[Dixielandjazz] Re: [Dixielandjazz]Roadies

[Patrick Cooke]

>>>Older age playing is not for sissies. Maybe we should >>>hire a schlepper
to do the heavy lifting?

Good idea!....but I thought of it long ago.  The rock bands have "roadies",
but then rock pays a lot better than OKOM.
   BTW, we have one of those passport PA systems, also.  The clarinet player
schleps it....he's still in his forties, and has the smallest instrument to
carry.
    Pat Cooke

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Barbone" <barbonestreet@earthlink.net>
To: "Patrick Cooke" <patcooke@cox.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 5:53 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Playing Too Long


> Hi Pat & List mates
>
> I hear you. I schlep a "portable" sound system to most gigs. It is a 250
watt
> Fender Passport system and weighs about 50 pounds for the speakers and amp
in a
> suitcase like arrangement. Carry that in first with my clarinet.
>
> Then 2 more trips for mike stands, speaker stands and band signs. People
ask
> why I get there an hour early. Simple, to schlep the stuff in, set up, and
then
> chill out for a half hour or so, hit the head, wash up and relax with my
usual
> 7 Up. Or if I'm feeling good, a scotch and water.
>
> Main thing is to hydrate by drinking lots of water during the gig. Got to
keep
> my strength up for bead throwing, ogling the girls, and oh yes, saying
> something to them via the ax.
>
> Older age playing is not for sissies. Maybe we should hire a schlepper to
do
> the heavy lifting?
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
> PS. Like you, my chord knowledge and ear are better than ever, but
articulation
> suffers a bit, While I'm not playing as well as I used to in that sense,
I, and
> the band do a lot better than the young bands with which we compete in our
> territory. As the kids in our audience say. "Hey, you old guys are
awesome".
>
> Patrick Cooke wrote:
>
> >      I'm 75, and I believe I play better now than I did then.  Studying
> > guitar has given me much more chord knowledge, and a better feeling for
> > chords.  My ear is many times better than it was then, and I can play
things
> > I never could then.
> >
>
> > I just don't schlep all the equipment around as well.  By the time I get
the
> > stuff downstairs, loaded into the car, get parked, unload into the gig
and
> > set up, I'm ready for break.  If  I were a drummer, I would have given
up
> > playing long ago.....I couldn't schlep all that gear around.
>
>