Auditions
I sat through six bass auditions today. Six guys coming in, trying their hardest to play songs they don’t know and sing along with songs they’ve only heard a few times with the intention of singing. Six guys who are actively looking for work and have dedicated their lives to playing the bass in hopes for ‘that gig’. And they we’re all really good players.
Now, I don’t ask questions as to where the old bass player went, and honestly I don’t really need to know, but today was ‘find Billy Currington a new bass player day’. I was there to do some video and keep management company while the other guys were, you know, playing. And so we watched… six guys… play four songs each… over and over again.
What it did make me realize is how much pressure these poor guys are under. Something I’ve never really thought about. I mean one guy’s hands were literally shaking. So, anyway, props to all you guys out there that walk into a room full of guys that already know each other to be judged on no only your playing ability, but also your “look” and how cool of a hang you are. I honestly don’t know if I could do it.
Country Boys Are Going To Roll
So, today we are in Louisville, KY at Cardinal Stadium for a show. From what I can tell it’s a normal show except for one thing. Today Billy is filming the “live” stuff for the music video of his new single “That’s How Country Boys Roll”. From what I understand they are filming ‘B Roll’ stuff today and later they will do some other stuff. I’m not really sure what that means other that it’s supposed to be the “country boys” hanging out. Honestly I haven’t really heard much except that the guys have to play the song three or four times tonight to get different shots. Should be interesting to watch. And really all I have to do is stay away from the cameras right? I’ll let you know how it goes.
And while we’re talking about music videos, let’s hear it. What’s your favorite music video out there. I know most of the recent ones are pretty much trash, but remember the good ol’ days? Remember when MTV played music videos? Let’s hear it.
Ready? Go.
Billy Currington Update
Well, everyone is home safe and sound, and from what I’ve heard doing good. Billy Tweeted this picture earlier today and it seems things are getting back to normal. We’re still waiting for an ‘Official’ press release type thing, but it’s great to hear that everyone is home and doing okay.
Thanks for all the prayers and checking in.
Billy’s Canada Show
This picture is of my friend and Billy’s bass player Alex right after the stage apparently collapsed and he was stuck under it. I woke up this morning with a message saying that the storm hit the stage, it collapsed, and Alex has a broken arm. That’s all the news stories are saying.
I skipped this trip to Canada with Billy. It was only one show and there wasn’t really a need for me to go all the way to Canada for one show. Now, typically during the set I am walking around on the stage or in the crowd taking pictures, but more often than not I am on the stage the entire set. This is the one show this year that I didn’t go on and it’s looking like it’s a good thing I didn’t.
I’m still trying to check on the guys, who I assume are still in Canada, but I will let you know more once I am able to talk to them.
Sugarland Photo
Last night was the first night I stayed out front for some of Sugarland’s show. Typically I have photos to edit, and things to pack up when they start, but last night I hung out and watched the start of their show and about four songs. I’ve been watching the crew load in all this amazing production for the last few weeks and I’ve seen bits and pieces of their show and the production, lights and stage set up blows me away. I stuck around long enough to take some pictures before my camera battery died and this was one I got.
Now we are in Johnson City, TN. I’m sitting on the bus sorting through some things that have potential to make my brain a little more organized while I am out here and make things simpler for everyone involved. Which is a nice thing. We are still in the process of sorting out all the details of Billy’s web world, but I know it’s going to be great once it’s all taken care of.
Not much else going on out here. I wish I had more fun stuff to talk about, but it’s been pretty mellow and my brain is a little fried from this morning.
I’m curious. What’s the most impressive concert you have ever been to production wise? Best lights, stage set-up, video?
Too Short To Sleep
I should either be home or asleep right now. Or both. However, I am neither, because I am still on the bus headed home. See, Huntsville, AL is too close to home to go to sleep, but had I known that we weren’t going to leave until 1:30 in the morning, I would have been asleep by 10:30. So here I am, editing pictures, and watching Desperado waiting to get closer to home so I can get my things together to get off the bus.
Tonight was a pretty interesting show. As you can see, it rained the entire time. We were at a military base outside of Huntsville, and there was an unbelievable amount of people that showed up. Obviously it was an outdoor show and the rain was coming down tough. There is something cool about the energy of a crowd that has come to terms with the idea that they are soaked and miserable, so they just dig in and have fun. I’m sure the several beer stands around also had something to do with it, but either way it was fun to watch.
So here we are about seventy miles from home and I’m excited to sleep in my actual bed tonight. It was a short run, but I’m still glad to be home. Tomorrow will consist of hanging out with Kristin and the boys and watching basketball. Oh yeah.. and I will try to get a Stats Suck Sunday post this time.
Anyone ever been to an outdoor show in the rain like tonight?
I’m About A One
So, if you follow my Twitter, you already know that Saturday I will be attending my first ever Nascar event. Now, from what I understand Billy is playing a ‘Pre-Race Concert’ and also singing the National Anthem before the race. It is also to my understanding that we will be parking the bus in the middle of the field or whatever and everyone else on this bus is super excited about it.
Now, the other day Aaron, Billy’s road manager, sent out an email saying there were different things that we would be able to do, but there were limited spaces for each ‘event’. He asked on a scale of one to ten how big of Nascar fans we were to make sure that the big fans were able to be involved as much as possible. It took me a while to figure out my response, because I was going between a zero and a one. It’s not that I hate it, just I’ve never been into it, but I have heard that once you go you love it. We’ll see I guess.
Any Nascar fans out there? Scale of one to ten?
Anything else I should know before going into an environment of 80,000 people and cars going over 200 miles an hour?
Austin, TX
Well, here we are in Austin, TX. I’m sitting on the bus because it feels like the inside of someone’s mouth outside and there might be some sick pigs walking around. So far everyone out here seems really cool. I’m on the bus with the band guys and a few of the crew guys, so it feels like normal being on a bus. We’re still in the process of figuring out all of Billy’s web stuff and once that happens we can get organized and start putting up some cool stuff. In about a half an hour, we are heading to some radio interview/performance thing, so I will be able to take some pictures there and see what happens. I’m sure this is the mundane, play-by-play stuff that excites everyone, but I had a pretty rough night’s sleep last night…. you know the whole ‘first night back on the bus’ thing.
Anyway, tonight we are at the University of Texas with Sugarland. I’ve got my computer, my camera and my pass so I don’t get thrown out. I think I’m good. I’ll let you know.
And Now For Something Completely Different…
This blogging thing has taken me down some pretty interesting roads from massive tours, to being in a studio with people like Vince Gill, to backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, and everything in between. Since The Roadshow has ended, I haven’t really had a chance to mention what was next for me. Well, I thought I’d let you all know… Tomorrow starts something completely different all together, and I’m a little nervous, but equally as excited to see what’s going to happen over the next few months.
Tomorrow I am meeting up with Billy Currington to start working on a complete, much needed ‘online overhaul’. You country fans might know him, and he’s playing at the Country Music Marathon Post Race Concert and that will start my process of handling his web presence and traveling with him. Now, this is going to be something completely different than I am used to but I love the idea of a challenge, and can’t wait to see what happens in a different market. I’m currently not handling any of his websites or anything like that, but it will be cool to dive in to what they have going and see where I can help them out. There’s a lot to be done.
Billy is currently traveling with another country act you may have heard of called Sugarland, and I’m interested to see what this whole ‘Country Music’ thing is all about. Anyway, I hope you will all join me in this new little venture, and who knows, I might just have to buy some boots or something eventually.
