It feels like ages since that last time I played at the market. I guess it's been about 4 months. I do miss it a bit.
I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to play at that market. I have heard of other artists having bars, or coffee houses or clubs, with open mic nights or some such regular event that they took part in early on. These places often became where performing, was discovered, developed and informed. These places were safe places as well, places one could be oneself or what ever version of themselves they wanted to present. I suppose the Nyack market has been that kind of place for me.
Farmers markets are kind of funny places to perform at in a way. People don't come there to hear music, or very few people do. The "audience" is there to do something else and the job of the performer is to add some ambience. It is very different than an open mic at a bar or cafe, where people sit and face you and actively listen. Most people playing at farmers markets are playing well established music, traditional tunes or covers, these both can established a desired mood, partly because they are familiar and partly because of the selection of music being generally upbeat.
I took a chance and played only my own original material, and not all of it was sunshine and daisies. I remember one day when a woman, maybe in her 60's came up and dropped a bill in the guitar case, smiled and then said, "that wasn't really a happy song was it?" as if to say that she is listening. I got the impression that like a sweet older woman, she'd appreciate happy songs more but that she would allow it. She did after all give me a smile and a tip.
I daydream about the coming Spring and Summer and the possibility of singing some of the new songs at the market, if they will have me back.
No comments:
Post a Comment