I’ve had a strange few days. I came back from Nashville not feeling very good at all about what was ahead. But at the same time not giving much credence to the feeling because I do that all the time and even I know when I doing it. But still, it was a frustrating experience and looking ahead to more shows out of town, especially when I don’t enjoy playing the acoustic shows anyway, I wasn’t feeling very optimistic.
But then Thursday Daemon calls to let me know that I have six shows with the Indigo Girls in November in Florida. It’s weird because I know it’s a big deal while at the same time I knew it was coming in some capacity because at some point pretty much every Daemon artist opens for them. It’s sort of the bonus of being signed by them. Though when they told me about it when I first signed the talk was about it being a couple of dates and that it would hopefully pay enough so that I could bring a band along. But the tour that starts in November is an acoustic tour for them, so I just assumed that’s what I’d be doing, too, even aside from the fact that I just didn’t think I’d be able to put together a band that could AFFORD to go out on the road with me for a string of dates.
But then I started looking at the venues online Friday. For some reason, and I can’t really say why, when they said they were playing acoustic shows I envisioned them as being small venues. Oh no. These are 2000 to 3000 seat places. So suddenly I was filled with the thought of that same guy who just stumbled through 20 minutes in front of 30 people in Nashville trying to entertain 2000 with just his acoustic guitar. And it was not a pretty sight.
Suddenly it seemed huge.
When I was in Radiant City we played Music Midtown here in Atlanta, so we played to easily 5 or 10,000 people, I really have no idea. It was just big. What struck me as funny at the time was that, past the first few rows you just can’t register it. It’s too big and it no longer makes any sense. So I didn’t experience any nerves about it, though I did get to experience the adrenaline rush of that many people cheering between songs. All the benefits of the drug without the side-effects. But the thought of playing in front of 2000 people acoustic was just… wrong. At least for me.
Over the weekend I happened to see both Lee and Chris and talked vaguely about the whole thing. I saw Lee first and asked, really not even taking it seriously, if she thought she could get that sort of time off and wanted to come along. But surprisingly she did, and then later so did Chris. So now I have just emailed Lyle to see if he thinks he could pull it off.
It means a lot more complications. I could really have used the money that playing these shows solo would have meant. Whereas now, if this happens, I’ll be splitting the money, as well as dealing with the logistics of transporting all of us and the equipment and sleeping somewhere. So, barring good response and CD sales, I won’t make much money from this. But at the same time, for me, I think I’m completely willing to make that sacrifice if it means playing the shows the way I want to be heard, and playing with a confidence I will not otherwise feel.