First Gig Stories cont...

Shmuel Klaver writes:

MY FIRST REAL CHASSIDISHE ("CHASSIDIC", FOR YOU GOYIM) CLUB DATE WAS BACK IN 1974. IT WAS IN THE CONTINENTAL IN WILLIAMSBURG. I HAD NO IDEA THAT AT SATMAR WEDDINGS THE CHOSSEN DOESN'T GO TO BADDEK THE KALLAH, HIS GRANDFATHER OR REBBE OR SOMEONE OVER AGE 90 DOES IT; SO WHEN THE GUY I THOUGHT WAS THE CHOSSEN APPROACHED THE 16 (17?) YEAR OLD KALLAH, I HAD A MASSIVE ANXIETY ATTACK. BOY WAS I CONFUSED WHEN SOME KID WALKED DOWN TO THE CHOSSEN'S SONG! SO NOW YOU KNOW WHY I'M LIKE THIS...

I remember the first time I played one of those weddings. The bandleader cued the badekin and we started to play. After about 20 seconds two older chassidic men rushed into the room. I was still looking at the door to see the chosson enter, when the leader ended the music after about 90 seconds. I assumed it was because there had been a miscommunication and they weren't yet ready for the badekin, but the chassidic bandleader explained that this is the way it is done in this comunity. That was the fastest badekin I've ever seen!