We've all been through moments like the one you describe. I see you as a pure gentleman and I'm sure it's the same for these friends who were with you that night. I'm sure they were feeling bad with and for you. You just have to turn the page. Next time that will be different...we're all humans. Thank you very much to share that.

Oh I've had my share of fails. All sorts. Like finishing a set and suddenly realising that the reason why I had to bang so hard on the bass side has to do with the fact that the volume contro on the ACTV2 wasn't turned completely clockwise. Or the nice fat clam when you get into the first chorus of a song and you just KNOW it's gonna be the same for the 2d and the 3d chorus. Or these lyrics that get completely lost and you just go lalala. Or the worst of all. You play 2 sets without a problem. And in the last set's 5th song, SOME fingers of one of your hands (like the 3d and the 4th of the left hand) CAN'T MOVE anymore. And it doesn't hurt. They're just paralyzed. So you try to go on with ONE finger but after 4 bars, you have to stop and call it good night. That's the worst!

Now you'll never fail if you don't go out there and play live.

Also, the reward of a good set (even with a few imperfections) erases all previous fails.

Oh man, the issues with running a rig from an OS - it scares me. I have a hard enough time keeping Windows servers running Server 2008 R2. Sounds like a transposing nightmare for the "Stick as Alpha instrument".

Oli - I've had many struggles with singing while playing Stick. To me, it's so foreign, but I am able to do it when I am focusing on only the left hand (that might be my former guitarist / bassist life). I have a hard time remembering 3 sets of songs much less threes sets of lyrics...!

Loved Alain's response - he gets it. I also love the underpinning theme too - keep going. Running a Stick gig, especially a solo one, is like running a small business. Most fail in the first 2 years and are rarely profitable until then. So, time and effort need to be invested if you want to make a go of it.

The Art of Recovery would be another fantastic thread. Thanks all for sharing your Tales of Woe, it's true misery loves company.

ugh, having to freeze an OS

Great topic Gene, and very humble to start it here.

Yes. Been there. Too many times.

My favorite example (that I choose to remember) was when I botched Classical Gas. I've only played it a billion times. And it's probably the most well known instrumental pop tune in the history of anything, so of course, everyone knows it. AND...I don't even LIKE this song much, but I've endured it for the audiences' love for it, while trying to make it my own thing. But I get to the climatic riff, with a bunch of triplets. And I just FORGOT how it went. And muscle memory failed me too.

Maybe this is what the start of dementia is like...?

Thankfully, it was one of those gigs where there's only like 10-12 people there, but there's that ONE guy sitting front row center, paying attention to your every nuance. So, I just looked at him and made gags like, "Have you ever completely forgot how a song goes?". A few good laughs, for sure!