This was our third performance clip, and it came out raw — definitely some progress, but still a lot of work to do. The lighting was nice and bright this time, which made it easier to do post-production and add effects without fighting dark footage.
Emmy brought a new selfie stick for filming, and while it made the shots a little shaky, it wasn’t terrible. We’ll just shorten the stick next time so it’s steadier and easier to control.
I was wearing headphones during the performance, which made me a bit shouty, I grabbed some earbuds after that, and that should help with the volume control and overall feel next time.
I originally set out to sing “The Price” by Twisted Sister, but that take was pretty fumbled. The ideas were there, but it still needs a lot of work. Dee Snider’s version hits that mix of mid-voice grit and aggressive belting that’s tough to nail. Emmy’s idea to try a spoken-word version pushed it in a cool direction, though, and even though it was my first time doing it that way, it showed some promise. I’ll keep exploring that storytelling style.
For audio, I ran a Shure SM57B and a Shure SM57 into the SSL2, and that setup really made a difference — way cleaner and truer to what we actually hear in person.
We also did a few takes of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.” I’m still figuring out how to play and sing it together — the guitar part’s tricky — but that’ll come with practice.
I’m also still exploring country outfits, trying to bring more of that western feel into the look. It was only my second time performing with the mustache, so maybe that’s what’s making the music better — who knows, but it feels like part of the vibe now.
We had the Devils Horseshoe backdrop up this time, which made the whole setup feel more like a real stage. Still rough around the edges, but every session gets us a little closer to where we want to be.