"Please just don't let me be boring." The thought kept running through my head. I was worried I was going to forget words. I was worried I was going to forget chords. But, above all, I was worried I was going to be boring.
We woke up in Austin and checked into our rooms at the Sheraton downtown. After taking showers, Heather and I went for lunch at Mekong River. It was a 5PM load in at Emo's, not that I had much to load in, two guitars and an amp. Jordan walked down to the venue with me. I felt like a real cliche walking around downtown Austin carrying an acoustic guitar.
We weren't at Emo's for more that 5 minutes before Andrew W.K. walked in. He immediately came up and introduced himself. We talked for a second. Andrew seems like a genuinely nice person, a genuinely positive person. I watched him sound check as I changed my guitar strings. After my own sound check I walked back to the hotel. I wasn't playing until 10:50.
It had been a long time since I'd played a show by myself. I was hoping for disinterest and a lack of attention. I was hoping for anonymity and an empty room. Emo's was packed, with most of the crowd being made up of bands and crew from the Warped Tour. Everyone had the day off and everyone went to Austin. I played 7 songs total, only one of which I'd ever played live before. I kept it short.
Playing a show alone is entirely different from playing a show with a band. The pressure rests solely upon you to perform. The only sounds being made will be coming from you, the only movements being made will be your own. Last night I was too nervous to do much other than close my eyes and hope for the best, hang on for dear life and wait for the ride to end. After the show was over I felt foolish for being so intimidated. I wished I had owned the moment.