Meet the Musician: Roberto Giberti, guitarist and bassist

This profile features Roberto Giberti, guitarist, bassist and five-time Flashband performer. 

Flashband is definitely the best place to be if you need to explore music and know other musicians in DC. And behind every unknown musician you can find a surprise, a talent, a passion, and a different style, so it’s good to be in this mix.

I’m not American, but it looks to me that it’s quite challenging to play in DC, at least compared to other cities where I’ve played, like San Francisco, San Diego and Toronto. A few months after I moved here, I was losing hope to play. I was looking for other musicians because I wanted to form a band. Then I met Flashband. I used to play guitar, then I switched to bass just because it was easier to join a band. But actually I found out that I enjoy bass way more than guitar now.

It was great to meet so many musicians in the same spot at my first Flashband event. And I really liked the organization in every step, from the website to the Meet and Greet to the showcase. The staff made me feel very welcome, and the other musicians made the rest. Also, the partnership with the 7DL works perfectly, because it’s a great place to practice and—of course—to meet other musicians.

For me, the value I have gotten from Flashband is not so much playing at the Showcase, because I have had the opportunity to play quite a few gigs in the past—mostly in Italy, where I come from. So actually the great value of Flashband for me is networking. I really hope that more and more musicians will populate DC in the future, and more venues will accommodate more gigs.

Don’t get stuck in a rehearsal room. Try to gig as much as you can; even a simple open mic can teach you how to express yourself in a new situation, and build the right chemistry with the audience.

How can you live without music? How can you celebrate without music? What other company you can have when you are lonely? What’s the best vessel for poems, thoughts, speeches and prayers? You see… It’s impossible to live without music!

Want to be featured in an upcoming Flashband Meet the Musician? Contact Deborah Lash for more info.