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Guildmark

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Well the tag line said "Tell us what and where you're playing."

Having very little shame, here goes!

I play every other week at Borders Books. It's quiet and very well suited to my style. I live in the northeast corner of Orange County, California, and I ask them to limit the gigs to a 30 mile radius. That's 'cause they don't pay and gas is kinda pricey (maybe you heard). They figure they're giving you a place to make tips and sell your CD's. I'm not doing it for the money, anyway. In fact, I like books and CDs and coffee, myself, so it usually ends up costing me! There are 8 stores within that 30 mile radius, so playing every other week I don't saturate the area and burn-out my fanbase ;^) This Saturday, Aug 26, I'll be at the store in Brea - 8-10PM. More info is at http://www.soundclick.com/markhermann

I also play an open mic in my hometown every Tuesday, 7-10. Main Street Restaurant at the corner of Main and Imperial Hwy in Yorba Linda. (The Nixon Library is about 3 blocks west.) This is always a lot of fun. It's mostly geezers like me playing acoustic guitar and trying to harmonize on Crosby, Stills, and Nash tunes. But there are several younger players, too. It's really great when someone new shows up, with a new style and a new set of tunes. The atmosphere is very supportive and non-critical. It's a good way to break in new material or get some stage experience in front of an audience.

I travel for my real job once in a while, and whenever I do I look at http://www.openmics.org to find a place near where I'll be. This has been great fun! I can recommend the Trolley Stop in Dayton, Ohio and the Loafing Leprechaun in Atlanta, Georgia!

So..... where are you playing?
 

dreadnut

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Playing tonight at the Alzheimers unit at a local retirement home. This is a regular volunteer gig, mostly gospel and fun stuff like "You Are my Sunshine", etc.

Last night, I played a paying gig, we did bluegrass/country for a Masons convention. Mostly geriatric types (one step older than geezers). They weren't a real lively bunch, not much clapping or other activity, but we got paid and fed.

One very interesting note: while setting up, I grabbed my buddy's Martin D-16 I think and played it for a bit. This was in an empty ballroom and the acoustics were actually quite good. Then I pulled my DV-52 off the stand a played it a little, and the room almost lit up it sounded so nice. Made that Martin sound like a cigar box with strings. :D
 

Mr. P ~

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Guildmark said:
This Saturday, Aug 26, I'll be at the store in Brea - 8-10PM. More info is at http://www.soundclick.com/markhermann

They say that timing is everything, and I have to agree. Two weeks ago I was in the Borders store in Brea while on travel to Anahiem. Would have been great to run into a fellow Guilder there.

BTW, like a good geezer, I was in the store to buy a magnifing glass to help me read through these Cataracts!!
:shock:
 

Guildmark

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I've always enjoyed playing retirement communities. My old man, whose retired now himself, was a hospital administrator and retirement community executive for 38 years. I like to say I grew up in retirement. The residents are usually attentive and appreciative. They can't remember what they had for breakfast but they can remember all the lyrics to Paper Moon and every tune in the Mitch Miller songbook. Gotta tell you, though, as a kid it was tough. I worked for my dad all through school (kitchen, housekeeping, yard maintenance, after-hours receptionist - you name it.) I'd get very attached to a lot of them - like having a couple dozen grandparents. But when one passed away it was hard to take. That's why I didn't go into that line of work. But I used to be in a celtic trio that liked to do those kind of gigs when we could. Good on ya, Dred!

P - was there anyone playing at the Brea Borders when you were there? I might know them.

Guildmark

My plan for retirement:

[img:331:448]http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos2298/3/79/52/72/2/6/602725279303_0_ALB.jpg[/img]
 

Mr. P ~

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Guildmark,
They were just folding up the chairs from a meeting of an apparent meeting of some retirement group like AARP or something. All the Geezers were 15 to 20 years older than me.

I went to Borders after going to the Guitar Center there in Brea. Wanted to sit down in the acoustic room and limber up my fingers, but there were about 9 hispanic kids in there doing the same thing. The mix of half a$$ed versions of Zeppelin, Los Lonely Boys, and Santana was more than I could handle.
:roll:
 
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I hang with Guildmark and others at the Tuesday night Main Street gig in Yorba Linda. Have an up comming paying gig with the ELKS in Garden Grove.
 

Mr. P ~

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Guildmark,
I finally got around to listening to your music. I am very impressed. You have such a smooth buttery voice. It reminds me of groups like The New Lost City Ramblers, the Chad Mitchell Trio and the Kingston Trio. Really nice.

BTW it takes a real big set of cojones to tackle a Leo Kottke instrumental. I must say you did a very tastefull job of it.
:wink:
 

Mr. P ~

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Guildmark,
I finally got around to listening to your music. I am very impressed. You have such a smooth buttery voice. It reminds me of groups like The New Lost City Ramblers, the Chad Mitchell Trio and the Kingston Trio. Really nice.

BTW it takes a real big set of cojones to tackle a Leo Kottke instrumental. I must say you did a very tastefull job of it.
:wink:
 

West R Lee

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Dredster,

Just wanted to let you know that you've done it. You've talked me into playing at Mother's retirement home. First time I will have played in front of a large group in about 28 years (The nightclub days). Oh I've done a hundred campfires and a few small parties, but these folks are going to be watching me. Man, am I nervous! What have you gotten me into. :p Concert is on Sept 10th.

All kidding aside, thanks for building my confidence, I'll let you know how it goes.

West
 

West R Lee

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Dredster,

Just wanted to let you know that you've done it. You've talked me into playing at Mother's retirement home. First time I will have played in front of a large group in about 28 years (The nightclub days). Oh I've done a hundred campfires and a few small parties, but these folks are going to be watching me. Man, am I nervous! What have you gotten me into. :p Concert is on Sept 10th.

