Monday, September 14, 2015

Part 2 of Dawn's Crazy September is officially in the books, and I can advance into a relaxing schedule of school driving, Chaucer coaching, lawn mowing, vet visiting, and work. My next crazy burst involves two trips to Massachusetts in the same week, but at least I have an empty weekend between now and then.

Cramming a poetry reading and two music gigs into three hysterical days was a very odd sensation. Poetry readings are shorter, but far more mentally and emotionally intense. Playing three long sets in a bar is like running a marathon: a heady mix of exhaustion and adrenaline. Plus, there are four people on stage, not just one.  We're all taking risks together, trying to read each other, trying to cover for the others' errors, trying to ride impulses and improvisations, trying to read the crowd and respond as flexible but united compatriots.

As I was playing on Saturday night, I found myself thinking in soccer metaphors. The bass player and the drummer are like the defensive line. If they aren't completely solid, everything goes to hell. The guitar player is like the midfielder: sometimes on offense, sometimes on defense. He goes back and forth between rhythm section and lead player, but he's also calling the plays. The fiddle player is the striker, a quick diver, alert to the gaps and fissures.

But on Sunday morning, when I revealed all of this cogitation to my son, his response was "Well, who's the goalkeeper?" That blew a hole in my metaphor.


5 comments:

Ruth said...

The audience?

Carlene said...

I agree; the audience. If the striker is effective, the music finds the back of the net. Which, I suppose, means the audience is not a good goal keeper...which is a good thing. If they deny the music, then all the efforts of the musical team are for nought. Or something like that.

I'm cheering for the band.

Ruth said...

nicely stated..way better than I could have articulated, Carlene.

David (n of 49) said...

Ha, my first thought was "the audience", but then had no reason why. So, yeah, what Carlene said. And because she and Ruth thought it too, I will now officially feel better about myself. Boy, the self-help virtues of this blog.... :-)

Carlene said...

David, this is "hive mind" at work, yes?

And this hive is buzzing.

Bahaha

Metaphor rescued.

Goal met.