McCartney Weekend: IBC Success!

Yesterday The Leo Trio won a spot to compete in the IBC finals next month!!! We were up against 4 other great bands. We rehearsed last Weds. night and again on Saturday afternoon. We were ready. That's how you get to Carnegie Hall, baby: PRACTICE. We were locked in, we were in the zone. We had other things going for us too, such as our dress/appearance and that we were there on time and that we kept strictly to the 25-minute set rule.

Another rule we followed (that the other bands seemed to blatantly disregard) was that we used the backline provided as opposed to bringing our own amps! I actually had to say something to one of the Houston Blues Society (HBS) officials about that. It wasn't fair! I said to them "Leo would never say anything but I have to say something" and brought it to their attention, asking would those bands lose points for doing that?!? Not trying to cause trouble but Leo has been practicing with a damn pedal for the past few weeks in preparation for not being able to use his amp and furthermore, I'm positive they don't put up with any rule shirking at the national finals in Memphis!!! Well, it turned out not to matter in the end, b/c OUR band won! Along with 1 other band. We both now proceed to the finals which will be held next month, and we compete against the 2 bands that were chosen from last weekend to determine who will represent Houston in Memphis next year (which will be us!).

I passed out on my couch on Saturday night at 9:30pm, lights/TV on, still in my clothes, and didn't wake up until 7:30am on Sunday. I needed that rest--I was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted! (Stefano was at his gig all night.) It was kinda nice to wake up so damn early on Sunday however, b/c I wanted to go for a run and clear my head and listen to Taj Mahal and the Holmes Bros. and Bonecrusher and mentally prepare for the competition. After my run I got myself some huge breakfast tacos which I'd been craving and figured would be awesome fuel for the day. Then I had a relaxing shower and did my hair/makeup and slid into my killer short black sequined dress, paired with big gold earrings and black high heel sandals. I did my eyes up in black glitter and false eyelashes. I crimped strategic sections of my hair and left the rest straight and long. All my nails were painted this metallic purple/blue color. Hey, the rules said "Dress to Impress"!!!

I wanted to run through the songs one last time on my own, but unfortunately my false eyelashes took so long I only had time to go through a couple of songs. But I was ready! I knew them! I just wanted to be a little warmed up. Stefano came by and gave me a good luck kiss before having to go to the airport to pick up his brother. I got to the venue a couple minutes before the 1:30 straw drawing and was surprised to see that only 2 of the 5 bands were there as we'd all been ordered! Already I could tell some of the bands seemed to be lackadaisical about the rules! The HBS officials were ticked off, I could tell. Leo and George looked great, Leo in a dark blue suit and George in a black guayabera and black slacks and his black hat. My friend Albert showed up around 1:45 for crying out loud and finally there were enough band members from each band that could at least pull a straw. I got to pull for us and I got to pull first.

I'd wanted Slot #2 for a few reasons: we wouldn't have to open the show, we'd go on early enough to be done and then have plenty of time to drink/relax, and I certainly didn't want to go last b/c by then everyone (judges and audience) would be kind of drained/tired. I also wasn't sure I wanted to have to watch the other 4 bands in their entirety--not that I was too worried about getting psyched out, but you just never know. I rarely got nervous at the many auditions in my former classical music life and almost always nailed them, but this is different music/different scene, etc. I've never competed in a blues competition before. Anyway, I went for the lucky green straw and pulled.... Slot #2!!!!!!!!!! Immediate texting began to Stefano and Phillipo and our other peeps to tell them they needed to head over there to see us. Albert pulled the bad straw of #1 and had to hurry up and go on immediately at 2pm sharp w/hardly any down time. We noted that his band didn't have much of a stage presence w/nary a smile and he only did ONE original. Also he used his verboten amp! He also finished his 25-min set with only 2 seconds to spare (he said later).

