Shows!

I don't have any pics yet of our BIG SHOW, but I know they'll probably come dribbling in here and there. I'll post them as/if I get them. We SOLD OUT, people! Isn't that amazing? SOLD OUT! There was a wait list and they were adding chairs at the last minute and I know we started really late, but the audience was really great. We had support from all our dear Drum Camp folks, as well as some of my wonderful and fabulous taiko class students, as well as family (my Dad and his sisters!) and friends, and tons of people who are just really great supporters of the arts. Thank you to all who attended. You have no idea how wonderful it is to perform to such an appreciative audience. It just means the whole world. It really does.

We worked really hard on this show. Lots of rehearsals. A new song. Refining what we already had. It was good. It was really great to work with such great people. Meri and Crissy, our newest members, just blew me away. Meri plays the fue so beautifully, and Crissy is an amazing taiko player--she was a Kodo apprentice, yo! And our core members--Janet and Bean and Carolyn--they're my rock.

I played with all my heart. Projected best I could. Put my all into my solos and into bringing everything in me to the performance. And I sweated like crazy. My forearms sweated. I didn't know they could do that. My hachimaki was heavy with sweat when I took it off and my tank and pants were all wet. That's a good sign. I was completely wiped out on Sunday and took a nap I had a hard time waking up from. One of those really hard naps where your eyes are so heavy they won't open. Woke up like that this morning. Heavy.

And today we had a nice-paying gig at Yeeha again. This time at corporate headquarters. They've got nice digs there. They make it so you don't have to leave to go get your hair cut or go to the gym or get an iced mocha--it's all there. It was a completely different audience than the Big Show. But eh, it was a slick gig. Here are people being goofy:
I love being a taiko player. In the year since I joined this Maze Daiko group I've had so many adventures! It's fun. It's such an interesting journey. I look forward to more adventures.