Groovy

There was a feeling that everything was right as we drove along. The fading sun glinted off the puddles formed by the rain that had fallen just an hour before in a sudden spring storm. There was a calm that I had not felt in a while, something very hard to explain. But I felt very much in a good place, and heading in the right direction.

Last night was pretty awesome too. I went back to my old high school to do a guest spot at the spring orchestra concert. And let me say, it was good fun. I was very impressed by the groups that played, especially the Freshman Orchestra. They played a song that I played my first year in Chamber! That was impressive. It also brought back some memories of my days in Chamber. The solo that I had played some four years ago...

Then came Chamber and a few more songs I remembered. Then the big moment. Time to shine. During the song before my appearance, I had begun to psyche myself out a bit. I don't know why, really. I had played this song a few times before in front of audiences. I peeked out at the crowd, the largest I had ever seen at an OP orchestra concert. I began to feel those unmerciful lights just a bit more than I normally would have.

Then I was calm. The thought of someone who is many miles away, but always in my thoughts...

And I was introduced.

There were some cheers when the audience heard we'd be performing Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze." Some of the parents even got a little excited. I opened up with the last line of the Woodstock version of "The Star Spangled Banner," managing to choke a particularly important note, but making up for it with some distortion and whammy-bar trickery. The secret to being a great musician is covering your mistakes, I learned that long ago.

And then the opening tritone.

I quietly rocked out along with the orchestra through three verses of the song, and then it was my turn to shine. I usually built up the solo a bit, reaching a climax and then holding it there until the end of the song. But not this time. I went balls to the wall from the first note, hitting a shrieking B at the top of my guitar's register, and never letting up from there.

I knew I had done well when the audience was cheering and whistling at the end. It was a feeling I had not felt in a very long time, indeed. I've performed some acoustic bits for smaller audiences since then, mostly among close friends. It had been a while since about 100 people had heard me play, if ever. My dad's video camera caught my sheepish smile when the song was over. I couldn't help being a bit giddy with the whole thing.

Damn, it felt good to blow some minds.

I'll be back in the 'Burg on Saturday to say some farewells, as well as seeing a certain special someone :)

Until then...