By Isa!
My first show as an original artist was such a memorable moment for me. To finally be able to bring my own music on stage was really incredible, especially if looking back on my evolution from being only a drummer other people call into a songwriter who writes her music and leads the band.
I knew this one was going to be special from the very beginning: I was invited to play by my dear friend Simo, who manages the jam sessions at the famous Rock’n’Roll Club in Milano: I’ve been going to those jams for three years now and that really gave me my confidence and presence on stage, plus the community there is so welcoming, they’re my second home, they’ve seen me grow, play, turn 18 (I had my birthday party there!!), prepare for Berklee and then leave to study in the US. So needless to say it was just going to be full circle to play my first show in such a special place for me. And when I saw another friend of mine in the lineup I knew it was going to be awesome!
Preparing for it was challenging but overall everything went smoothly, I am glad for my previous experience I’ve gotten over the years. Once you send clearly organized charts and demos and you make sure all the questions are tackled most of the work is already done! Plus I had also called really talented musicians so I knew I was playing it safe! Fitting rehearsals in everybody’s schedule was difficult, but this only means that you got good, busy musicians!
As the leader it was on me to take care not only of the music but also of everything else too: promotion, merch (which I crafted myself!), outfit and cohesion… every little bit was a huge lesson for me, I am so glad everything teaches me.
I will forever remember the show itself. This was my first time properly handling a show by myself as a drummer and a singer: this meant constantly having to switch between drums and front of the stage, interacting with the audience, checking on everyone and directing the ensemble when needed. It was challenging, but I am so glad for the feedback I received from those who were there! Lots of people really appreciated my presence on stage and compared the performance to a musical, which is such an awesome compliment for me because that is in a way how I perceive my music, as a soundtrack to my life and those of others. I guess I see life as a musical, so might as well act it out in my concerts! I am also glad that my introductions to the songs were appreciated, it was my first time properly introducing the full set but I was told it felt perfectly fit, so we got that! For my next shows (which are going to be next Friday and next Sunday, I am so excited!) I will prepare and refine my speaking bits even more, to have the full performance come together!
I am also extremely grateful for all the little things that went wrong, which may sound weird, but it really isn’t! This show was, as I said before, literally a home game for me: it was the most welcoming and forgiving environment I could have ever wished for, so I could figure out and learn how to deal with technical mishaps and misfortunes without the judgement of bigger shows. You only learn through mistakes, the best thing that can happen to you is to be in a relaxed environment that is by your side when they happen. I am now stronger, a better leader and more prepared for my next concerts!
Music is all about relationships, and this concert was a perfect representation of that. Everyone in my band had a special relationship to me somehow: some people I met at the renowned Berklee Clinics at Umbria Jazz, some I had seen once in my Conservatorio admission last year; some I met in Berklee (despite living in the same city!), some I met for the first time in rehearsals, but the vibe was just perfect. It’s all about relationships. Having all friends in my band is awesome, it becomes something more than just having people play for you. And seeing the audience resonating with what you’re singing, seeing them enjoying themselves and forgetting about the hardships of life for a moment and being there blissfully is priceless. I look at them, and I know them personally, it’s my family, my closest friends, and I can read it in their eyes that they are full of hope and that they believe in me. In a way, I am the chance they may never have gotten. And I am very well aware that even though they may not physically be with me in Boston or wherever I will be, they are still with me, their presence and trust and faith is with me and gives me strength. So with my playing and my music I am there to bring joy and hope. This is what is behind every show.
