So, band camp is going well, but something interesting happened last night that I must get out.
First off, I wore my Liverpool FC soccer jersey to Voodoo Lounge, and TWO guys commented on it. One was a big soccer fan and routed for Benfica, that's coo, the other a Man U (fuck Man U!!) fan who knew the name on the back (Ryan Babel, not common, but I love watching him). Cool stuff.
On to the important.
One of my very first private trombone students graduated from high school last year, and is now playing in a punk ska band. Last night they played at The Voodoo Lounge in downtown San Jose. I got there way early, so I just chilled and had a couple beers. His band is all under 21, so they had to wait outside till it was their turn to play. Bullshit, but apparently the promoter was kind of a douche bag. Anyway, I'm in there chillin, watching a very strange plethora of bands.
The first band was a butt rock band, and it was quite apparent that the lead singer and guitar player learned to shred listening to old Van Halen albums. The second band was a solo vocalist with acoustic guitar. Hmm Butt rock to coffee house? Um ok The third band, I'm still not sure what they were. Rock? Punk? Straight rock drumming, punk-ish chord progressions, (literally, only one for quite a while, that single finger configuration just kept moving around) and vocals that reminded me of some strange marriage of Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle Patton, not the refined Faith No More Patton) and Kermit the Frog. High, skweeching, unintelligible. Band four (I think, I may have 3 and 4 reversed. Meh) was a dude with an electric guitar and a drummer. I guess technically a "band", right? There's 2 of them Anyway, it came off a bit emo/screamo (I think, I'm still not really sure what those actually are) but decent.
Then my students band came on. Punk ska is not quite as huge now as it was 10 years ago when I was all over the night scene in the Yay! Area. Especially when it's an over 21 bar and everyone is inside drinking, and the lead singer of this band comes out and says ,"We're all just 18, and not jazz, so we don't fit in a lounge, but I hope you dig us." Yeah, not that type of Lounge, dude. At first the crowd just went on conversing and drinking, but they actually got into it after a couple tracks. They were the only band that had people dancing, and they got quite a response.
Then I saw something cool. One of my personal things is I am an abnormally loud, powerful player, and I train that into my students, to go out and do it big. So for the last song, the trombone player and trumpet player (also came through the program I teach at) leave their mics, go to the front of the stage, and blast the shit out of the horn part over the house speaker setup. I was stoked.
At the end of their set, some of the barflies starting chanting trombone. I've never seen that. Never. Trombone? Effing amazing. After they tore down, he came around to were I was at the bar to say hey, and a couple of the chanting girls came up and told him he was awesome, and (their words) he was the best thing they heard all night.
Quite possible, actually, fuck that. Absolutely the best experience I've had in my teaching career. I was smiling so wide I could hardly keep from uncontrollably giggling. You know that feeling? Your heart races, your mind jumps around, and you have this silly (and uncontrollably shaking for some reason) smile, all the while adding a bit of blushing and goose bumps.
Good stuff man. Good stuff. You made me miss those days. I'll be there for the next one!
First off, I wore my Liverpool FC soccer jersey to Voodoo Lounge, and TWO guys commented on it. One was a big soccer fan and routed for Benfica, that's coo, the other a Man U (fuck Man U!!) fan who knew the name on the back (Ryan Babel, not common, but I love watching him). Cool stuff.
On to the important.
One of my very first private trombone students graduated from high school last year, and is now playing in a punk ska band. Last night they played at The Voodoo Lounge in downtown San Jose. I got there way early, so I just chilled and had a couple beers. His band is all under 21, so they had to wait outside till it was their turn to play. Bullshit, but apparently the promoter was kind of a douche bag. Anyway, I'm in there chillin, watching a very strange plethora of bands.
The first band was a butt rock band, and it was quite apparent that the lead singer and guitar player learned to shred listening to old Van Halen albums. The second band was a solo vocalist with acoustic guitar. Hmm Butt rock to coffee house? Um ok The third band, I'm still not sure what they were. Rock? Punk? Straight rock drumming, punk-ish chord progressions, (literally, only one for quite a while, that single finger configuration just kept moving around) and vocals that reminded me of some strange marriage of Mike Patton (Mr. Bungle Patton, not the refined Faith No More Patton) and Kermit the Frog. High, skweeching, unintelligible. Band four (I think, I may have 3 and 4 reversed. Meh) was a dude with an electric guitar and a drummer. I guess technically a "band", right? There's 2 of them Anyway, it came off a bit emo/screamo (I think, I'm still not really sure what those actually are) but decent.
Then my students band came on. Punk ska is not quite as huge now as it was 10 years ago when I was all over the night scene in the Yay! Area. Especially when it's an over 21 bar and everyone is inside drinking, and the lead singer of this band comes out and says ,"We're all just 18, and not jazz, so we don't fit in a lounge, but I hope you dig us." Yeah, not that type of Lounge, dude. At first the crowd just went on conversing and drinking, but they actually got into it after a couple tracks. They were the only band that had people dancing, and they got quite a response.
Then I saw something cool. One of my personal things is I am an abnormally loud, powerful player, and I train that into my students, to go out and do it big. So for the last song, the trombone player and trumpet player (also came through the program I teach at) leave their mics, go to the front of the stage, and blast the shit out of the horn part over the house speaker setup. I was stoked.
At the end of their set, some of the barflies starting chanting trombone. I've never seen that. Never. Trombone? Effing amazing. After they tore down, he came around to were I was at the bar to say hey, and a couple of the chanting girls came up and told him he was awesome, and (their words) he was the best thing they heard all night.
Quite possible, actually, fuck that. Absolutely the best experience I've had in my teaching career. I was smiling so wide I could hardly keep from uncontrollably giggling. You know that feeling? Your heart races, your mind jumps around, and you have this silly (and uncontrollably shaking for some reason) smile, all the while adding a bit of blushing and goose bumps.
Good stuff man. Good stuff. You made me miss those days. I'll be there for the next one!