My music life is performance-intensive and varied. Different gigs have different demands. It should go without saying that without organization and forethought, there are myriad problems that can arise at a gig. Simple problems can be a major pain if you’re not prepared.

Five or six weeks ago, I had an eye-opening experience while playing a job. John and I were playing PizzaPapalis. While setting up, we realized that between the two of us, we had only ONE functional mic cable. Then, I managed to tear a fingernail (index finger, right hand) and I didn’t have clippers or a file with me. And this is an acoustic gig where I’m playing freestyle. So there we were, our first night at PizzaPapalis, really hoping to impress the manager and get more jobs, and I’m stuck with a hangnail and can’t sing backups because three of our four mic cables don’t work. Real professional, man!

So at the next Rayz practice, I mentioned to the guys that I wanted to get more organized and be prepared when problems arise at a gig. Gary offered me a toolbox he wanted to get rid of. I had been shoving stuff into an old backpack and my guitar cases, so the toolbox seemed like a promising alternative. Gary brought the toolbox to next week’s practice, and it was just what I needed! It’s a lot easier to keep track of things when they’re in one place, instead of spread out between various instruments and a backpack. I’ve been adding stuff every week, and now have two vocal mics, plenty of spare mic and instrument cables, mic clips,batteries, packs of strings, etc. And, needless to say, I’m fully prepared to deal with a damaged fingernail.

And, it’s always a good thing when you can solve multiple problems with a single gear upgrade. Playing acoustic gigs, I’m always sitting on bar stools or high chairs. So, I couldn’t really reach my effects pedal and tuner while playing, which is kind of a pain. I had been thinking about finding (or building) something to elevate my pedals. But, as it turns out, this toolbox is a good height, and works really well as a stand for my pedals. Definitely a good acquisition!