An Evening of Lugubrious Music and Lopsided Prose: Prep.

I seem to have done nothing for the last 6-8 weeks except practice the songs I set to music from the Hooting Yard Song Book.
I actually 'collected' 9 originals but, due to pressure of time, had to cut it back to 6 for performance.
I began by sitting with the words up on a screen in front of me and my large ukulele in my hand.
Through a process of strumming, plunking and mumbling, I get a rough form to work on.
I may abandon this 'original' form if something better turns up later on.
Which happened 3 times whilst working on these songs.
Then it's all about practice/record/review/practice/record/review/practice/record/review/practice/record/review/practice/record/review/practice/record/review.

I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about learning the words to any song I intend to perform but, non of these songs were going into my set so, I probably could get away with not learning them by heart.
I learnt 'em by heart all the same.

I wasn't conscious of any 'pressure' about the gig but pushed myself to practice everyday for at least 2 hours.
I had demo versions of the songs on my iPod, on repeat.
I think Linda stopped speaking to me for 3 days before she forbade me from playing 'The Tiny-Headed Boy' in her earshot again. (she really meant it!)

I had intended for the gig to be the premier of the songs but I really needed to play them in front of people to get some feed-back.
I chose a folk session in the downs frequented by people of the 'Morris'.
I explained, as much as one can explain, the context of the songs and how they related to Hooting Yard and Mr. Key.
I, more or less, 'fluffed' all of the songs I played and gave up after 4.
The response was surprisingly positive.
Then a drunk man at the bar insisted we all play 'The Wild Rover' before he went home.
So, swings and round-a-bouts on that adventure.

Intensify the Training!
'The Tiny-Headed Boy' and 'On The Bonny, Bonny Banks' become so firmly embedded in my consciousness I cannot block them out during waking hours.
Linda forbids me from playing 'On The Bonny, Bonny Banks' within her ear-shot.

During this period I was also considering the small matter of amplification.
Did I need it?
If I did need it, how much?
I won't go into detail, suffice to say I came up with a mind-numbing list of options before deciding to forget them all and play acoustically.
Which is what I like doing.

During this period I was also considering the small matter of what to wear.
I chose my cape & a cherrie smile.

Thursday 17th of November, the day before the gig.
I leave work at lunch-time and return home to run through & record the 6 songs as many times as I can.
It takes around 14 minutes to play through all the songs.
I don't keep the recordings.
I just play/record, listen back, and trash. (Using QT Pro:7)
Linda went out.

Next Post: To London, Ah, Mr. Key I presume, Haemoglobin Towers and, possibly, An Evening of Lugubrious Music and Lopsided Prose.