Time & Date

Tuesday May 14, 10:00-10:40

This was a good gig. Jeff opened up with a great set. I've always liked his funny and clever songs, but this time I really noticed he's got good serious songs too.

Jeff Stone turns in a great set

I was next on deck. I opened with "The Superficial Song". Here's a recording: [MP3 | OGG]

Aaron takes the stage

The audience was great. They paid attention, they clapped, they seemed to enjoy the show. If the audience enjoys the show, I do too. So I was having a good time. Feeling like I really had my stuff together. And when you feel that way, the audience can feel it too. It's a virtuous circle. Here's me playing "Feelin' Fine": [MP3 | OGG]

Members of Wilma watching me. [Some photos are irretrievably dark. For everything else, there's Photoshop.]

The dark prince of sound

Jeff did my sound, and a fine job he did. Really, the worst thing about the sound there was my own guitar. I'd changed the strings, and they were too bright, even for me. Signe Miranda did Jeff's sound, and she took pictures for me. Not the ones you see here; actual film photographs. I'll add them when they're developed. My father took the ones you see here, on a digital camera with no flash.

I'd brought in a computer for recording, and Mike Audet actually set it recording, and helped me bring it home. Mike's going to be helping me with a studio recording of "What do you tell yourself", but until that's out, here's a live recording of it: [MP3 | OGG]

Aaron looks at his left hand

Adam Kositsky had fallen ill, so those that remained did more songs. This was actually nice, 'cause I got to do some songs that I'd been forced to cut from the set list. "Waiting for the Gap" and "Beam Me up" got back into the set. I even did Dennis Leary's "Asshole Song" at Dominick von Riedemann's request.

I made a great effort to lug in my computer for this recording, but the end result was disappointing. There are a lot of clicks and distortions in the recording. Jamie Tanner helped me with the clicks and the EQ settings, but in the end, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, and I bear the blame for the sonic deficiencies. Hope you've enjoyed them anyhow. I'll have to try something different next time.

[clockwise from left] Jeff Stone, Aaron Bentley, Mike Audet, Jamie Tanner, Dominic von Riedemann

But this gig was so much fun, I've decided there definitely will be a next time. Man, I was riding high for two days afterward. Oh, and the pay was decent, too.

It's not that I've nothing more to say about the gig. I could go on and on. But I think I've hit the high points, so I'll stop before I start boring you. Enjoy the pictures and the music. Hope to see you at the next one.

Aaron

My bunny impression

Dave Marcott and Simon Katz

Wilma takes over

Questions, comments or suggestions about this web site? Email me at aaron.bentley@utoronto.ca