Tag Archives: Gigs

The Benefits of Blogging and Gigging….

13 Saturday Dec 2014

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As I woke up this morning reflecting on my first GIG with Wendy Darling and the Lost Boy, I asked myself what was so fun and rewarding about this type of experience. Over the past week, I had also been contemplating why I was enjoying writing the blog and what I realized was this. There were some common threads that pulled me towards both.

The thing about blogging that is different than writing an essay or more formal paper is that it allows you a space to jot down ideas in a variety of ways without the pressure of having to be “perfect.” It is a journey rather than a destination and as journeys often go, there is no real ending or final product to worry about, mistakes happen (and it’s ok), ideas evolve, unexpected events occur, and if you allow it, the path may lead to a place of discovery that you would not have found had you tried to over plan it.

Gigging can offer the same freedom to grow and evolve. Getting out and playing in front of an audience on a regular basis allows you the opportunity to try new things, to make mistakes, to perfect your technique and presentation, and to connect with others. It offers you the chance to put aside fears of failure or not being perfect in favor of embarking on a journey where the unexpected is the norm. The key is to keep moving, keep evolving, keep listening, keep playing.

Last night, as we performed to an intimate audience, we realized the benefits of embarking on this musical journey. Through some hard work, commitment to creativity, support of one another, and a willingness to take small risks, we were able to put out some music that made people smile, groove a little, and connect to some great tunes. What could be more fun and rewarding than that?

Fortini's

Peter and I with Fotini (One of the Owners of Fortini’s Restaurant, Bolton, MA) after the show.

Pulling Together Some Last Minute Tunes ….

09 Tuesday Dec 2014

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Wendy Darling and the Lost Boy will be playing this Friday night at Fortini’s Restaurant in Bolton, MA. Our goal has been to begin booking gigs after the New Year, but this one came along and we are really excited! We realized, however, we needed to add a few more songs to our list in order to fill up the 2 1/2 hours. This is what we came up with..

(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and made famous by Paul Revere & the Raiders, who recorded and released it in May of 1966 on their Midnight Ride album. The Monkees also released a version in November of 1966 which made it to the top of the charts. I recently heard Steppin’ Stone when I went out to see my brother-in-law’s band over Thanksgiving weekend. They did a splendid version and I immediately knew it would be a good one for us.

The other song we added this week is Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift. Covering Taylor Swift is not an easy task but after many requests from my 18 year old daughter, we thought it would be fun to try. We chose Everything Has Changed because it is not only a beautifully written song, but it also features British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran. This vocal and guitar duo seemed like a perfect combo to cover.

If you have the chance, come down to Fortini’s Restaurant (544 Wattaquadock Hill, Bolton, MA) this Friday night, December 12, and check out the rest of our music. We’ll be starting at 7.