The majority of wedding gigs go off without a hitch.  Today was not one of them.  So what possible cataclysmic turn of events occurred today which caused me such consternation?

I broke a nail.

For classical guitarists, the shape and condition of the nails on the right hand play a crucial part in the production of good tone.  Classical guitarists who have been playing for any length of time will have tried and tested countless different nail shapes in a bid to establish their exact preference.  Each guitarist has their own particular playing style, much in the same way we each have a unique laugh, walk or method for tying our shoelaces.  This playing style will determine the required length and shape of our nails.  Discovering the perfect nail shape is a never ending pursuit for classical guitarists.  Speak to any classical guitarist about their nails and I guarantee they won’t be 100% happy.  They might tell you about this one time in 1995 when they came close to having perfect nails… but then the temperature changed, humidity in the room rose and their nails had the audacity to grow 1/1000th of an inch in the period between filing their nails and going on stage, rendering their perfect nails utterly useless.

Ok, so I exaggerate a little.  But it’s true that maintaining a decent set of nails for playing classical guitar is an ongoing daily battle.  You can therefore begin to imagine the torment of snagging, chipping, creasing or breaking a nail prior to a performance.

Unfortunately for me, catastrophe hit about half an hour prior to my performance at the Wentbridge House Hotel in Yorkshire.  Reaching into my bag to retrieve, ironically enough, a nail file to condition my nails, I broke the nail on my middle finger.  I instantly knew what I’d done.  Cue internal cursing and a dull throb which could be felt from the bottom of my heart to the pit of my stomach.  It’s a horrible feeling knowing that you have to play with a broken nail.  But I had no choice; I had to perform.

I did my best to salvage my nail but it was in a bad way.  The only thing I could do was file it right down to nothing and remove the sharp edges.  It’s not an enjoyable experience to play with a broken nail but it’s still possible.  I performed pre-ceremony music as requested by the client and to my surprise, I still got a positive reaction from guests.  I attracted the attention of one couple who commented positively on my playing and we enjoyed a bit of a chat between songs.  I played a few pieces they might recognise and they enjoyed working out where they had heard the songs before.  This certainly raised my spirits as it seems my broken nail fiasco wasn’t actually affecting how the performance was being received.

Following the pre ceremony I relocated to the front of the hotel and awaited the wedding party for the drinks reception.  Whilst setting up and grabbing a quick bite to eat between sets I was approached by another couple who were interested in having me play at their wedding later in the year at the same venue.  We had a quick chat about their wedding date, what kind of music they were interested in and even briefly touched on the subject of motorbikes (which I know nothing about!).  The couple have a passion for motorsport and apparently I bear a resemblance to James Toseland, former World Superbike Champion and husband of Katie Melua.  It turns out that playing with a broken nail is not only well received, it’s also helping me to secure future work!  This got me thinking; perhaps I should break my nails more often.

All things considered, the day was a huge success.  The newlyweds were pleased with my performance which is above all, the most important thing.  Having finished my performances and packed up the car, my goal quickly shifted to getting home as fast as possible so I could lap up the last of the spring sunshine at home in the garden with an ice cold beer.  Sadly that means no photo to accompany this post at present.  Priorities and all that, I’m sure you understand.  I’ll be back at the Wentbridge House Hotel on the 5th October so I will endeavour to make up for my swift exit with lots of pretty photographs in due course.