I am currently in pursuit of my dream and passion. Or perhaps I’m really more in pursuit of how to pursue my dream and passion. I’m feeling kind of clueless at the moment.
On Friday night, Drew and I went out to Bird’s to see two good friends play with a great singer/songwriter. Bird’s is a hole in the wall restaurant and bar with the best burger in town. We walked in the door and I was immediately greeted by my friend Anna as she gave me a big bear hug. We caught up briefly with her and our other friend Justin, and then found a seat at the bar. Drew ordered a pitcher of Yuengling and we settled in as the show began.
Bird’s is a small restaurant with a small stage. The three of them crammed together and after a quick sound check, played through some of their songs. Kris Braun is an acoustic singer/songwriter. Right up my alley. With a little djembe and electric guitar backing her up, it’s a great sound.
As they began to play, I noticed that barely anyone was really listening. There was a small crowd, all enjoying their burgers, oysters and beers. They’d politely clap and cheer between songs, but then go right back to their conversations when the next song began. I watched as they played, and felt bad that their hard work and practice wasn’t being met with more enthusiasm.
It makes me wonder… if I want to be a singer/songwriter, am I willing to do the bar gig? I’ve never been much into bars and such places, and honestly, I’m not much of a night owl. I start crashing at about 9:30 p.m. With most of these gigs not starting until at least 10 p.m. I think I’d be yawning throughout my entire set.
So what the heck do I do with this dream and passion? Right now I’m just trying to take it one step at a time. Writing lyrics and poetry, practicing guitar, and overall trying to improve my musicality. Perhaps I should attempt to write a few songs first and then we’ll take it from there.
