[Patreon-Nov16-Post-Bug][/Patreon-Nov16-Post-Bug]This week’s concert was slightly abbreviated, as a certain tiny spectator was getting a bit rowdy towards the end.
Setlist: Saving Grace (original tuning), Shake It Off, Picture Window, Wilted, Ugly Americans
Performance Notes:
I originally wrote “Saving Grace” at the piano (it was pretty much the first thing I did when we walked in the door from our honeymoon), and when I finally translated it to guitar it was in the peculiar tuning of CADGCC. I still prefer the chord voicings there, but when we brought it to Arcati Crisis it didn’t make sense for me to always retune for just one song, so I figured out the equivalent chords in standard tuning.
One of the many downfalls of constant returning – especially retuning with such slack strings, is that even if your guitar sounds find on an open strum that the intonation might go a little sour higher on the next. If you see me wincing through “Saving Grace” and “Shake It Off” here, it’s because somewhere in the 7-9th fret neighborhood I heard something a little wonky.
(Also, as I mention in the stream, this is my first time ever hearing a soundboard quality “Shake It Off” played back not just through monitors, which is pretty crazy considering I wrote it back in 2009.)
“Picture Window” is another song I wrote first on piano and then translated, although I think the guitar version has nearly replaced the original for me at this point. “Wilted” is an older tune that’s a particular favorite of E’s – I was a little confused about the placement of the slides up the neck for about halfway through the song. Such is rehearsal.
That brings us to my current wrestling match, “Ugly Americans.” On day eight of its life in public it’s getting nearer to a final state, though there are still a few too many words crowding some of the triplets. It’s literally been over a decade since I’ve worked out a new song in public like this, and while it’s terrifying it also feels good to be back to my roots. The fear will fade.
I intended to follow that with an oldie, “Hold On Me,” and then some grand finalé – which I intended to be “Better” (which, crazily, I’ve never recorded solo!) but would probably result in EV yelling for “Status Quo” and me acquiescing.