Saturday was the day of artsfest which is an excuse to go onto campus and drink beer in the sunshine thinly disguised as a music event. As part of the pretence that we weren't all there to ogle the girls in their summer dresses I was playing in one of the bands. It was a lot of fun, I was playing in a band that I had been in for about 3 days previously and probably am not in anymore, which added an interesting element of difficulty to what would otherwise have been pretty routine stuff musically. The band I was in were pretty good, as far as I could figure from my perspective - I can't really comment on the singer due to the fact that, where I was standing at least, he was totally inaudible over the sound of two big guitar amps, my bass amp and a drumkit - my friends told me that not being able to hear him wasn't a hugely bad thing, however.
I was reminded of just how much fun playing with bands is, when I contemplate the prospect of playing in front of audiences I worry that I'm not good enough, I think about how I'm not that good a musician and don't have the immaculately polished skills of a lot of people. When I'm up on stage, however, I couldn't give a crap - I lost my place completely in the opening song but just grinned and laughed and rejoined on the next bar. I stop being self conscious once I'm in front of an audience, I dance like a prat, talk bollocks and generally showboat.
I also learned that my bass amp, despite the fact that it is big and heavy, is woefully underpowered for any kind of gig situation - I was completely and utterly drowned out from the moment that the second guitarist came in and struggling before that. I need a more powerful amp head at least, possibly some new speakers, if I'm going to be playing any more gigs. oh well, I've been meaning to get a better amp than the one I have since before I even bought it.
I spent the rest of the day doing what I always do at artsfest, that is, drinking too much and getting sunburned. I didn't feel drunk but, looking back, perhaps I should have stopped after eight cans of lager, whether I was swaying or not. i felt fine the next day though. huzzah.
erm, since then I've done a whole lot of bugger all. I should probably start packing soon and get ready to shuffle off this campus soil and get myself a soul destroying office job. yay. I like to end on a high note.
-Ben