All kidding aside, thanks for building my confidence, I'll let you know how it goes.

West
 

Guildmark

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Thanks tons, Mr. P ~! I appreciate that very much.
BTW: I spoke to that friend in Huntsville today. Thanks for your input!
---------------
Here's another site that I shamelessly plug:

http://www.soundclick.com/mophattuesdayopenmike

This is a website I put together for the open mike that wonderquat and I hang out at. He's performing at this one, too - he's Scott W.
-------------------
Congratulations, West! We'll be rooting for you!
Be sure and video tape it and put it up on YouTube!

Guildmark
 

Guildmark

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Thanks tons, Mr. P ~! I appreciate that very much.
BTW: I spoke to that friend in Huntsville today. Thanks for your input!
---------------
Here's another site that I shamelessly plug:

http://www.soundclick.com/mophattuesdayopenmike

This is a website I put together for the open mike that wonderquat and I hang out at. He's performing at this one, too - he's Scott W.
-------------------
Congratulations, West! We'll be rooting for you!
Be sure and video tape it and put it up on YouTube!

Guildmark
 

West R Lee

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Mark,

You've got to be kidding. I don't think you guys would enjoy listening to me, fortunately my audience there won't have much choice. Talk about a captive audience.

Don't think I could figure out how to do all of that anyway. But thanks for the wishes Mark.

:wink: West
 

West R Lee

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Mark,

You've got to be kidding. I don't think you guys would enjoy listening to me, fortunately my audience there won't have much choice. Talk about a captive audience.

Don't think I could figure out how to do all of that anyway. But thanks for the wishes Mark.

:wink: West
 

dreadnut

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you the man, west! They're gonna love it, sing your heart out. Bring someone with you otherwise, thats what I do. There's 3 of us that are always there. Also, if you can, bring along some shakers, marracas, old pill bottles with popcorn inside, anything to make noise so they can play along on some songs. Gets their blood flowing too :D

In the past 2 weeks I've had 3 paying gigs and one nursing home night, and the nursing home night was by far the most rewarding and fun and satisfying, by a long stretch. I'm not kidding, when we got off the elevator they all started clapping and cheering for us :D They are always so appreciative and truly happy to see us, and of course encouraging musicians is like saying "sic 'em" to a dog :D We play for one hour, and the nurses tell us they will hardly come out of their rooms for any other programs but they're always waiting in their seats for us. We've been running about 40 people per session.

Try doing "You are my Sunshine", they'll all know the words.

I'm really at a bit of a crossroads here, we've been getting a lot of requests now and I think we're going to start doing one more nursing home. I also got a request from a large new Hospice facility that we come out one night a month and be "wandering minstrels", going from room to room as their patients are dying and bedridden.

Wow. Suddenly my stupid problems seem really small...
 

dreadnut

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you the man, west! They're gonna love it, sing your heart out. Bring someone with you otherwise, thats what I do. There's 3 of us that are always there. Also, if you can, bring along some shakers, marracas, old pill bottles with popcorn inside, anything to make noise so they can play along on some songs. Gets their blood flowing too :D

In the past 2 weeks I've had 3 paying gigs and one nursing home night, and the nursing home night was by far the most rewarding and fun and satisfying, by a long stretch. I'm not kidding, when we got off the elevator they all started clapping and cheering for us :D They are always so appreciative and truly happy to see us, and of course encouraging musicians is like saying "sic 'em" to a dog :D We play for one hour, and the nurses tell us they will hardly come out of their rooms for any other programs but they're always waiting in their seats for us. We've been running about 40 people per session.

Try doing "You are my Sunshine", they'll all know the words.

I'm really at a bit of a crossroads here, we've been getting a lot of requests now and I think we're going to start doing one more nursing home. I also got a request from a large new Hospice facility that we come out one night a month and be "wandering minstrels", going from room to room as their patients are dying and bedridden.

Wow. Suddenly my stupid problems seem really small...
 

Jeff

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Yep, Nursing homes are a good place to gain some perspective. Local place here has a fella about my age maybe a couple years little older in with complications from diabetes.

Red was working with him on Monday, he's losing both legs below the knee. She & got talking to him a bit about vacationinig in Montana & lookin for guitars. He perked up right away, turns out he used to play with a local band here in the NW, "Junior Cadillac", of some Louie, Louie fame. Had to pawn his guitars a while back & lost them. :( :cry:

http://pnwbands.com/jrcadillac.html

The band is still around in one form or another. Looks pretty geezerish to me. By the way, the trombone player, Randy Oxford, plays blues on the trombone like you wouldn't believe. Blows my doors off every time I see him.

The sound clips suck since they don't catch the trombone much. http://www.randyoxford.com/

Anyway, I'm packing up a couple Guilds & going in Monday to pick & grin a bit. Likely it'll be me that gets entertained.
 

Jeff

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Yep, Nursing homes are a good place to gain some perspective. Local place here has a fella about my age maybe a couple years little older in with complications from diabetes.

Red was working with him on Monday, he's losing both legs below the knee. She & got talking to him a bit about vacationinig in Montana & lookin for guitars. He perked up right away, turns out he used to play with a local band here in the NW, "Junior Cadillac", of some Louie, Louie fame. Had to pawn his guitars a while back & lost them. :( :cry:

http://pnwbands.com/jrcadillac.html

The band is still around in one form or another. Looks pretty geezerish to me. By the way, the trombone player, Randy Oxford, plays blues on the trombone like you wouldn't believe. Blows my doors off every time I see him.

The sound clips suck since they don't catch the trombone much. http://www.randyoxford.com/

Anyway, I'm packing up a couple Guilds & going in Monday to pick & grin a bit. Likely it'll be me that gets entertained.
 
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