Odd Things...

Copyright Andrew Boyd

As a musician I see a lot of, er, odd things now and then... 

"Can I photograph your hands?" things like that.

But last night I saw the oddest so far. 

We're playing - in the middle of a set - and a guy walks in.  Older guy, neatly dressed in a kind of "letter jacket" and jeans.  He's staring at us.  Not unusual because sometimes musicians come in and do that - checking out the scene or music.  But he kind of runs around the bar pausing here and there like an bee buzzing from flower to flower.

So he buzzes around for a couple of minutes... 

Laying in front of us on a chair was a song book of music that one of the players (not playing at the time - its an open mic as well) had brought along.  Not our music (the one's playing) - but this other guy's stuff. 

It has nothing to do with us or what we are playing.

So the guy comes up to the band and starts rummaging through this other guy's song book right in front of a guy singing.

No asking, just rummaging.

Flipping through the pages.

What's he thinking?  Are playing this stuff?

I'm not even sure what's in the books - mostly old country songs I guess - that's what the book's owner sings.

Now normal people come up from time to time and speak to us as we play - "Can you play X?" - that sort of thing.

But not like this.

Then he goes off with a beer and hides behind the people in the bar.

By the time the set is over he is gone.

Right up there with "Can I photograph your hands...?"