RAIN MUST FALL: Our First Show

Bedford, Pennsylvania isn’t known for many good things, despite it being a pretty well known small town.

About an hour from my home here outside of Altoona, the band collectively decided an acoustic coffee shop gig would be the best route to take for our first show. An hour away from our roots, we took the invitation for a few reasons:

A) We’ve been rehearsing acoustically for the most part, so naturally that’s where we are sharpest at this moment as a band.

B) If we screwed up, it wasn’t going to be as damaging to our reputation seeing as how it’s not our hometown.

C) It was a free gig, with free admission, and we got free lattes!!

Suffice to say, far more people showed up for the show than expected. The girls working the counter said they’d never seen the place so full for a band, particularly on a Thursday. Furthermore, the people that came to the show, most of which were friends and family of various band members (my family didn’t get to come, but they’ll be at our August 8th show), applauded, bobbed their heads and were genuine in enjoying the music. The support was amazing, and people (including ourselves) didn’t want the show to end.

We ended up getting paid afterall, 20 bucks per person, and had a wonderful afterparty. The energy was high for a coffee shop gig, and as you’ll see from the photos, there wasn’t a minute when we sat down. We kept the energy high by moving around and involving ourselves in the music. In that sense, I don’t think it was your average acoustic gig. I think people were a bit surprised at how energetic we were, and I know they were surprised at how GOOD the original material was.

To say we were on an absolute high is an understatement. It was addicting. The friendship we have with one another is outstanding, and the HeBrew’s coffee company handed us the book and asked us to please come again as we were the “best sounding” and “best draw” they’ve had.

And so, the circle is squared. August 8th we play at a bar in Altoona, opening up for Acalasia, a band signed to an LA management company. August 28th we go back for another gig at HeBrew’s, and we may be heading to Pittsburgh in September for a benefit/frat party appearance with Acalasia as well.

I’m sure that more gigs will be filling up the weeks in between, so stay tuned. Enjoy the photos from the show, courtesy of our friend Todd Bennett. (Man was I a hot mess! Somebody turn on the air dammit!)

~ by Michael on July 20, 2009.