Honolulu, Hawai`i – On the way back into Waikiki, I spotted the Cheesecake Factory restaurant. Those of you who know me know how much I love this restaurant. So I was extremely pleased when the Sledge family took my suggestion to have a late lunch here. I don’t remember which meal I ordered, but I do remember which type of cheesecake I had: White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut.
Later in the evening, Keiko, ‘Ella, Mimi, and bo-Pah Sledge, who make up The Sledge Grits Band, would play a set at the Hard Rock Café. They’d be performing during the dinner hour. I was privileged to be able to watch the sound check.
I really like the décor of this Hard Rock location. There is a lot of wood inside and out. So it blends in with environment. In addition to guitars hung on the interior walls, there is something called a “guitar wave”. It starts on the stairwell, runs up the wall and curls along the 2nd floor ceiling. There must be a couple of hundred guitars hanging on the wall and supporting rack. Guitars of all sizes, shapes, and types. Acoustic. Electric. There may have been a banjo and a mandolin in there somewhere. It’s so massive it can be seen from outside.
As showtime neared, my friends Fred and Cynthia arrived. A group the Sledge family knew called EMKE also came by. A few other guests came specifically to see the band. But most in the audience had no idea who this group was when they first took the stage. All they knew is that there would be a band playing while they enjoyed their dinner. By the time the show started, the room held a nice-sized crowd.
Do you have friends or family who are artists, musicians, or professional athletes? When I watch my athlete or musician friends perform, I try to detach myself from the fact that I know them and try to be just another member of the audience. This way I can enjoy the performance or game without any expectations. Though I’ve seen The Sledge Grits Band perform probably a dozen or more times, when I watch them this way, it is as if seeing them for the first time. I can then really listen to their music, watch their expressions and movements, and just enjoy the show without the burden of expectation. And any surprises that happen are genuine surprises.
At times I do ‘remember’ that those are my friends performing up there. It is at those times where I turn my attention to the audience. I watch them having a good time, enjoying the band’s performance. I admit I do get a kick out of seeing the effect The Sledge Grits Band has on a crowd.
I say all that to say that tonight’s performance was something special. I don’t know if it was because the girls were happy to be in Hawai`i, happy to be playing the Hard Rock, or what. The band seemed to be having a lot of fun. It spilled over into the audience, many of whom were seen smiling, nodding their heads, and really getting into the show. The girls were on fire tonight!
After the show I got to talk to a few members of the audience. The girls made a big impression on them. They ‘killed it’. Several people in the audience said as much. The band met some new friends and gained a lot of new fans.
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