One of my long-unfulfilled rock performance dreams is to have a gig in which my band sets up and “performs” in rehearsal mode: that is, facing each other, playing for each other, having the right to stop songs in midstream, adjust part of an arrangement, and criticize each other. We would completely block out the crowd and just do our thing, the way our thing is meant to be done.
Every once in a while I stumble across a video of an artist rehearsing for a gig or studio recording. I LOVE THIS STUFF! As a music lover, I’m as interested in experiencing what goes on behind closed doors as I am listening to or making music myself, also behind closed doors. Don’t get me wrong, the thrill of playing out or seeing a band out in the wild can be tremendous, but there are less opportunities for catching knowing glances, intimate gestures, and tossed-off asides and fills.
Enjoy this goofy, spirited rehearsal by The Rolling Stones while it lasts on YouTube. I’m afraid Steve Luthaker owns the rights to this clip.
I’m still of the mind that unless you’re of undeniable historical importance (like the Stones), you don’t reveal your act unless you have it down.
I hope you wouldn’t charge for such a “rehearsal” gig. If you must, then I insist that each band member be fitted with an electrical collar, and the audience would get to vote for shocks to be administered to any band member who is too boring, being a dickhead, being overly pedantic, or otherwise holding up the proceedings. Perhaps tossable fruit could be distributed too. “Tell the rhythm guitarist that it’s an E-flat rather than E-natural one more time and you’ll get oranges!”
I may have mentioned this before, but I saw the first date of the 1975 tour, the first one with Ron Wood. They were a mess, completely unprepared, and it was like watching a rehearsal.
That would be the act, tonyola, and we would have it down.
Guitar nerd alert! Keef is playing a Travis Bean guitar! With aluminum neck!