A Dream I Had About NRBQ

December 10, 2022

I had a dream I was playing with NRBQ. But it was also the classic Gig Day Nightmare. I had a very brief unsatisfying rehearsal with them on the day of the show using only an acoustic guitar. I left that rehearsal to fetch my electric guitar and amplifier. I went to Mole's on Calhoun Street because the gear was in my apartment over the store. There was lots of slow-moving traffic of course and I got lost a couple times too. I finally arrived at the apartment building but everything was unfamiliar and my guitar was not where it was supposed to be. Tom & Caroline appeared from their apartment next door and said, "We have your guitar! It was in our apartment." I went back to the gig at the Southgate House Revival and tried to strategize a little with keyboard player Terry Adams but he was being evasive and obtuse. Couldn't talk to the guy at all. I wanted to tell him I knew how to play their song "Ain't No Free" if he wanted to add it to the set but there was no reaching him. As always in gig day nightmares, we never actually made it to the stage. It's just a neverending series of mishaps and minor calamities fucking with the flow of an important day that you so desperately want to go smoothly. I was excited and anxious to play. But the dream ended before showtime. I do remember telling Terry I preferred rhythms that swing, and not the ticky tacky drum machine sounding shit. He was happy to hear that, smiling as he walked away.