Having met all the band members and got the new set list, I had my first rehearsal (and Laurence’s, the new bass player) with Pure Blarney. Andy, Gerry, Jonny, and Rosie showed no mercy and blasted through the first couple of tunes. Having not played any gigs for over a year, the rush of excitement that comes with playing in a band was back once again for me. I didn’t know that it was something I had missed so much until we started playing. It was a familiar but unusual sensation at the same time.
Serious work is interspersed with ridiculous craic as we work through some song transitions and change song keys a few times. The perfect balance of work, craic, and not playing a song the same twice, I suppose!
Pure Blarney is a moving train and Laurence and I had no time but to jump aboard and get up to speed. Each band plays songs in their own style and that is what makes live music so fun; it adds freshness to songs you might already know. I am certainly enjoying joining, and contributing to, Pure Blarney’s unique sound.
After the rehearsal I’ve my work cut out keeping up with remembering all the cues and even more so with the banter. Gerry provided some post rehearsal Irn-Bru and one or two alcoholic-brews.
While of course there is no certainty as to when gigs and live music will return (5th July...), there is no excuse to not be prepared. When the time comes for us to play again (5th July...), and that time is looking ever closer, we’ll be ready to play as hard as ever. And with the ‘rest’ we’ve had, maybe even harder.
See you all very soon (5th July...)
- Declan
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