Friday, January 22, 2010

2010 - Musical Resolutions

I hate making New Year's resolutions.

I hate them because I NEVER follow through with them. I make some good attempts, but nothing ever really seems to stick and I find myself making the same resolutions year after year.

Well I've said it before and I'll say it again. "This year is going to be different!"

My resolution for 2010 has 2 parts and they both involve music.

1.) Play songs at a bar or open mic with the true goal being to have my own set. Like a 30 minute set of me just playing and singing.

2.) Write a song. Just one. Then perform it.

So Courtney is preparing a plethora of posts to share with all of you about our recent vacation to St. John in the US Virgin Islands. It was an amazing trip... but you'll hear all about it later.

While we were there, we went to a little bar/restaurant called Island Blues for lunch and I read on their board that the next night was an open mic. So of course I made everyone go with the hopes that I could play.

We went and had a few drinks and the band that was hosting, called Rock Fish, was playing their set and it looked like there wasn't going to be much of an open mic. This really old guy who had brought his own beautiful hollowed body guitar decided to leave and just as he was the band stopped playing and started shouting, "Wait Bob don't leave! You're up! You're up!"

So Bob gets up there and is pretty much an amazing blues guitarist. He plays with the band and some other guy he knows and they rock the house! I mean ROCK THE HOUSE! It was incredible and I thought to myself "No way can I follow that up!"

Bob and the band finish their set and the lead singer/guitar player comes up to do some acoustic stuff while the band takes a break and that's when I seized my opportunity and went up and asked if I could play. The leader of the band said "Sure thing!" and then introduced me to the bar and disappeared. I played 2 songs. "Be With You" by Mr. Big and "In Your Eyes" as done by Jeffery Gaines. Both songs are main staples of mine. It was really fun and when the night was over the owner of the bar told me I did a great job and that I could play there any time I wanted if I come back! The leader of the band told me I did great too and said that I should go after my passion and do more with music. It was cool to have them say something like that because they aren't my friends or family, whio have to tell you you did great even if you sound like a cat being put in a microwave. Overall, it was a really cool night.

So I have played an open mic in 2010, but I still haven't reached my goal. Two songs is hardly a full set. Writing a song seems like a daunting task, but I have all year to do it. I'll keep you posted.

Aaaannnnddd... if you're wondering...yes, there is a video of me playing and yes it's below for your viewing pleasure. I'm only posting "Be With You" for right now and I will have to warn you... I don't think I sound that great. I also got a little nervous and forgot some of my lyrics. I worked it out though, with Courtney's help. Also, after my video is a video of Andrew Ripp singing his song "Losing Gravity." It's what I aspire to be.

So... let me know what you think about both videos. And tell me the truth.


The video is a little rough, but I'd love to hear what you think of it!

This guy is amazing!

4 comments :

  1. that was outstanding D! (and I'm not related so I would tell you if it sounded like a cat in a microwave ... terrible image/great simile though).

    i know court probably hears those songs all the time but it's fresh to me. i applaud your strength in getting up there. and selfishly, i loved being able to see my friend perform while in my bedroom unable to sleep.

    way to go!

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  2. Dustin. . . You. Are. Awesome. Period.

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  3. It keeps telling me the "video is not available. please try again later"... too bad, I really wanted to see you perform. I'm sure you were... awesome!

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  4. wahooooo dustin!!! wish i had been there to cheer you on (cause, i mean, seriously... it's st. john you were at, haha)
    You did awesome and i definitely applaud you for doing that.
    it totally reminded me of a vacation we took with Jon's family to the Bahamas the year after we got married, and we were outside by the pool at night listening to this guy sing with his whole d.j music sound thing set up. he was an awesome singer. we all started to request songs, and as i brought up my request, he said "okay, but you gotta sing it with me..."
    and i did! then he wanted me to sing by myself so i stood there and sang song after song! it was so awesome especially when i was headed back to our room finally and we passed people saying "aw, you're all done? i just brought down my family to hear you!" haha...
    anyway, so much fun to display your talent like that and you seriously rocked it!
    the tiniest suggestion would be to start in a slightly lower key (?) cause it would be even stronger than it already is, especially when you go for the key change (voice, not guitar, cause obviously i don't know anything about guitar) :)

    again, great job!!!!

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