Train Station
Feeling a little down today after a rough night discussing changes for the album. Efforts like this are never easy - but it will probably turn out alright in the end.
Went to the train station to play a couple of songs and try to change the rules of the whole music thing. Normally bands form, play in bars to friends and strangers, and hope to sell CDs, become famous and all that. But the bar scene here is a tiny slice of people as a whole and I dont care about selling merch and CDs as much as putting together some good songs and getting people out of their shells.
So the train station at 6pm is a bunch of people headed home after a long day at work - mostly singles, but a few groups - all dressed professionally and with tired and slightly stonewally expressions on their faces. I sat down and played a few songs near the entrance where people had to cross the tracks. Lately. The Rose. Pretty mellow stuff.
About half the people had headphones on and I played quietly, more or less practicing because I dont have the songs down yet. It wouldn’t be hard to get a crowd of 100 people moving through there though everyone is in a hurry. They rush by in 10 or 15 seconds, but then they might have to wait for five minutes on the tracks. Here’s a perfect audience for the taking. Of course once there on the other side of the tracks it’s hard to reach them with anything other than a song, but thats probably good enough.
Most people just breezed by, but I noticed they were more comfortable with eye contact that the last time. Maybe sitting down helps me see more approachable - or maybe its the mellow tone I adopted. One kid gave me a smile, which helped a lot with my confidence. It’s funny how little things matter.
As I watched the people getting of the train I thought to myself that of all the places I’ve played these people probably need music more than anyone - they are tired and the train station can be so drab. But it takes a certain kind of music to pick people up and make them feel better when you only have 15 seconds to impress them. I need to think about that one.
Mostly I noticed that I need more practice - my guitar playing is ok soft but things start to fall apart at loud volumes. Also I’m not using my bottom two strings in the new tuning and I need to bring them in. Practiced with the metronome tonight, which is something I should start doing daily.
But for now the train station is there every day. Two down, 98 to go.