-bear with me here!-
What you learn about looking inside critters (and people - I did a human anatomy class too, eventually) is that the inner workings of, say, a bunny or a pukeko are incredibly complex. And there is potential for stuff to go wrong. In fact, when we think of life's complexity, it's amazing things don't go wrong more often.
I'm going to talk real quick about an old gig of mine that went wrong, why it went wrong.
At the same time I'm going to encourage people to make events. Does that sound counter-intuitive? I promise it isn't!
Even though there is always the possibility that the event you are planning will not work out, it is definitely worth the experience to try and make it happen. You'll learn heaps; and most of the time, Life Finds A Way.
So here is an image: old gig from June.
Urban Chamber was a bit of a random idea. I'd been planning one of my regular Electric Salon gigs; mostly affairs involving some variety acts and some alt music. The latest incarnation of the Salon was called Chamber of Horrors and featured sonic arts, improv freeform jazz, performance art and a radio play reading. I was clearly not just in the business of putting on your regular alt gigs any more.
So since I was taking a goth bar and throwing experimental art at it, I thought, let's take a venue (Meow) that has traditionally served the Wellington jazz and comedy scene, and throw chamber music at it. It wasn't a bad idea really. I got the NZSM events people on side, persuaded them to let me borrow a harpsichord, booked some interesting musicians. So far so cool.
But the unforeseen can happen, of course. I'd gambled more of my own money than usual in preparing for the gig (I was hiring a harpsichord and paying performers what I hoped were okay rates for 'classical' musicians). And June 20 was the night of the really big storm that hit Wellington, took out the train lines and parts of the shoreline, downed trees and coincidentally kept a whole lot of punters trapped in their homes.
We made the best of it. But I couldn't help feeling the whole thing reeked of desperation a la the scene in Little Voice where LV hasn't shown up and her producer is trying to Keep Calm and Carry On. Also I was soaked to the skin from helping transport that beautiful harpsichord.
But hey! the NZSO had to cancel their Auckland concert the next day; at least my show went on. You've got to look at the humour in these things.
For months afterwards I was really averse to putting on shows. It burned me a little. But as the weeks have gone by, I've realised that I met some very interesting people because I organised that gig.
Donald Nicolson, the funny and nimble harpsichord virtuoso. Stephen Gibbs from NZSM, who is lovely and gave me lots of support. Megan Ward, viola player and irreverent Bach fan. I also got some insight into what Anton Killin does when he's not playing goth music.
And I got to organise a Mad Max photoshoot (Gemma Crouch-Gatehouse did the pictures) involving musical instruments, dark alleyways and facepaint.
Nothing's ever really a loss if you work out in advance what you are prepared to risk, and are open to the things that emerge from an event.
My mate Freyja's putting on an alt gig on the 25th of this month. It's the first event she's organised. I don't want her to be intimidated by my story; I want her, and people like her, to be encouraged. You will learn heaps by doing these things.
-also I'll be playing the electirc violin for an audience for the first time at that gig. It will be a learning experience. Am I nervous? Sure. Is it gonna stop me? Nope.
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