Hey, well, we really didn't tear up Carson City, but Mel and Sean tore it up on lead guitars and we rocked 'em till they dropped at the Whiskey Tavern.
What a great time! We really connected with crowd and they bought 5 CD's from us.
All the original songs went over really well. One of our original songs, "Who You Are," is a song about a man trying to learn what this girl is all about, so he can get to know her. It's like a first conversation where the man takes the time to ask the questions. He wants to know "Who You Are and What You Do," to see if they might be a perfect match. It's really about Mel and I and how I walked by him and all the other men at a gig and went home alone. That intrigued him and he wanted to know more about me. See playing hard to get does really pay off.
But enough about Mel and I, back to the Whiskey Tavern, one of the guys at the bar came up at the end of the night and said that "Who You Are" was a perfect description of him and his girlfriend. I saw them dancing closely and whispering during the song. It is very satisfying to know that something I helped write has touched someone. I hope it inspires them to talk deeply and get to know each other's hearts.
The rest of the crowd was wild and rowdy. Lots of applause, lots of dancing and at the end of the night several people said we were the best band that had played there. I am pleased and very grateful. It always feels so incredible when people appreciate your hard work.
I know we all felt good about our performance. Song selection was great, breaks were tight, leads were smoking, singing was spot on! It was a great time. We stopped at 1am-ish and tore down and drove an hour to home. We got home right before the sun started coming up. Yeah, I love being a musician.
The next day, when we finally woke up, I was worthless. Making breakfast at noon just wiped me out. Would I trade it for a good nights sleep? Nah, rock star wins!
Visit our website at www.silverwingband.com. Our original CD "Moonshine" is available at our gigs, the website, CD baby and Amazon.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Next gig for the GuitarChic
My fascination with female musicians is not just some weird quirk. I am a musician and knowing how challenging it can be to play on stage makes me respect these talented women all the more.
I am part of Silverwing, a rockin' country band based in the Reno, Nevada area. We play classic and current country music with a few good rock songs thrown in to keep it surprising. I have played for a few lonely drunks in a tiny bar to thousands of people at a political rally. It's always fun, even at closing time and the place is emptying out, I still love and appreciate that I get to play music for a living. It is a blessing in my life.
So where is my next gig? The Whiskey Tavern in Carson City, NV. It should be a great time. Looks like they have a good crowd with lots of Facebook followers. They approached us in Virginia City on the Fourth of July and immediately wanted to hire us. Very cool, that's a nice compliment.
So Saturday is gig day. We start playing at 9pm, but we live an hour away, so we actually have to start our "job" earlier in the afternoon, when we load the gear into the pick-up truck. Gotta bring it all, don't want to be an hour away from home and forget one chord, ugh. So it's personal gear, like guitars, stands, microphones, amplifiers and tuners plus PA gear like mixer board, power conditioners, more chords and lots of speakers.
I don't sit by watching my husband loading gear, frightened to break a nail, I jump into the back of the pickup and organize all the stuff. It's like the old video game Tetrus, putting all these amps, boxes, speakers and guitars into a nice little package in the bed of the pickup.
We gotta get there early enough to set up and sound check, so when we turn it on, it sounds good right off the bat. Each room is different. What worked great at the last gig, could be a real disaster at the next gig. We go from outdoor gigs, to small rooms, to large rooms and everything needs to be adjusted for the unique situation. Plus, you don't want to be rushed and chaotic. So after the sound check we need time to relax and kick back just a bit.
You'd think I would be nervous, but it rarely crosses my mind. I was so shy growing up, that even I am amazed by how cool, calm and collected I am when I'm getting up on stage in front of people and singing. Recently we played a wedding. The first song was the couple's first dance and the first note of that song, was me singing with no music behind me, HUH? What! I admit I was shaking, but, I did great. Yeah!
So, that's why I am a great fan of female musicians. I am just a part of a band. I can't imagine how it would feel to step up and be the focal point, to keep a crowd entertained for an evening. Wow, these women are my idols.
Please stop by my website www.guitarchics.com and learn a few interesting facts about my favorite female musicians. The site will be growing each week, so come back often. Also, check out our band at www.silverwingband.com, that's me right in the middle. Our CD "Moonshine" is available at our gigs, our website, CDbaby and Amazon.com.
I am part of Silverwing, a rockin' country band based in the Reno, Nevada area. We play classic and current country music with a few good rock songs thrown in to keep it surprising. I have played for a few lonely drunks in a tiny bar to thousands of people at a political rally. It's always fun, even at closing time and the place is emptying out, I still love and appreciate that I get to play music for a living. It is a blessing in my life.
