When Luck Runs Out…

So, I came home early tonight from the solo piano gig. Why? Because 10 minutes into the gig my keyboard decides to go out on me. And, embarrassingly, in front of a good crowd for a Wednesday night, I kept fiddling with my amplifier and my keyboard, trying to figure out what was wrong with it and wondering why it kept shutting down.

Per one of the waitresses suggestions, there was a small music store down the street that was still open. I rushed down there and bought a cable, thinking my cable had gone bad. When I got back it seemed to work. So, I continued playing the keyboard again and 5 minutes later the keyboard had shut down again!

It was the most frustrating, embarrassing moment of my life as a pianist. I’d had this keyboard for 15 years and it decided to conk out on me tonight, during what I considered a crucial gig because I was finally featured as a solo pianist on the restaurant’s roster of monthly musicians.

Well, the owner is a very nice man, and understanding. I couldn’t accept money from him obviously because I didn’t even finish the first set, but he did offer to get me dinner to go. One of the waitresses really liked my piano playing and was surprised since she’s always seen me there as a drummer. So, that was nice to hear amidst the frustrating problems with my equipment. Because it was so hot tonight she brought me a Mojito and a bottle of Fiji water.

Tomorrow I’ll have to test my keyboard here at home and see if it works and it wasn’t some problem with the electrical outlet at the restaurant. But if it IS the keyboard I’m going to have to go down to the music store and look at some new keyboards.