[LIF] Doing the Stuff

Yesterday I spent the whole day at Joy Jam. This is my third year playing the Joy Jam festival and the third year our church, Freedom Vineyard, has donated water and helping hands to make this outreach a lot of fun. Brainchild of Matthew from Capital City Mission, Joy Jam wants to become Cornerstone North. We've had the joy of being there from the start! This is a day of free food, kids activities and music in an inner-city park surrounded by some of the poorest of Ottawa. Going out each year, and connecting with Capital City Mission through the year I'm starting to get to know some of the folks down there. There are a few old friends from my street preaching days, one friend in particular who always enjoys my music!

I was the last act to play. I got to close out the day which was both cool and a bit stressful. I had arranged to play with another guy, we had even worked up a set of music, but life conspired against us. Then I set up a background vocalist to at least make me sound good - and she had to bail on me as well. So I was guy with guitar. But it was fun. I even had some lady sitting right up front her eyes closed listening to every song, that was encouraging.

A lot of the acts were gospel music, and the first guy to play had a really great voice. Matthew's band, that he wants to name "Smells like Skunk", were pretty good doing all original pieces, they have a nice grungy sound. Then the main act was from Sudbury, the Mission Jam Band which were pretty good blues players. They let me into the tent just after 7 and by 7:15 I had my guitars by my side, a mic in front of me and I was ready to play. I started with "Let it Rain" which really needs Amanda Marshall to pull off, I was a bit fast but it gave me a chance to get my sound. I then launched into Rik Leaf's "Everyday" a song I always do down there. I did "Won't Back Down" which people loved, I do a fun version of that one that people asked me for before I went up. Then I grabbed my wife's guitar all tuned up in open E for a little Stones, "You Can't Always Get What You Want." That was my first time playing that song live, it was better with Nancy's BGVs but enjoyable none-the-less. Then I did my country set (smile), the Choir's "Behind that Locked Door" then to Andrew Smith's "I Come Undone". Then I did an original called "Fever", I think I've done that one somewhere else live. And at this point time is getting on so I finish up with "Heart of Gold".