The Troublemaker's Revival
- Lauren Reilly
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Started off the night performing with ‘Otis & The Troublemakers’ at Firstlive in Brooklyn NYC. It was our first time performing together as a band which consist of two guitars, bass, drum, trumpet, trombone, and some vocals. Otis Sedgwick (Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter) created this as a group collaborative so that we can all showcase not only his songs, but other originals from the band members as well as covers. Firstlive is a nice comfy venue featuring a soundstage with full backline and lighting for live virtual concerts in the back room. The band did pretty well for a debut show. Yes, there were a couple of hiccups that we need to work on. But it will get cleaned up over time once we become more in sync. The show was great, the audience really enjoyed it, we had fun, and that’s all that matters.
Shortly after that, I was on my way to another gig to perform with ‘Preachermann & The Revival’ at The Shrine Music Venue in Harlem. We rocked the house! Preachermann with his beautiful voice, songwriting, and stage presence. He can really work a room. His wonderful wife Benita Charles and her powerful soulful vocals is always extraordinary. It makes you want to cry when she sings, because she has the power to get people to feel what she feels. That’s what being an artist is all about, telling a story. The audience was going crazy over the whole performance.
After the show, I took some pictures with friends and fans. Then I was about to put my trumpet away when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, an unexpected surprise……. My childhood friend that I’ve known since the 5th grade appeared with flowers! “Hey Lauren! Great show!” she says. I was lost for words and touched. I’m not going to say her name, so I’ll call her AC. AC brought her fiancé with her, and they looked like they enjoyed themselves. I’m mentioning this part of the night, because it’s these moments that make you think about the friends who don’t support you. We all have at least one person in our lives who is not truly supportive when things are going well. Yes, the true sign is when you're at your lowest. But when you are going up that mountain and they're still not there, that's a whole other story. They smile in your face, but don’t show up. AC and I will never be as close as we were back then, and we don’t see each other that much. We are two completely different people. Two different lives and mindsets. And yet, she came out of her way to see me do what I love. That speaks volume, it truly does.
-Lauren
