What a great time down in Florida playing guitar for my friend Heather Willams CD release concert. The concert didn't go on without hitches, though. We had to cut soundcheck short the night before because of a smoking audio console. This was bad because it meant that we didn't practice the last 2 songs of the set! And this group that was put together had never really all played together before! We really weren't sure it was going to work (the console or the band) even with minutes to go until the start of the show. The crowd poured in (Im guessing about 700?) and were ready to rock!
We opened with a piano and vocal only version of "Halellujah" and then kicked in the band. It was really cool to look across the stage and see Tim and Heather again. We have played together hundreds of times, but it had been about 6 years since the last time we were together on stage. The vibe was really good...the band was good...Heathers voice was strong and then I started noticing what was going on outside the window. Thunderstorm. BAD Thunderstorm...like palm tree bending monsoon rain thunderstorm! I looked across the stage at Tim and gave him 'that look'. On the last chord of the most sensitive song we did called "Daddy"...BOOM! Out went the lights! Lightning had hit and everything shut off! Darkness. The crowd burst into applause. It was pretty cool, actually. Heather is a pro and we discarded the setlist and she gave her testimony while all the equipment was firing back up and initializing. Intelligent lights were going crazy...the scoreboards were going crazy...but Heather brought it. After her testimony we did '40' by U2. It was one of the most intense musical moments I have had in all my years on stages. Seemed that the lightning had
brought the band together and the audience and the band together. It was cool to see. We finished really strong with a couple of songs and then Heather did an encore. We did a song for the encore called "Beautiful Thing" a very difficult song to pull off that we had never played together. Again, a great musical moment. It was working and the audience loved it.The audio console made it through the whole show, and thanks to the lightning...it was a memorable one. Ill have some other thoughts on the trip and on the concert as well as some news about Heathers career later on. Be sure and hit up her website and check her out. You should be able to order the CD from there soon. www.heatherwilliamsmusic.com