So according to the rules we had 5 min. to set up and Stefano and Phillipo helped us carry items to the stage. I did a little dance I'd learned from, of all places, Justin Beiber while Leo played the opening notes to our 1st song "Don't" then George and I fell into place after the intro. I made sure to smile, dance, look up at the judges, the audience in the back, sides, etc. We put on a show! I used a couple different bass plucking techniques to show I had some chops to show off besides killer legs. I mouthed choice lyrics along w/Leo. George nailed all his parts. About 1/2-way through our set (I found out later) the Vice President of the HBS found Stefano to ask "Where the hell has this band been hiding???" Stefano told him that we've been playing around, to which the VP said that the rest of the bands are going to have their work cut out for them and he hoped they were prepared to follow us!!!

I guess we surprised a few people. The band after us was a band not to be dismissed however, as he's a local boogie woogie piano old-timer that everyone loves, and he also brought 3 girls to play horns with him so it was a good show too. The band after them was a band of "old coots" as one of the HBS board members told me, and then the final band was a local older woman singer I've known a long time and who is a friend to all of us although she can be catty sometimes and two-faced. (She used to talk smack about JFu, for example.) This was her 4th time apparently competing in the IBC. I spent most of the time outside chatting w/people, smoking my pipe, drinking, etc. I was just glad to be able to relax. Finally when it was all over I went to the bathroom and while I was in there I could hear the emcee naming the bands one by one for one last time. When he said our name I heard FROM THE BATHROOM the audience roar the loudest!

Then the HBS Prez asked us if we'd participate in the jam session, to which we said sure! My ex, Marvin was there and he got on stage with us, to play on Leo's 2nd guitar. I thought "Well, here we are onstage again and if we don't win, then at least we look like good sports getting up here to still jam and have a good time." The Prez asked us to hold off starting while the judges gave him the scores, then he took the mic and announced the winners. Stefano had predicted it would be us and Mr. Boogie Woogie--and he was right! Stefano had kept telling me how we'd blown everyone else away that day in every category. He said many people kept coming up to tell him we were sure winners. The HBS Vice Prez told Leo and me he was so impressed with us that he wanted our band to do a showcase with him and his band. But my jaw still dropped when I heard our name! There's actually a pic of me and my hand is over my mouth in amazement. I mouthed "Thank You" to the judges, 2 of which were women! Then we jammed and the dance floor was full!

I gave my bass to Phillipo after 2 songs and let him jam awhile, and I went to chat w/people, including Albert. I pointed out that the rules needed to strictly be followed and that he should try again next year. Albert and I have been friends a long, long time which is why I felt comfortable bringing it up with him. He protested what originals are James Cotton known for? See, here's the thing: the IBC is a CONTEST. A contest with RULES. It's like those reality shows, like Top Chef or Project Runway. It's not just about the raw talent, but it's also about completing the challenges in the allotted amount of time. It's about sticking with the GUIDELINES. But I swore I'd not say anything negative about any of our competitors and I haven't been. While I was watching the 4th band one of the HBS Board members sidled up to me and said "They're kinda mechanical, huh?" and I just grinned and shrugged, refusing to comment.

So today I saw one hint of a negative response, and that is a comment an older white woman HBS Board member wrote on the Facebook wall of the older woman singer who made her 4th unsuccessful IBC attempt and it was something to the effect of, "Will less clothes help you in the IBC?" Now gee, who could she have been referring to? I was waiting for those kinds of comments to come through. Then again, at the bar yesterday when I was complaining about the other bands disregarding the rules and using their own amps I said to Leo and George, "That's not fair!" Then I said, "Then again, this isn't fair either!" and moved my hands down my body! Hee hee hee! Still--I knew the men judges would like my dress and the 2 female judges probably didn't have a problem with it either, since they were black and Mexican. It seems to be the older white women who weren't crazy about it, apparently. Leo says it's jealousy and they can't find fault in our music so they're gonna find fault in our dress and he says just wait for them to start in on HIM for not being US- or Texas-born!

Riding on a high. When it was all over I went across the street and treated myself to some cupcakes, then met Stefano and his brother for Chinese food in our neighborhood. Tonight is a real treat, as Amy Tan is doing a book reading and signing downtown and so I am gwine to give myself a night of literary fulfillment! I'll be at the Sheriff Academy the next 3 days for an all-day class so that'll be a nice little break too, despite that awful early morning drive. Rehearsal resumes on Weds. night!