The first gig I did (outside of yeshiva) was in high school. One of the Kollel guy's wives was working as the director of activities in the local nursing home and asked the yeshiva band if we would come down and accompany a class from the day school as they sang Jewish songs for the residents. She got a list of songs the class was going to sing from the teacher and we practiced them all week. When we got there, the teacher told us which songs they were going to sing and only one of them was on the list we'd been given. It turned out that the music teacher had given her the song list for a different class. These kids didn't know any of those songs. So, we stood around as they sang... played the one song we --and they --knew together with them, and then played a set by ourselves. Granted, nursing home residents aren't exactly the toughest crowd, but still... I remember feeling so nervous before the performance.
Yonah Lloyd writes:
My very first ever professional (defined as getting paid for it) gig was for an NCSY shabbaton in Long Beach...our band was supposed to play some ruach music after havdala. So we get there and set up, and then the kids come rushing in from upstairs and it turns out to be an NCSY Our Way shabbaton - that's a special division just for deaf kids. I couldn't believe it!!! We had rehearsed for days and days to be ready, and they wouldn't hear any of it. Then, to pour more salt in, while we're playing, some smart-ass kid comes over and writes us a note: "you're the best band I never heard!" damn if we weren't cracking up - and in the end, the advisors said the kids do really feel the sound, and they actually did dance a ton, and we had a good time. Thus my introduction to the world of Dm.
Anyone else have any?
