Every now and then we do a gig where I come away astounded because I see a part of someone that they're very careful not to share. It's always a privilege. I've been in this band 6 years come February, and every single one of my bandies do things that just leaves me stunned and all smiley. Like the time Paul brought faerie lights to string up over the banner & we all sniggered, thinking how poncy! But they looked amazing & we all retracted the poncy remark (but still sniggered because that's what we do best - take the piss) and the faerie lights have stayed ever since. But it threw us all - Paul decorating?
Que??
So, again, we arrive at the Meadowbrook Hotel on Friday afternoon to set up. It's all going well for two reasons: Mannie's back (and no longer digestively challenged) and Rachi has remembered her box (hallelujah!). Then Paul comes in with a huge garbage bag which we all regard rather suspiciously (the anti-Santa sack?). We've done the sound check & Rachi & I go to get dressed and made up. I come out, and stop and just look. Our set has been transformed into an amazing Christmas display. There's tinsel hanging from the speakers, tinsel on our mic stands - even coloured Christmas lights running along the top of our foldback speakers (see photo - oh he is the very model of a model Mannie mannequin!).
My first thought was, yep, Paul's been decorating again :) It looked fantastic. The only thing missing was a blow up Santa for Mannie! I have no idea if Paul received any ribbing for his startling display of Christmas spirit (and it was pretty startling!), but I'm pretty sure the only comment made was a sack-size reference from Mannie. *sigh* Boys. PS, you would never have known we had gigged there apart from the mountains of shredded tinsel we left behind!
A highlight from the night was when I had a lovely moment with Rachi just before we came back from a break. There was a stunning piece of music drifting from the speakers in D minor, and she was sitting quietly improvising harmonies on her fiddle, completely unaware of anything but the music. I picked up my silver whistle and we both started playing different harmonies to this beautiful instrumental piece of music. I don't know about Rach, but I let the music take hold & forgot anyone else was in the room. It was just my whistle and her fiddle. Things like this are precious to me, and there was quite a bit of eye contact to see where the other person's harmonies were going. We ended up finishing when the music did, eyes locked and smiling. It was magic :)
The rest of the gig was brilliant, and we had a fantastic audience (which always makes for a great gig). At one point, however, Rachi & I were quite cheerfully ready to throttle Tony (aka Minion #2) & Kimmi for attempting (and succeeding quite a few times) to distract us while we were singing 'Dreams' by the Cranberries. We sing in harmony the chorus which goes 'Ahhhhhhhh' (that's right, just like that). And then I spy Tony grinning and holding up a napkin he'd shredded into the shape of an 'R'. Well at this point I started to laugh. I don't think Rach had seen it at that point, but it's damn hard to attempt to sing angelically while cracking up! So we go around for the second repeat of the chorus, me with my eyes closed in an attempt to not look at Tony, and then Rachi makes a strangulated sound and starts to laugh. Aah - she's seen him. I open my eyes mid song to grin at her, and glimpse Kimmi in the act, her naughty smile mirroring Tony's, holding up her own 'R' napkin. Well at this point both Mannie & Paul have seen it & are cracking up as well. Bad Tony & Kimmi - we're professionals, didn't you know that? Anyway, we composed ourselves, my eyes remained firmly shut & the song finished without any further incident, but not before I gave Tony & Kimmi a look that would make Mannie cry :)
Our crazy groupies/minions/stalkers - we wouldn't change a thing!
Betcha they're gonna try it again, too.
Listening to ''Fleur De Mandragore/The Ash Plant/Siobhan O'Donnell's'', by Lúnasa
