It went ok...
As I came off-stage, a woman who runs a nearby music venue asked me for my card...I told her I didn't have any. She was really nice...that was lovely of her. So I must have been quite good.
For my part, I didn't really enjoy it...the softer numbers kind of left me cold and the crowd (which wasn't a lot for the earlier performers) didn't seem to want to come along with me...fair enough...what can you do? They either fancy it or they don't. I find it too easy just to shrug my shoulders and think "f**k em".
I was halfway through a jaunty "that's entertainment" when it dawned on me that I'd rather be at home with a glass of wine.
Having said that, I loved playing "you're going to lose that girl"...I found a fab version by "the nutopians" on Soundcloud...playing it reminded me of a Beatles parody I wrote years ago called "please please yourself".
I was much happier when I reverted to type with fairly mean versions of "London Calling" and "Oliver's Army" and I left them with a vengeful stabbing of The Animals' "don't let me be misunderstood" as a parting shot.
Gigs have often felt like a war of attrition...whereby it's not always possible to win them over, so I've needed to fight them to a stalemate or beat them into submission...which is not what I ever hoped, intended or wanted to do.
I was very worried about my voice, but I'd changed the key of a couple of songs to make it easier, and dropped a couple that are a bit of a strain to sing...and that worked out ok...my voice was never up to much anyway...but I was pleased it hasn't got any worse.
It was an experiment of sorts...and I've learned some lessons from it.
So for now, I think I'm done with playing live...I just don't enjoy it much anymore.
Thanks to everyone here for their good wishes...it was a big help
