Charlie Draper - Bristol, 4th February

Good show. Glad I went.

Charlie played a very competent and enjoyable set of five pieces to a pre-recorded backing track which held the audience's rapt attention. His stage presence was a little diminished by a sore throat that kept him from talking, but he exuded a justifiable air of confidence none-the-less, despite having to perform before Lydia Kavina, which I am sure most of us would find a trifle daunting at any time, let alone one's first ever paying gig!

I normally refrain from sharing my opinion on classical music as I am not well qualified in that field, but on the journey home the consensus between Bruce, Lydia and myself was that Charlie is doing all the right things - he has a professional approach to music, has clearly learned a lot from listening to other classical thereminists, has a good solid technique and needs little more than experience to take his playing to the next level.

So MORE GIGS Charlie!

Charlie reported that he felt he started wandering off pitch from about the third piece, which fitted with Lydia's assessment that the first two pieces were the best. They all sounded fine to me - I spotted a couple of slightly off notes in the last piece but that was all. (Charlie playing badly is still better than me playing well, so I can hardly complain.) Charlie attributed this to arm fatigue - having thought about this I believe it will cease to be an issue when his adult musculature has fully developed.

Fatigue happens when you're nervous - hell, I experience complete an utter exhaustion before going onstage. Got to keep gigging, build up that confidence :) I'm glad to hear it all went so well. Sad to have missed it - three people I wanted to see perform, forsaken for what? Synth based Klez-metal.

Charlie - well done. Really well done. I know I didn't see it, but first gigs are a milestone, I hope this will be the first of many. Like I said, I have you in mind for something, but since it's only half in my hands I can't say much more until we're on firmer ground.

I heard David Thomas Broughton wasn't as good as usual while Chipper was better than usual - sounds like enjoyment to me. I saw the Chipster on friday night, I haven't seen anyone that drunk dancing that hard in a long while. Bet she was on her best behaviour last night and all!

One other thing I just remembered - I kept an eye out for phone-cameras and other video recording devices, but didn't spot any. So I think Charlie successfully avoided appearing on youTube.

I'm going to take all those Myspace photos of Charlie, cut then up and make a poorly animated video where he gets blacked up and assaults a radio. The song will be performed on my beloved 80s Yamaha Portatone. The "mandolin" patch should suffice. Bad scratching at the end to the tune of "Ch-ch-chchchchcharlie Dra-per".

That'll teach you. That'll teach you all.

Alexander, presumably you weren;t aware of the Lydiakavinafication then? I find the whole thing so hillarious - the world's foremost exponent of the theremin. . . at my first gig?! I desperately want to meet up with her properly though to discuss technique, when I'm not ill, tired, in a state of shock or overdosing on Sudafed.

My report is over on Levnet, but to cut a long story short, the first two pieces were the best (although the rest were still passable I suppose), and I think I put up a good fight considering the circumstances. My next gig will be vastly superior, and I'll have ironed out as many creases as possible (from what is currently a very crinkled shirt).

I was aware. I was totally aware. You may think of me as the Aware Bear, stripping down to my bare pants, greasing myself up and prowling the forest in total awareness. Though I climb trees, it is not to survey or increase my awareness - for I am always aware. I merely seek higher altitudes so that I may further bask in the ever-emanating glow of [i]smug[/i] that shines from within my very being. Put simply, I know stuff.

My first gig was attended by a drunken tramp. It was outdoors and freezing cold. I later participated in the Death Death Death War March Band. I played a sheet of plexiglass strapped to a traffic cone. We beat the hell out of objects, screamed like monkeys and then the 20-strong group pretended to be dead for 10 minutes. I foolish fell in the wrong direction and lay on a frozen stone. My girlfriend at the time was far worse off; she had to rest her head on the feet of a man who did not wash. It was this and many other such events that caused her to leave me, break my heart and force me to into a vicious cycle of depression which turned me into the kind of weirdo that plays Theremin.

Lydia Kavina? These kids has got it lucky grumble grumble.

Sudafed's a start, you should do your next gig on heroin.

My own reflections on my performance are now on my myspace page:

http://blog.myspace.com/charliedraper