Singing at bars is not something I've ever done before, and yet I can say that my first ever gig took place at an Indian bar/restaurant place.
The College's Western Music Society got a gig, and so in addition to a few group pieces, we all got to prepare and sing solos/duets/trios. I sang Don't Know Why by Norah Jones. As most of the crowd were people from the College, I've a few times gotten to experience the amusing and slightly awkward situation in which someone I don't know or recognize calls me by name and says I did a nice job singing.
Of course the college dorm won't let you come back after nine-thirty, so I stayed at a friend's house for the night. For all their preoccupation with our safety, the strictness of their rules often defeats the purpose. For example, we drove all night and got back from Rishikesh, 30 girls who live in the dorm, at four in the morning. Unfortunately, they would not let us into the dorm as the gate doesn't open until six. Its lucky we were able to crash for two hours at the travel agent's house, because apparently last year, the girls arrived early in the morning and simply waited until the gate was opened, but that freaked the administration out and so they all got suspended for 15 days. I don't really understand, but I think the idea is that its better to wander the streets of Delhi after a night of no sleep from 4-6 in the morning instead of sit by the college gate. Thats at least how I'm interpreting things.
As I'm the kind of person who is usually in bed by 10, and awake at 6, I haven't run into too many problems with the system, especially as its easy to get around, with a little help from friends in Delhi and a both real and pretend lack of comprehension of the system. St. A's is seeming like an abode of freedom.
So that was my rant...but, in any case, I had my first gig in India.
The College's Western Music Society got a gig, and so in addition to a few group pieces, we all got to prepare and sing solos/duets/trios. I sang Don't Know Why by Norah Jones. As most of the crowd were people from the College, I've a few times gotten to experience the amusing and slightly awkward situation in which someone I don't know or recognize calls me by name and says I did a nice job singing.
Of course the college dorm won't let you come back after nine-thirty, so I stayed at a friend's house for the night. For all their preoccupation with our safety, the strictness of their rules often defeats the purpose. For example, we drove all night and got back from Rishikesh, 30 girls who live in the dorm, at four in the morning. Unfortunately, they would not let us into the dorm as the gate doesn't open until six. Its lucky we were able to crash for two hours at the travel agent's house, because apparently last year, the girls arrived early in the morning and simply waited until the gate was opened, but that freaked the administration out and so they all got suspended for 15 days. I don't really understand, but I think the idea is that its better to wander the streets of Delhi after a night of no sleep from 4-6 in the morning instead of sit by the college gate. Thats at least how I'm interpreting things.
As I'm the kind of person who is usually in bed by 10, and awake at 6, I haven't run into too many problems with the system, especially as its easy to get around, with a little help from friends in Delhi and a both real and pretend lack of comprehension of the system. St. A's is seeming like an abode of freedom.
So that was my rant...but, in any case, I had my first gig in India.
No comments:
Post a Comment