hardheartedbill Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Wow, I'm burnt LOL This summer has been one of the most rewarding and busy periods I've ever experienced. I work at the state theater of NC, Flatrock Playhouse, during their season and this year was bananas. Started w/ an Andrew Loyd Weber concert ( the tunes not the dude ) that had the band onstage and featured everything from a Van Halen style solo intro to Jesus Christ Superstar to classical guitar, these shows run 36 performances. Then up to Rhoad Island/ Long Island for a weeks run of gigs w/ Poet Keith Flynn. Back in NC it's Chicago where I played tenor banjo and mandolin, zero guitar, again 36 shows. I made my directorial debut this year at a series of tribute concerts thats in its second year, " Music on the Rock ". I directed 3 shows Music of ABBA ( hey I dont pick em LOL and was slighlty more difficult than one would think ) Motown and James Taylor/ Joni Mitchell. ABBA and Motown were each 100% sold out over there week long runs. JT JM did really well also around 80-90% seats full. When I says directed its more of a musical director as these are staright concerts no drama. THEN I played a run of Hairspray, all early 60s clean start tone, really fun score. I've got 2 weeks off until the next show, a Journey/Air Supply concert. I'm filling that void w/ 2 fun rock cover gigs and a rare BBD gig sunday @ Barleys in Asheville NC!
velorush Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Now THAT sounds like a great summer! Congratulations!
atquinn Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 Congratulations! In my extremely limited experience in such matters, I've found that being in musical bands can be alot of fun even if you wouldn't otherwise particularly enjoy the music. How did you get into the theater world anyway and do you find it more or less rewarding than more traditional gigging situations?-Austin
harry65 Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep up the good work bro..............
Brooks Posted August 17, 2011 Posted August 17, 2011 toot away, bill. sorry i can't make it out there this weekend. edit - found this from a few years back;
hardheartedbill Posted August 18, 2011 Author Posted August 18, 2011 Congratulations! In my extremely limited experience in such matters, I've found that being in musical bands can be alot of fun even if you wouldn't otherwise particularly enjoy the music. How did you get into the theater world anyway and do you find it more or less rewarding than more traditional gigging situations?-Austinthey called me 4 years ago for an Elvis show, I suppose I impressed em and kinda became the "pop" guy over the course of time, 2 years ago we got a new artistic director ( head guy ) and I was already the " pop" guy and he likes pop LOL. I'm so happy to have this gig. I find it much more rewarding than cover gigs and about dead even w/ the best of the showcase original gigs. Everything is pro from in ear monitors w/ your own mix to the pay scale to the people involved. The ABBA singers sightread 3 part harmony from the Mama Mia score and sounded like the movie first try. I played w/ 2 guys who were/are involved w/ the Trans Siberian Orch. The sax player was in Glenn Miller Orch, it goes on and on like that. The music is really hard compared to most stuff, check out the insane 5/8 " Sunset Bvld" by Weber, sounds so smooth and its relentless 5. I'll bet I've played 32 bars total in E A or D, flat keys rule the theater world LOL. It's improved my reading and my acoustic playing tremendously. I'm not sure if I could do years of the same show like some of those broadway cats do, cause I love the variety. I am looking into sub situations for some big city shows, I guess I'm into it LOL
specialk Posted August 18, 2011 Posted August 18, 2011 Great stuff, HHB! Especially the Hairspray run, that had to be a ton 'o fun.
JohnnyB Posted August 18, 2011 Posted August 18, 2011 Aaaah. This brings back memories for me as well. Until I read Bill's post, I didn't realize how much I miss playing in a pit band. In high school I was one of two percussionists for our pit orchestra in "Music Man." Then, 11 years later, I had the good fortune to be the drummer in the first production of "Ain't Misbehavin'" after its release from Broadway to Palo Alto Theaterworks, fleshed out with musical theater majors from Stanford U. The orch was made up of a monster set of musicians, some of whom were soon to join the Clark Terry big band and others to be the house band for a Caribbean cruise ship. Show bands are a great experience because the music is so intrinsically involved with the action on stage, timing couldn't be more crucial because you actually contribute to the emotion of the moment. It makes you wonder sometimes how much the audience reaction is based on the line delivered onstage vs. the timely whack of a splash cymbal (or guitar chord).
hamerhead Posted August 19, 2011 Posted August 19, 2011 Congratulations! In my extremely limited experience in such matters, I've found that being in musical bands can be alot of fun even if you wouldn't otherwise particularly enjoy the music. How did you get into the theater world anyway and do you find it more or less rewarding than more traditional gigging situations?-Austinthey called me 4 years ago for an Elvis show, I suppose I impressed em and kinda became the "pop" guy over the course of time, 2 years ago we got a new artistic director ( head guy ) and I was already the " pop" guy and he likes pop LOL. I'm so happy to have this gig. I find it much more rewarding than cover gigs and about dead even w/ the best of the showcase original gigs. Everything is pro from in ear monitors w/ your own mix to the pay scale to the people involved. The ABBA singers sightread 3 part harmony from the Mama Mia score and sounded like the movie first try. I played w/ 2 guys who were/are involved w/ the Trans Siberian Orch. The sax player was in Glenn Miller Orch, it goes on and on like that. The music is really hard compared to most stuff, check out the insane 5/8 " Sunset Bvld" by Weber, sounds so smooth and its relentless 5. I'll bet I've played 32 bars total in E A or D, flat keys rule the theater world LOL. It's improved my reading and my acoustic playing tremendously. I'm not sure if I could do years of the same show like some of those broadway cats do, cause I love the variety. I am looking into sub situations for some big city shows, I guess I'm into it LOLCongrats, Bill! Takes a lot of work to play at that level. Good on ya!
burningyen Posted August 19, 2011 Posted August 19, 2011 And here I was thinking I was hot $#!+ for being music director of my law school show, lol. Awesome, Bill!
Steve Haynie Posted August 20, 2011 Posted August 20, 2011 Bill, I would love to pop in for th eBig Block Dodge show this weekend, but my Honda is getting a head gasket. The spare car no longer makes long trips on major highways.
zenmindbeginner Posted August 20, 2011 Posted August 20, 2011 toot away, bill. sorry i can't make it out there this weekend. edit - found this from a few years back; Brooks is clearly hogging the spotlight on that one. Amazing Summer for a real working musician that has a day job as a professional guitar player. Music director is where it's at Bill... that's some seriously impressive shiite right thurr. It's one thing to learn to play guitar well. It's another to join bands and write original tunes. It's a whole 'nother thing to do the hustling that's required to be a professional guitar player. Then it's a whole different level to be able to provide for a family as a pro musician and not just make it sleeping on your brother's couch eating PB&J sandwiches. Then finally getting a prestigious house gig (working with world class musicians and entertainers) and subsequently being tapped to be music director is a KILLER achievement. Way to go Bill!!!
hardheartedbill Posted August 21, 2011 Author Posted August 21, 2011 wow, thanks guys! heres some shots from the Loyd Weber show
Scottcrud Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Sounds great Bill. Is playing your actual day job?
hardheartedbill Posted August 21, 2011 Author Posted August 21, 2011 playin gigs and teaching private lessons is my actual day gig
Ethan Posted August 21, 2011 Posted August 21, 2011 Barleys in Asheville = awesome. Congrats on the packed schedule!
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