Skip to content
My unintentional 'g...
 
Notifications
Clear all

My unintentional 'gig' at the beach

14 Posts
13 Users
0 Likes
3,265 Views
(@poppaduck)
Posts: 21
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

Just wanted to share this story of my unintentional 'gig' at the beach with everybody.

I took my guitar to the beach yesterday (mainly because it wasn't good beach weather, but I
was intent on going to the beach...) after striking out trying to find a decent acoustic
bass (different story).

The beach wasn't very crowded so instead of playing on the tailgate of the truck, I went to
one of the benches on the beach itself.

While I was playing I caught the attention on an older couple with a few real oldies (Stand
By Me, Under The Boardwalk) and got a smile out of the wife when she heard them.

I also got a few stange looks from the teenage lifeguards for Knocking on Heavens Door (the
Dylan version) when I played the 'extra' verses that Guns-N-Roses forgot to play.

But the best compliment came a little later when a young girl who was walking with her
father stopped and started dancing, I caught it out of the corner of my eye. When I
finished the song I looked up and asked her if she enjoyed it. She said yes and when her
father told her to thank me for the song she said 'Thank you for the beautiful music'. That
just made my day - better than any other compliment I've received and even though it really
wasn't a beach day the sun in my heart shone really bright right then and there! Her father
tried to get her to move on so they could change and warm up, but she stayed to start
dancing for my next song.

Now, I don't play guitar for anyone else but me, I have no aspirations to be in a band (and my
wife even objects at times to me saying I play guitar for that reason), but that just made
my day. Better than any applause at an open mike or compliments at a jam session.

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 5:20 pm
 cnev
(@cnev)
Posts: 4459
Famed Member
 

Way to go PD..it must have felt nice for someone to compliment you after all the time you put in practicing.

Are you sure though you don't want to play in a band or at least some open mics? Since you were brave enough to play your guitar in public I think there's a performer wanting to bust out!

That must have been you I heard the other day...I'm just on the other side in Fairfield, CT

"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 5:32 pm
(@kcfenderfan)
Posts: 472
Honorable Member
 

Very cool PoppaDuck, very cool!

Jim-Bone

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 5:34 pm
(@rahul)
Posts: 2736
Famed Member
 

That must have been an awesome feeling. It is my dream to play guitar on the beach (and get some attention in the meanwhile).

Hope you have many more such occasions to play in future. Next time don't forget to take some pics.

8)

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 5:48 pm
(@elecktrablue)
Posts: 4338
Famed Member
 

Way cool, PoppaDuck! :D

..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-

"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 5:51 pm
 Bish
(@bish)
Posts: 3636
Famed Member
 

Anytime you get compliments it's a thrill.

Don't count yourself out of a bigger picture of playing to a few more people and getting more applause. It doesn't matter if it's one or one hundred thousand...applause never gets old. :wink:

Congrats!

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 8:48 pm
(@causnorign)
Posts: 554
Honorable Member
 

If I see a guitar player at the local beach I'll think its you, and if you see some old guy strumming on a picknic table in the local parks it may be me :D

 
Posted : 20/08/2007 8:50 pm
(@corbind)
Posts: 1735
Noble Member
 

'Thank you for the beautiful music'.

That's great coming from a kid. I think it's so cool you can just go out, sit on a bench, and play/sing. That's pretty neat. One man band. Think about all those out there who play but don't sing (me included). Couldn't pull off what you did!

"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."

 
Posted : 21/08/2007 2:13 am
(@vic-lewis-vl)
Posts: 10264
Illustrious Member
 

Sounds like a lot of fun, Poppa! What a lovely compliment from that kid, I bet you felt like you never wanted to put the guitar down!

On a similar note, a couple of weeks ago, I was jamming with my friend Stu at my house. We got through a version of "Freebird" and heard clapping - looked through the window, and about a dozen or so kids were sitting on the wall, from where they'd been watching! We even got requests, but as we're both classic rock oriented, we didn't know any of the bands or songs they were shouting for! So we played "You can't always get what you want"........

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)

 
Posted : 21/08/2007 12:56 pm
(@poppaduck)
Posts: 21
Eminent Member
Topic starter
 

Thanks to all - it really was a great feeling...

Vic and Corbind hit the nail on the head as far as what I was feeling - that fact that it came from a kid (out of the mouth of babe's...) was the best part.

Causnorign - we'll meet out there one day and jam. If I every get my acoustic bass I'll meet you at the picnic table.

Cnev - I've been to open mikes and have no hang ups about playing in public - it's just that a band's not my thing right now. I really am just doing this for the enjoyment and the challenge (I think I'll stick to that story for a while... 8-))

-PD

 
Posted : 21/08/2007 4:53 pm
(@barnabus-rox)
Posts: 2957
Famed Member
 

One day I would love to be able to something like that ..

Must have been a thrill for you to strangers enjoying your music

Well done man

Trevor

Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am

 
Posted : 21/08/2007 9:38 pm
 pbee
(@pbee)
Posts: 2096
Noble Member
 

it really was a great feeling

I'll bet it was :D , well done, there is nothing like getting that kind of feedback.

Paul


Check out my Reverbnation page here

 
Posted : 21/08/2007 10:40 pm
(@bluenotefla)
Posts: 76
Estimable Member
 

I love it when anyone dances,I think it is truly a wonderful complement when you have moved anyone to express them selves. I agree that when it comes form a little one it goes right to your heart and there is nothing that feels better, that is unless they sing along and there are your little ones bring tears to my eyes when my five year old sings Key to The Highway With Me.

Life is not what you did. It's what you are doing.

 
Posted : 27/08/2007 2:48 pm
(@ccourtney)
Posts: 62
Trusted Member
 

Nice one! Its nice to know that even when you are playing for yourself, you can still make other people happy.

http://www.myspace.com/courtneychris

 
Posted : 02/09/2007 4:08 pm