BennyEast.Com/Blog The official blog of Kenny West

Show recap: The Common Grounds Coffee

Had a pretty awesome time playing on Friday.  I came home after work made some nachos then took a nap.  Then grabbed my gear and headed to the show.  There was a little bit of traffic on the way but the dude Andrew running the gig said hey it was cool... I got there on time anyways.

So as soon as I got there people started showing up!  It was pretty awesome.  I had friends from all different parts of my life all coming to see me.  There were people from camp.  People from old school college days back at IUP (my buddy Mr. Thaiden... and his buddy Antonio).  As well there were people from the church (Dan was one of the dudes who helped hook me up with the show, and our friend Fauna... sp? I'm sooo bad with spelling names, but she was there too)... so yes the church I've been going to for... hmm I guess technically about a year now since the first time I went was... I guess... this time last year. hmmm... Although I really would say about february is when I started really going.  So my friends from our sunday night starbucks meet up group were there.

Also some of the people from work were going to come but the one person that was helping organize it got sick so they couldn't make it.  But hopefully next time!

Also there were a few other people I met that just sorta happened to come in out of the chilly air.  There were people from the community there and some others that I think come every Friday night to check out the musics.  It was just great fun.  I loved it.

Anywho so there I am... I had my friend Drew take some pix so when I get ahold of those I'll get them up on my site.

I played for about 2 hours, but It was a unique format.  I would play for about 15 minutes off, then 15 minutes on.  So I had prepared 2 hours of songs but played in actual an hour which was about 12 songs.  So that was interesting.  OK, I WOULD post a setlist except here's the problem.  Since I was kinda sorta coming on and off stage and back and forth and talking with everyone and trying to pick and choose which songs of the 2 hours prepared to only play for an hour... I sorta blew out the list and just started playing songs on the fly.  Ha... I remember the songs I played but not really the order.  So I don't know... But the list included pretty much the songs that people seem to like the most.  So if there's a song of mine that you like I probably played it.

I did start with my Wish Upon A Hero song first and everyone seemed to really love the live version of that.  I tried out some looping on an older song and so that was interesting.  But about half way through the song it got SUPER monotonous and I kept kinda messing it up so I toned down the loop and then stopped it during a bridge and then played the rest without it.

I think I REALLY want to get a live band with band members instead of do the looping thing.  It's cool, but I just don't think it's for me.  I really think I would do much better with a full band.

So if anyone plays any instruments and wants to get up on stage with me feel free to shout out to me!

So there was this one kid that showed up who thought it was an open mic night.  He drove from quite a ways away too!  I felt soooo bad the whole time.  I wanted to let him at least play a song or two.  But they do have open mic nights other nights and so the peoples in charge said that tonight was a booked night and for him to come back on the open mic night.  I think that it's tough because if you make exceptions for one... then what if 5 other people in the audience all played music and they were like... "we want to play too!"  So, if you do for one you have to do for all.  So they stood their ground(s of common).  I suggested that he inquire about asking to play his own show!  He seemed into that.  So hopefully he'll get to play a show there.  I told him to let me know when his next gig was and I'd check it out... I showed him my info.  He seemed sorta oddly distant the whole night... but I found it odd that he ended up staying till the end.  It was cool... I THINK he liked my music?!?!  Which I'm thankful for... but at the same time he had showed up hoping to play.... so maybe he was just hoping if he stayed long enough or till the end that he would finally get to play???

Sometimes I'm confused by people.

At one point a dude got up in the middle of my song... I thought he was thinking: "I've had enough... this guy SUCKS!"

He was just going outside to smoke a cigarette.

I guess... I always try to think about what they are thinking about me in their heads.  So I think ok... hmmm... what's the motive from this person?  Like that guy in my building, who I thought at first I was being invited to a little get together because he wanted to be friends... but really they just wanted to try and sell me energy.  It just makes me sooooo sad when people pretend to be my friend when really you just want to try and sell me something.  So like even at my show... ok when I go to shows most of the time... and the band is all friendly and chatty with me they ALWAYS get to the point in the convo where they are like...

