Caligari

So much fun, and yet…

Show day finally came for the Caligari pit band. The audience was great, the band did well (maybe with the exception of one guitar/Stick player).

First, the positives:

• The idea of taking known songs that (kinda) fit the narrative and then deconstructing/distressing them into a soundtrack for the 1920 horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari was inspired and really fun to tackle (Kudos to Andrew Bedard and Leo Ashby).
• Every musician was someone I knew by name and reputation but I had never played with and every musician brought something exceptional to the table.
• Everyone involved is a top-tier improviser and got to flex those muscles going zero to weird in the blink of an eye.
• The rhythm section of Ploof/Henkel/Huisman can be best described with one word: wow.
• Great venue and staff at the Main Street Landing Black Box Theater.
• MVP status to Adam Ploof, our go-to guy for musical questions.
• The audience seemed to dig it.
• The entire process was a lot of fun.

The other side:

I usually have multiple instruments on a gig (there’s always a spare). This case? Nah. So when my B string went wonky just before the climax of the proceedings, I did what I could to remedy it, but

• The date fell right after a period in my schedule that didn’t allow for a lot of practice time so I went in feeling a bit rough and ill-prepared.
• I usually have multiple instruments on a gig (there’s always a spare). This case? Nah. So when my B string went wonky just before the climax of the proceedings, I did what I could to remedy it, but