Leap Week Part 1

A rehearsal and then 2 gigs, to keep my musical activities congruent while I try to catch up on some other items.  Older blog posts need to get finished with pics if available.  Our "main" computer isn't recognizing my thumb drive Kodak microSD card adapter as a drive lately.  I finally tried it in the basement PC and it was fine there, showing up as the G Drive.  At least I was able to export the pics from it and can carry on for the time being.  Last night I got together with members of the fine Van Halen & U2 tribute act Running With Desire for a "knock the dust off these old warhorses" session.  It's a bit of a letdown that I must report my choice of instruments for this year's model - no NS/Stick (cue sad losing horns...).  It's a tricky situation.  To be authentic, as I am representing Adam Clayton here, I need to have the P-bass in full snot-tone mode.  I have prided myself in replicating some of the Eno-flown-in textures and Enossifications while anchoring the bottom end via the NS/Stick.  It's a slight trade off, as many of the lines realistically cannot be tapped.  What to do...  I'm still wrestling with it and may change my mind.  We have 3 shows lined up for St. Patrick's day, so in a way, the simple setup of just a 4-string bass is very appealing.  With me, I need extra hardware to make the tapping a reality.  That is a consideration.  I was happy with my bass playing last night on the tunes.  To compromise the energy and ballsy bottom-end might lessen the overall testosterone of the quartet's sound.

Our set list is the same, as usual.  A bit boring, in all honesty.  Oh well, for some reason, we still get hired - only on St. Pat's - I guess playing these old tired "college radio tunes of my youth" once a year isn't too horrific.  Certain faithful readers might remember an old band I was a part of that at least played some more adventurous stuff: Two Hearts Beat As One and The Unforgettable Fire.  I have always loved A Sort of Homecoming.  That is still my favorite U2 song.  Perhaps it's best left that way.  Of course, back in the day, we were playing those songs before U2 released The Joshua Tree.  How many readers even remember those times?  I guess we all do, now that I consider that challenge.  It was a magical time, those mid-eighties.  Well, I guess I'm pontificating on the aspect that promoters don't want Van Halen on St. Patrick's Day.  That is the other half of our playlist...

Marty's upstairs studio with his new iMac.  I drooled on it - ssshhh, don't tell him!

Downstairs in the rehearsal space.