So where is my next gig? The Whiskey Tavern in Carson City, NV. It should be a great time. Looks like they have a good crowd with lots of Facebook followers. They approached us in Virginia City on the Fourth of July and immediately wanted to hire us. Very cool, that's a nice compliment.
So Saturday is gig day. We start playing at 9pm, but we live an hour away, so we actually have to start our "job" earlier in the afternoon, when we load the gear into the pick-up truck. Gotta bring it all, don't want to be an hour away from home and forget one chord, ugh. So it's personal gear, like guitars, stands, microphones, amplifiers and tuners plus PA gear like mixer board, power conditioners, more chords and lots of speakers.
I don't sit by watching my husband loading gear, frightened to break a nail, I jump into the back of the pickup and organize all the stuff. It's like the old video game Tetrus, putting all these amps, boxes, speakers and guitars into a nice little package in the bed of the pickup.
We gotta get there early enough to set up and sound check, so when we turn it on, it sounds good right off the bat. Each room is different. What worked great at the last gig, could be a real disaster at the next gig. We go from outdoor gigs, to small rooms, to large rooms and everything needs to be adjusted for the unique situation. Plus, you don't want to be rushed and chaotic. So after the sound check we need time to relax and kick back just a bit.
You'd think I would be nervous, but it rarely crosses my mind. I was so shy growing up, that even I am amazed by how cool, calm and collected I am when I'm getting up on stage in front of people and singing. Recently we played a wedding. The first song was the couple's first dance and the first note of that song, was me singing with no music behind me, HUH? What! I admit I was shaking, but, I did great. Yeah!
So, that's why I am a great fan of female musicians. I am just a part of a band. I can't imagine how it would feel to step up and be the focal point, to keep a crowd entertained for an evening. Wow, these women are my idols.
Please stop by my website www.guitarchics.com and learn a few interesting facts about my favorite female musicians. The site will be growing each week, so come back often. Also, check out our band at www.silverwingband.com, that's me right in the middle. Our CD "Moonshine" is available at our gigs, our website, CDbaby and Amazon.com.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
GuitarChics is Alive and Well
My website, www.guitarchics.com, is finally active on the Internet. It's has been a personal challenge for me, but it is working and I will be adding to it weekly for the rest of my days.
My hope with GuitarChics is to introduce people to the stories of women who have made a living in the music industry. Whether they are headlining in a stadium, playing in a coffee shop or teaching young children how to play, I want to share their stories. The stories that encourage and inspire young women to pursue their hopes and dreams. I want guitarchics to be a Power of Positive Thinking with musicians as our role models.
It's dear to my heart because I play rhythm guitar in Silverwing, a rockin country band from Northern Nevada. I have played to thousands in a convention center and to a few in an empty bar at closing time, but regardless, it's always showtime. It's my "job" to do my best, to reach down and give you my heart even if it's time to turn off the neon lights and head home and I love my "job."
So stop by www.guitarchics.com and read up the bios that I have completed so far. Check back each week to see what else I have added. If you have an idea of a great female musician that should be added to the site, send me an email at maryband_girl@yahoo.com with "Guitarchics" in the title. I'll do my best to get that person included.
Get Silverwing's first CD of original music at www.silverwingband.com. It's fun and I'm very proud of it, since I wrote a lot of the lyrics, played guitar and my husband wrote the music and played a bunch of instruments.
My hope with GuitarChics is to introduce people to the stories of women who have made a living in the music industry. Whether they are headlining in a stadium, playing in a coffee shop or teaching young children how to play, I want to share their stories. The stories that encourage and inspire young women to pursue their hopes and dreams. I want guitarchics to be a Power of Positive Thinking with musicians as our role models.
It's dear to my heart because I play rhythm guitar in Silverwing, a rockin country band from Northern Nevada. I have played to thousands in a convention center and to a few in an empty bar at closing time, but regardless, it's always showtime. It's my "job" to do my best, to reach down and give you my heart even if it's time to turn off the neon lights and head home and I love my "job."
So stop by www.guitarchics.com and read up the bios that I have completed so far. Check back each week to see what else I have added. If you have an idea of a great female musician that should be added to the site, send me an email at maryband_girl@yahoo.com with "Guitarchics" in the title. I'll do my best to get that person included.
Get Silverwing's first CD of original music at www.silverwingband.com. It's fun and I'm very proud of it, since I wrote a lot of the lyrics, played guitar and my husband wrote the music and played a bunch of instruments.
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