Weekend at Rock Band Fantasy Camp: Tim on Tour, Part One

Day -4 (Monday)

Say you're in a band. Say the band's been working steadily for 5-6 years, has a decent catalog of polished originals, and has some paying gigs 500 miles away. Before you go, you double-check to make sure everybody took Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off for the traveling and the shows.

Oops. The bass player can't go. What do you do?

If you're the Deadly Fists of Kung Fu, who have some brains, you call... not me. You (wisely) call former band members first, then professional music-types who might be able to learn 10 of your songs in 2 days, and then... you still don't call me. No, next you bandy about the idea of moving your main guitarist to the bass spot and play your songs as a sparser three-piece, like Rush, or the Dixie Chicks. Beyond even that, you ponder canceling the shows. Again, these are the logical, appropriate options.

Day -3 (Tuesday)

What shouldn't be an option is reading a text message from a three-Yeungling and buffalo chicken bloated friend that says:

...if none of your bass player options work out, I'll do it.

And then replying, "Okay. We'll practice Thursday night, and leave Friday morning, for the show that night."

Oh, shit. Didn't expect that.

more to come...