I was in Grand Rapids Michigan to screen my documentary and had the opportunity to play a set of music the night before. I did a set of music and had an old friend join me for a few songs at a small art place that has music, art and other events called The DAAC. My friend Oscar is really a folk music legend and has played everywhere, including his weekly streaming song series. He gave my old band back in the day their first show at the local hotspot. Not the Cavern club, but the place to be seen.
A new project was born during the pandemic: The Platinum Tears. I collaborated with some other musicians on these songs over the internet, and once things opened back up, I continued to work this way. So, getting over the “olds” way of thinking, that old punk ethos that it all needed to be live, I have been playing to backing tracks. Something I have learned along the way is that that is what people do now. They leverage technology and perform to whatever they want. And no one cares. Rappers have done it for ages, now every open mic night will have a young woman singing to tracks her friend made with loops off the internet.
The challenge has been to find a way to sing, and play guitar to the tracks in a way that mixes well and sounds good. One show so far was perfect and got it right, otherwise, it has been a learning curve.
I had edited an experimental film to project behind me during my show. Well, the file wouldn’t play at the performance space. There was a group doing 16mm film loops however, and projecting them. They helped me out by projecting this during my performance, and it turned out really cool.
(I built this resonator cigar box guitar!)
All in all it was the kind of night I wished had gone on in Grand Rapids when I lived there. But times change, technology changes things, the internet changed the city. There is more of a boutiquey feel to the city now, and lots more interesting places to go. Before it was a very conservative, Republican (like normal old school Republicans) place. Not very diverse either. But it seems to have changed, especially with all the Breweries there now.
I have the ideas that the songs are really for a musical or a film. Still tinkering with the idea.