Thunder and lightening like I hadn’t seen since I was a kid, crackled the sky, an early Texas morning greeted us with torrential rain and thunder that moved through you like an explosion. Energy sizzled around me as I sat in the middle of the garden protected in the metal gazebo, which was covered by a thick coat of vines. Right, a metal gazebo, you’re damn right I got out of there! I retreated to the front porch where deep cover and rocking chair forded me an excellent view of the advancing storm, and mostly protected me from the torrential rain.
We had a 10am call at the theatre and I finished up my writing and book and headed over, many of the caste and crew already there setting up. The theatre is gorgeous. Unexpectedly so in such an out-of-the way small(ish) town. An art-deco wheat and sheaf motif covered the squat outside and inside a richly decorated burgundy and green leads you into a beautiful front of house where the sheaves of wheat serve to hold the intricate sconces. Back of house is a wonder as well. Everything, plus more that would could ever need; HUGE practice space, many dressing rooms. Something the size of the nutcracker with its one hundred dancing mice and swans, could easily fit back here
I let the morning soak through me, a bit of chaos setting up, as there always is. Well into the afternoon we practiced in the practice room. Since we are all on stage during the interactive spectacle we are also playing each other’s songs. Jaggery songs are beautiful, intricate, spatial. Walter fell easily into them able to follow Mali through her vistas. I mostly listened, getting a feel for the progressions. Listening to learn to play them and listening for enjoyment are quite different – luckily, my parts, if any, on their songs would be fill, percussive and not central. Our songs are varied in sound, but Toni, Daniel and Mali took to them as if they were their own. We moved from the practice space onto the stage getting in an interview with a local reporting along the way.
Setting up and sound-checking always take a bit longer then one would think and always involved patients and good humor. Luckily everyone traveling is abundant in both and we cavorted and cajoled while the heavy work was done by the theatre staff and broke for dinner to leave them in peace. Local restaurants are donating food to feed us while we are here. Super nice of them especially since we can order anything off the menu we want. The waiter at the place last night is one of the artists in the art show, which will be set up in the lobby for people to look at before the show. In fact the doors open nearly 1.5 hours before the actual show to let people mingle, look at great art and hear a local musician serenade the crowd up front.
To read more abut the show – go here:
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2009/may/27/ab_m3_the_why_052909_52232/?entertainment# The reporter who interviewed us earlier in the day already made her deadline by that evening’s edition.
The rest of the night was spent in practice. The stage fully set up and sound checked, the movie queued and the props put to rights, the bands got to work running through each song of the show. A few changes were made, a few additions, who is playing what when etc. got sorted and we spent the next three hours playing music and enjoying each other’s company. Once the songs were thoroughly gone over, the group expanded into other songs we will be playing for other shows and then some covers and then improve.
I faded by the time we were back at the Inn. But as I sunk into a hot hot bubble bath, I could hear the rest of the group sitting in the gazebo laughing and talking and sharing the deep resonant quiet under the Texas stars, so bright and piercing, that they defy the moniker of Lone Star State.
