Rock Chick

I had a particularly eventful Saturday night. (As did many of my FAF*, but that deserves a post of it's own, to follow)

I accompanied HID* to a small village hall to see his bosses band play. Sounds tame right? That's what I thought too. I invited my sister along, but she refused point blank on account of the band's name alone (which although will not be mentioned, had relatively strong sexual connotations!) It was a strange name for a band whose youngest member looked to be over 40. Who was also wearing leather trousers (women's, apparently. For a tighter fit [!]). His boss was the lead singer, and also on guitar, and put on an excellent show. He was even quite the comedian, teasing another of HID's co-workers who played guitar that he would be dragged up on stage to perform! Tee Hee. (Last laugh to follow). All classic soft rock songs, I tapped my foot so much I pulled a muscle behind my knee! (How rock and roll is that? I'm getting old.)

Being a casual do for the band's nearest and dearest, they had take away curry delivered in the interval. I wasn't hungry, but HID went up to get his, and came back with a plate full, and a sheepish grin.

"You know they've been teasing X? Well, the bosses wife remembered how well you sang at our wedding and she thinks she ought to have asked you to sing tonight......."

The song she had heard me sing was a soppy ballad. Norah Jones. Not exactly a rock chick is she? Before I had time to panic, the boss was over at our table, thrusting a set list under my nose, enquiring over my preference, no two ways about it. Feeling my hands becoming clammy, but seeing no way out (plus loving the flattery ever so slightly...), I glanced down the list, and saw the timeless classic, cross genre: Mustang Sally.

Last time I heard it was at a jazz bar in Paris on HID's and my honeymoon. It stuck out on the page, and I agreed to sing the female backing vocals: the "ride, Sally, ri-ide!" bit. The boss agreed with my choice, and said I should stay up on stage for the track after that, one I had never heard of! I told him so, and he started singing it. Still drawing blanks, I shook my head, but he insisted I'd know it as soon as I heard it! Just nod and smile, Grown.

The band began to play again, my heart quickened with the end of every song...my moment finally came! I was announced on stage as "a person who can actually sing!", and stumbled my way up in a blur of lights and applause.

What a fantastic experience! The band's cover was excellent, and the cut the music for a few seconds each chorus for the audience to hear my lyric, really laying it on thick! I bopped away while I was not singing, glad I had made the effort with what I was wearing that night....

The song drew to a close and the boss said
"Stay where you are! You're doing the next track too!"
I mumbled incoherent, but hopefully polite declines, and bolted back to my seat with a simple-looking grin plastered across my cheeks in response to the applause. The next song began to play...he was right, I did know it, but that didn't mean I wanted to sing it! HID whispered in my ear how sexy I looked on stage....is this a way of not having to tell me I can't sing?! He said he preferred this genre to my usual ballad. Lucky for me, I can actually do rock and ballads! Oh, and X never did get called up....lucky thing.

What a great night! I will definitely be going to the next gig. Might be worth my while getting a set list beforehand, so I can get the practice in......

Grown.