Performance

During the summer the university occasionally has local bands perform outdoors over the lunch hour.  Last year I would often sit and listen if I happened to be walking by.  They're doing it again this year but yesterday was the first performer I had a chance to listen to.  I was actually there early but not because I was particularly anxious to hear a band.  The area where they perform happens to be one of the more pleasant places where I can be outdoors and still get WiFi.  I was busy checking email when I noticed speakers and microphones being set up.

I started watching the setup, trying to pick out the band members and guess at the type of music.  I spotted an acoustic guitar but not much else - no drums, no bass guitar.  I found a sign promoting the day's act.  Instead of listing a band name, it just had a guy's name.  Just a guy and his acoustic guitar, I thought, probably some sort of singer-songwriter folk thing.

Eventually, the time came for the show to begin.  The stage cleared except for one fellow.  I'd pegged him as part of the crew but apparently he was the artist.  After a couple introductory remarks, he launched into his first song - well, not quite.  First, he had to turn on his "drums".  He made a point of telling us that he was using a drum machine - perhaps in the interest of full disclosure, lest we be duped into somehow thinking he was producing drum noises from his guitar.  The drum machine pounded out a loud rock beat and he joined in with guitar and vocals.  The song was fine but the ending seemed a bit awkward as the guitar and singing faded away but the drums pounded on as he fumbled for the off switch.

For the next song, he explained that it had a cool electric guitar part.  Unfortunately, his guitarist buddy couldn't make it.  Fear not, he assured us, he had a recording of the guitar, backing vocals and drums.  Again, he fired up a machine and played along.  I began to wonder if we really needed him up there at all.

For a later song, he switched back to just his guitar and his trusty drum machine.  Before starting, he informed us that the song sounded best with accompanying strings and some "really cool" vocal harmony.  Apparently this was the way he'd recorded it for an upcoming CD.  He suggested we try to imagine it that way as he performed.

I didn't feel up to the task so I went back to work.