Without music, life would not be fair. There are a lot of people who like playing music as a serious hobby. They have day jobs, but take a lot of pride in their craft. That fits who I am and my current relationship with playing music.
I'm self-taught on bass, guitar and ukulele and classically trained on the piano. I have a melodica that’s a ton of fun to play. I recommend any keyboardist picking one up; it’s like $40 and a sure-fire way to annoy a significant other.
The Perfectionists have been together since September ’14 in our current iteration. We are actively gigging at area bars/venues and practicing at 7DL. We play a wide range of covers, spanning from the '60s to present. We play fun stuff, like Wagon Wheel and Uptown Funk (sick bass part on this song, by the way).
We also like to challenge ourselves and play stuff a little off the beaten path, like Jack White’s That Black Bat Licorice and Michael Bublé’s version of Feeling Good. Our repertoire has multiple suggestions from everyone in the band, so I’ve enjoyed figuring out bass parts for such a wide range of music.
Naylor Court formed in ’08 and was active for about 6 years. We played a mix of originals written by our lead singer and our violinist, and popular covers. We had a great time throughout, and I gained a lot of good experience. We stopped actively playing and practicing last year after our keyboardist left for business school, but the remaining four members will play a gig every now and again if our schedules match up.
My first Flashband experience was in the Number Ones Showcase. It was great! The Meet & Greet was like speed-dating for musicians. It was fun to play with so many different people in such a short period of time.
My first Flashband experience was in the Number Ones Showcase. It was great! The Meet & Greet was like speed-dating for musicians. It was fun to play with so many different people in such a short period of time.
When it became time to choose a band, I wandered around asking people if they needed a bassist. I’m fortunate that it’s an instrument every band needs, but isn’t as popular as, say, the guitar. It was easy to find a group.
The practices were productive and we usually went for a beer afterwards. It was great getting to know new musicians and people in the community. We played well at the showcase and we all remain in touch. I’m looking forward to doing another cycle soon!
Bands don’t last forever (unless you’re the Rolling Stones) and a band is something I always want to be in. I know that the Flashband community is a great resource for finding a musical outlet. I hope they expand nationally so there’s a ready-made community if I ever move out of the DC area.
If someone new to Flashband asked me for advice, I would say: Roll with it. Especially when selecting songs. Even if you don’t care for the song suggested, there’s something to get out of learning it and making it work.
Practice at home. Come prepared for band practice. It makes for a productive rehearsal and a better sounding end product at the Showcase.
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