Starring at your Local Open Mic

Last night I did something I swore I'd never do: I went to an open mic.

Yes, please forgive me my trespasses. I have had my fill of open mics since I started going to them Thirty-seven years ago. Mind you, in the beginning it was fun--the open mic was at my air force training base, and the talent the open mic attracted was awesome. I still have tapes from some of those performers and they still sound good to me after all these years. When I went--this was back in 1975--I didn't play guitar yet, so I usually did comedy. I was, in fact, the first person at that open mic to do comedy and I had some routines which were very well received. (others, not so much--but that's comedy for you). It was fun and exciting.

Fast forward to me as a grizzled old man. I've been trained by the great Nik Venet in performing and songwriting and, to be arrogant about it, I'm pretty damned good at the singing and playing and the original songs these days. Hell, there was a time some years back when I played Grammy in the Schools with Venet, so playing an open mic is a bit of going backwards for me.

But what the hell. It was either go to the local open or stay home another night and watch more TV. I may be a dull and stupid man but even I recognize that the TV was making me sad.

I didn't put on the white suit (see photo, above). I thought that would be a little too much.

But I did bring the guitar and my notebook and checked my attitude at the door. One thing I can tell you for sure: The way to make people hate you is to show up at an open mike and pretend they are beneath you.

I mean, really. If I was so great, what was I doing at an open mic to begin with?

So I showed and listened to others. There was an earnest young man with long dark hair whose songs rambled and rumbled and sort of went nowhere but at least he was an original. There were a few poets--I can't get away from them. There was a grizzled old guy, even older than me, who played blues on a beaten down old electric guitar and he was pretty good and fun to watch. He even played some in a dropped D tuning which gave me some ideas and taught me a thing or two. I learned something at the open mic!

I played well. I've noticed that when I am "on" the rooms seems to stop when I play original tunes. The room did stop last night and the audience received "Harley" and "If you were lonely" and "The Bells of St. Alphonsus" well. Alas, no beautiful women volunteered to come home with me and soothe my obvious psychic hurt, but I did get plenty of handshakes and one drunken hug from a bearded young man.

It was fun. How often can you say that about an open mic?

Well, it was a good warm up for the Arts Alive! gig I'm playing the first Saturday in March at Plaza Design.

And it saved me from TV. For a night.