Getting ready for show time.

It’s time to get it together. I have to start thinking about support garments (girdle), organize music for tonight’s audience, boa (or no boa?) make up, evening gown, getting prepared to put on the show-face and mindset and keep it on all night long! We are performing at a private party tonight – a fancy 60th birthday party in the city. It’s a huge deal for the hosts – a joint party for a husband and wife, and guests came in from all over the world just for the occasion. And they are counting on us to make it rock. I’m not worried about that part. Me & my guys can raise the dead on the dance floor. And these folks (our hosts) seem like they are itching to dance and whoop it up. There is still pressure though. The unknown… I always have this anxiety or nervousness in my belly before any show no matter how big or small. The nerves will simmer down once I arrive at the venue and check out the crowd. I take these parties to heart. I consider it a big responsibility to make the party happen. But I also know I have a fantastic group of guys who – despite having done this over and over – really do enjoy making a good dance party.

If the guests are with the program, we can make some awesome shit happen together. We are always on point, ready to rock so to speak, but if the crowd is raring to go, then it can be a sublime experience. I am hoping for this tonight. I met with the hostess and she is full of energy and she is crazy excited about her party and about us playing there. I’d be happy if her guests had even half of her enthusiasm.

Tomorrow night is an even bigger party for several hundred people who have paid a lot of money to support a Chicago institution. We have done this party three times now but each year is different. I still remember last year’s party. We played The Black Eyed Peas song: “I Gotta Feeling” (before it became done to death) and it was crazy. The dance floor became one mass of people smashed together (in tuxedoes and evening gowns) jumping up and down like a mosh pit. It was something. I danced and sang that tune so hard that folks came up to hug me afterwards. I was thinking that I needed an oxygen tank! I will never forget it.

Yeah, we are playing covers at private parties and corporate events. And yeah, there may be people who look down on that. (Though God Knows who would look down their nose at any working musician in this economy) Besides, we really are happy to play cool music for cool people at cool parties. And for the most part we get bombarded with love and compliments. What’s not to like? And we get paid! Bonus! It’s a huge responsibility and I take it very seriously. I want the dance floor to be full. I want the guests to be moved. I will think about the “big time” and my creative career after these gigs are done this weekend!

You know what? I don’t feel so nervous anymore. Talking about what is expected and how important it is and my commitment to make it great has calmed my little anxieties. I think I will make this my meditation before every gig.