this band too, since this was sort of our trial run and I think we made the cut.

I'm really sorry if there are any typos in there anywhere, I need to go to sleep now. And for the first time all week I don't have to set my alarm!

As a side note: I have 2000 posts now!

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
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Congratulations Texas! 2000 is a lot of posts, but the gig sounded exciting, great job! (looking for a sleep emoticon but there isn't 1)

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

you had one hell of an evening. great story...thanks for sharing..

Another cool story TGS, sound's like you were really stoked to be playing there

Congrats on the 2k ( whispering now) rockaby baby on the tree top keep the noise down guys

Great news Texas. Things are falling into place for you and you deserve it. Congrats on the 2000 posts................... Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

TGS, you never cease to amaze..........your time is definitely here. Congrats on 2000 posts.....

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I Can't Explain

A great story TGS!! I'm so happy for you!! I also want to congratulate you on your new band/opportunity and 2000 post!! Keep it up!!

wow congrats.
pretty cool all this playing and people going crazy, recording opportunities all in 1 week of playing with this band.
almost sounds like a dream come true huh?

TGS,

All I can say is awesome. Let us know when the EP comes out. I think your ship is about to come in.

Are you still thinking of working in the music shop later this summer? I know your plans may change rather quickly, but I think it would be cool to have my guitar set-up by someone who is about to become famous. It may also rub some cool mojo over my guitar (lol) and get me out of my rut I have been in.

Congrats on 2K too.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

I'll definitely post a link to it on purevolume or myspace when it's done so y'all can hear it. While the recording time isn't set in stone, it's more likely to happen than not. I have a recording of the show, but since all the songs are originals (and not mine) I think I'd have to ask if I could upload them or not.


I have some super cool news about that too. I think that it may warrant a separate thread.

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Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
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That is so cool Texas! These are the good times all us "Oldsters' talk about!

Also congrats on hitting 2k

Bill

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

Great going TGS,the more different genres of music you can play the better and more rounded a player that you become. I have always been into alternative music since the 60s with bands like Audience,White Noise, Gryphon and hundreds more.Even The Electric Light Orchestra was considered alternative in their earlty days.It must have been an absolute to play on the same stage that was graced with SRV's boots.Keep at it- I'm sure we'll be seeing your name in lights(a la Johnny B Goode)some day.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I got some pictures up.

http://s984.photobucket.com/albums/ae324/texasguitarslinger777/Fitzgeralds/

My rig is basically the same as always. Squier Affinity Strat (Texas Special), Boss TU-2, Visual Sound Jekyll and Hyde (very handy for alternative rock), Dunlop Wah (very useless on this particular gig), Custom SBN Screamin' Eagle Overdrive, my newest addition which is a Seymour Duncan Tweak Fuzz and finally a Boss TR-2 Tremolo. My amp is the same Fender Deluxe VM which I've been using since I won it here about a year ago. The other guitarist has a Fender Deluxe, and we talking about how cute they look together.

And yes, I wore boots. They're my favorite ones with fringe on the sides. But I nearly sweat to death during sound check before the AC kicked in. The lesson is learned, never wear your boots to sound check in 100 degree weather. The scarf probably wasn't the greatest idea either, next time I'm going to bring an extra set of clothes to sweat in before they turn on the AC.

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cool photos Texas, band looks cool too, excellent!

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Tex first let me say congrats on the big 2K. But even bigger congrats on where you are right now as a player as I do not think there has been anyone that has busted there buy and worked harder than you. When I think of where you were when you first came on and where you are now -and where you are heading I am really proud as I know are others. You are going to make it.