Older, but no wiser

No, I don’t mean the second coming – well, I don’t think I do.

In the last few weeks, a couple of here-and-now matters have demanded more and more of my attention, and I’ve had barely a glance to spare for this online world. Not only have new projects with a new team and a new boss at work meant that I’ve been busier there than I can remember for several years (which is not in itself a bad thing – maybe more on that another time) but with this show coming up, for which I’m playing bass guitar in the band, almost every spare minute has to be spent practicing. I had to put the blogging for ThirdAge on ice for the time being – my supply of midnight oil ran completely dry.

I love doing shows like this, contributing to something where the whole is way, way more than the sum of the parts; I love the sense of belonging in a dedicated team, where, whatever our many differences, there’s an unspoken bond of shared musicianship; and I love the sheer thrill and exuberance when cast and orchestra come together as one on the night to create a unique experience for the audience.

I didn’t take up bass until I was in my early forties, and every new show –this is the fifth I’ve done - stretches me a little bit further; this one is without doubt pushing hard against the limits of my current capability. November 22nd still sounds far enough away not to panic just yet, but with 24 songs in the show, that equates to less than 2 days each to get them up to performance standard.

It’s going to be a demanding few weeks ahead, most probably with even less blogging than of late. So if you don’t see me around much, you’ll know the reason why.