The First Jobs

Our first official performance took place on the third of January. McGirk’s Irish Pub was packed, nearly every seat taken by the time we took the stage. As I looked out into a roomful of familiar faces, I already knew that we were going to have a problem filling rooms like this for future gigs. Every close friend and relative within 500 miles had turned up for our premiere. My sister had made a seven-hour drive from Richmond, Virginia. Her daughter, the niece I hadn’t seen in at least a half-dozen years and who lived in across state in Charlottesville, Virginia, had come along with my sister. My nephew, who I also hadn’t seen in many years, drove in from Connecticut. Phil’s brother, Jim, came from North Carolina to see us, and his Sister, Shauna, had made the trip from Boston. Long-lost cousins, aunts and uncles greeted each other, ordered a beer or wine, and settled in for the show. Out-of-town friends had driven as long as two hours to be there for our big night.

We had them from the opening chords to our opening song, “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party.” They clapped and whooped and cheered throughout the night. Feet were tapping. Lips were moving as they mouthed the words to songs that many of them remembered from childhood. At the end of the night, our throats were raw and our energy spent, but we were riding a high that would last for the next couple of days.

As we packed our gear and accepted congratulations from our “fans”, word of another opportunity was already spreading. Someone had showed up with the news that Jonathon’s needed a fill-in band for Friday night, and the job was ours if we wanted it. Here was as chance to get another booking and to redeem ourselves for last year’s debacle. Of course we’d do it.