The Gig Log: Kristen Nelson

In an earlier post, I talked about ways to get more gigs. Well, I decided to take my own medicine and try reaching out to a few drummers in my area, and I was rewarded with a gig. I was asked to fill in for an amazing player, and I was very grateful for the call.

This was the first opener.

This particular gig I was backing up a very talented singer-songwriter by the name of Kristen Nelson. We had one quick rehearsal, then a forty minute set at Muse Music as an album release show. Not gonna lie, it was a blast.

The openers were two fantastic solo singers and a local band that took me back to my high school days. They were incredibly talented, the energy was super high, and the songs were great - not to mention that they were great performers. It had been a very, very long time since I played a (roughly) forty seat venue, and it was a lot of fun.

The other singer songwriter.

Our set was last - Kristen's CD release was the headline show - and the audience was very friendly and enthusiastic. I wish there were a less geeky way to describe it, but it was a great audience, great music, talented bandmates, all in a small, intimate setting. What could be better?

Kit-wise, I took the ol' DWs, but only ended up using kick and snare, with hats and a ride with a sizzler (the metal kind, not the steakhouse kind). I also played brushes and rods, with only one tune using actual sticks. In that small venue, it was nice to be able to hit as hard as I wanted without worrying about overblowing the band or the house.

My thanks to Kristen and the rest of the band. It was a great gig, and I look forward to playing with them again should the opportunity arise.

My apologies for the fuzzy pictures. iPhone in a dark place!

Friday Feature: Sara Bareilles

This blog is all about percussionists and drumming and things you can hit.

Well, what about people who create hits? I know you're already familiar with Sara Bareilles (because if you're not, you've literally been under a rock for the past five years), but I thought I'd just share a couple of tracks you may not have heard.

First is an unbelievably convincing cover of a tune that you also know (and if not, see the preceding comment about 'under-rock dwelling').

Seriously, Sara B covering Beyonce's "Single Ladies?" What could be better? Even though I'd heard the original tune about a billion times, I never really liked it (sorry, B) until I heard Sara's version. But now every time I hear any version of the tune, I remember this video and smile. It's awesome. 

Another cover, this one a classic tune that would have been easy to desecrate, that Sara handled with heartfelt class and grace. I heard it on Pandora one day, and it literally stopped me in my tracks. 

It's worth listening to that again, don't you think? C'mon. Press play one more time. 

And, lest you think I only like Sara covering other people's stuff, here's one that almost made me drive my car off the road when I first heard it. Clever, witty and cutting - a modern era classic. 

For me, what makes Sara a great artist is her ability to create her own art with her own, distinct style, whether it be a song of her own, or a fresh take on somebody else's. 

As always, I'm not trying to tell you Sara Bareilles' story, just give you a brief introduction and jumping off point. 

Enjoy!