On the upside, we enjoyed the most enthusiastic and consistent applause of the evening, considering the crowd was, as it were, laid back. All eyes were on us start to finish including a couple in the far west end who were otherwise in their own space. Ours was the only act that had people singing along. By closing time, we were still getting compliments about our selections.Next, rating the competition as it relates to us, not the audience. Keep in mind this is solely my opinion. The other duo was our only serious rivalry, consisting of two guitars. But they did not have their voicings down. When strumming, both played the same chops behind the vocals, which is one voicing. The lyrics were also sung in harmony and cadence, which is also one voicing. Total voicings: two.
Their only variations were the instrument breaks, played by nearly identically toned guitars. The first guy, a soloist, kept strumming full blast, forcing the “lead” notes to be over-picked for volume. That as well amounts to only two voicings. Whereas there is nothing “wrong” with this arrangement, I find it is hardly the most effective use of the resources available.
In the opposite musical direction, all our music is chosen to have four voicings (distinct parts of nearly equal volume), namely drums, bass, rhythm and vocals. None of these elements overlap in either beat or melody, often purged right down to the individual measure. The audience is hearing a significantly more intricate presentation, I believe as intricate as I can make it without resorting to backing tracks. This is what I set out to do and believe this will stand us apart from the legions once we get it polished up.
It is not lost that this is a non-conventional approach to a changed local music market. I can’t define those changes, but I can tell you they are permanent and irreversible. People just don't drive across town any more to see a particular band. The nearest band at the nearest watering hole is fine. The vast non-French tourist crowds have not returned for three years running so music is now played to increased ratios of local regulars. The upper hand is no longer to musicians who are the best, but to those who can adapt the fastest.
[Author’s note: many Karaoke shows have not evolved and are hitting the same barriers. Karaoke, except for getting computerized, doesn't seem to have changed much since the 1980s. I did not know that the four voicings of "Jag & I" was never to be repeated again. No guitar players good enough that would agree to play rhythm only can be found in south Florida. Only guitar heroes.]
I just finished John Grisham’s “The Chamber”. He’s the same lawyer who wrote “The Firm”, “The Pelican Brief” and “The Client”. Again, I got lost in his swarm of characters, many of whom are not central to the plot. He once again assumes the reader knows and remembers the job titles and duties of all the lawyers, judges, governors and secretaries and all their names. I don’t, I had to keep a list. There’s two types of lawmen, those “fer ya” and those “agin ya”.
The plot is a man who drives a racist bomber around. One time a bomb fails to explode when he expects it and he returns to the scene. It detonates and he is arrested, convicted and goes to death row. His grandson meanwhile becomes a lawyer and takes on his case.
This will not make a movie, as it does not have a Hollywood ending.
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