Something cool happened this weekend. I played a show with my good friend Michael O’Connor, who I also work with on the booking agent side of things (this made scheduling this gig quite easy). He is an amazing songwriter and guitarist…I’ve been watching his guitar skills for years now since he plays with Susan sometimes and several other folks around these parts. We’ve been on stage together before but this was our first “real” gig together.

The plan was so song swap back and forth, which we did. Before the show we got together and Michael learned a few of my tunes (which he doesn’t even need to learn things to make them sound good) and played mandolin on a few…I now insist those songs must have mandolin on them when we record them. I learned a couple of his songs so I could back him up on rhythm.

At some point during the gig he turned to me and said, “This one’s in A minor – take it.” Now sometimes I get told to take a lead and I think “Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!” However, I’ve been playing on Susan’s stuff and with my friends for long enough that my first thought was, “Yay, A minor!”

I hung in there and played along with Michael on a few more, and he was super encouraging. He told me I was tasteful. I told him it’s because I didn’t want to mess up, so I played less. (Maybe I shouldn’t reveal my secret).

My point is we had a lot of fun and some good folks came out to hang with us, and that is pretty much why I’ll sign up for a gig anytime with MOC.  I’m looking forward to more whereupon I will wail (tastefully) on more tunes.  Perhaps a monster has been created.  I will play lead for you for a sandwich and a ride to the gig.

Katie took this photo of Elizabeth taking a photo…it’s one big musical family here!