So here's our CD you should buy one, here's our shirt, you should buy one... here's our lunchbox... etc. etc.

I mean I might buy the lunchbox.  But the point is... I didn't ONCE mention that I have my song for sale last night.  Why?  Because I think that if someone GENUINELY wants to support your music they will find it on their own and download it on their own.  You should be genuine friends with your fans FIRST... if they want to help you financially that's fine.  If they don't... you shouldn't be put off by them.

I don't know though... maybe that's why I probably could never do music as a full time gig.  There's just soo much of that type of deal where you have to push people to buy your stuff sooo much.  I don't like that... I want people to find my stuff on their own or because a friend showed them because they just loved it soo much.  I think that if you truely have an awesome product... people will talk about it.

I mean... I know I've made up excuses to talk to people... and I mean yes I SHOULDN'T have made up excuses I should have just said what I wanted... instead of being scared... so I'm kinda a hypocrite... I guess.  And I KNOW business is business... and people have to make money to stay alive and that's fine... but I guess I just think we should all TRY to be more upfront about what we all want and TRY to be all more like ya know natural about things...

So... ok yea on the whole business thing like this...

Example: "Hey, have you been to the resturant on 2nd street?!?!  OMG... it's AMZING!  You HAVE to try their food!"

Seee... they just make good food.  So it's like in the movie Field of Dreams...

If you build it they will come.  If you have something good.  People will come.  That's how I want my music fanbase to grow.  Not because I have paid for 10 million dollars in advertisements.  And not because I was trying to be deceptive at all about trying to sell my music or whatever.

This is kinda how Guster got popular  just letting fans promote their music for them and it's the reason why they are one of my favorite bands of all time.

I always approach someone as in... what do they want?  Most of the time it's computer help.  Like I have people contact me a lot and at first the convo is always YOOOOOO what's up?!!?!!  And then after a few minutes...

So can I ask you a quick computer question?  I was only talking to you to get to really wanting you to help me with my computer kinda deal.

oh.  Um... ok.  Well... what's wrong with your computer?  How come you didn't just tell me that up front?

Hmm... Sometimes... I wonder how many people would really call me ever if I didn't know much about computers?  I guess we all need to have some sorta reason to talk to each other right?  Although, I suppose I feel like we shouldn't need reasons to be in peoples lives other than just... I like spending time with you... be it friend/family/coworker/classmate/guy or girl on the train or next to me at the coffee shop/or even significant other relationship.

Sometimes... I feel like most of life is: "What can you do for me?  If you can't do anything... then what good are you to me to have in my life?"

That makes me feel indescribably sad inside.

Sorry I kinda got off track there. hah... anywho back to the show.  But that's one of the reasons I liked playing this place SOOOOO much.... it's all supported by donations!  It's just a community coffee house... so everyone there was there for the music and the creativity and that's what I'm all about.  I'm all about the raw emotion of being creative and letting out your creative desires.

hmmm... yea.

Ok well after the show ended I thanked everyone.  Then I talked with the owner guy and he said he wants me to come back!  So I said oh yea no doubt, I would love to play there again.  Then I went with my friend Drew and his friend Tiffany to get a brew at Earth Bread and Brew in Mt. Airy.  We chatted about camp and life and just caught up in general.  He's one of my best friends in the whole freakin world and so it was just awesome to get to spend time with him!  AND to meet his friend any friend of mine is a friend of mine... or something like that?

So there you have the recap.  I WISH I had live video but I will post up the pix when I get them.

I think as far as future shows go... I want to try and get a show maybe at a place suggested to me by a friend called the "M Room".  What I might do is start playing around with instead of live loops... I'll try backing tracks on my laptop.  That way maybe I can have a more full sound that might work for now.  It's a little corny I admit.  But, I'd like to give it a try.  I think I'll be using just reason for the backing track thing.  Oh and SPEAKING of Reason... there's a new version out!!!!  Also through october it's PAY WHAT YOU WANT!  So I'm gonna go download that right away.

Ok well that's my little recap... sorry about the mid blog rant.  I'm going to work on booking more shows and from my convo with the dude who ran the gig it looks like I'll be playing there again!