Scratch
Enlightened Member
Got any Open Mic stories to share?
I like to play at a little lakeside restaurant during fall and spring when the temps are conducive to the screened porch setting. This time of year it is just too dang hot to play out there, so I bide my time picking at a local open mic venue. Great place with nice folks... It is a music and video rental store during business hours, but on Friday evenings they set up a small stage and seating area that accomodates maybe 20 folks. Lots more musicians now attend as the word has gottnen out, so the setting has evolved to a more 'lectric venue. These folks can really play and last night the wall were shaking with some awesome CCR, Charley Daniels, Allman Brothers and other Southern Rock sounds. It was lots of fun to sit in the audience and take it in.
I really enjoyed the venue at first as there were several laid back singer/songwriter types reminicent of the early folk venues, playing Dylan, Neil Young, stuff etc. but over the past month, the stage has lent more to louder electric genres. I really enjoy listening to all the music, but when it comes time to play a few tunes, electric guys just migrate to the stage and start backing you up. Loudly...
Doesn't matter if I'm plugged in or not, I can't hear the vocals or my acoustic over their loud backup music. Several of the singer/songwriter guys have disappeared as result seeking other more intimate settings and I can't blame 'em. These are some of the nicest people I've ever met and I really like everyone there; background fellas included, but there seems to be nothing you can say to prevent them from just grabbing an instrument and joining in.
Just a matter of selecting the right open mic venue, I guess, but I'll probably join the other SS guys and seek a more intimate setting wherever that may be.
I like to play at a little lakeside restaurant during fall and spring when the temps are conducive to the screened porch setting. This time of year it is just too dang hot to play out there, so I bide my time picking at a local open mic venue. Great place with nice folks... It is a music and video rental store during business hours, but on Friday evenings they set up a small stage and seating area that accomodates maybe 20 folks. Lots more musicians now attend as the word has gottnen out, so the setting has evolved to a more 'lectric venue. These folks can really play and last night the wall were shaking with some awesome CCR, Charley Daniels, Allman Brothers and other Southern Rock sounds. It was lots of fun to sit in the audience and take it in.
I really enjoyed the venue at first as there were several laid back singer/songwriter types reminicent of the early folk venues, playing Dylan, Neil Young, stuff etc. but over the past month, the stage has lent more to louder electric genres. I really enjoy listening to all the music, but when it comes time to play a few tunes, electric guys just migrate to the stage and start backing you up. Loudly...
Doesn't matter if I'm plugged in or not, I can't hear the vocals or my acoustic over their loud backup music. Several of the singer/songwriter guys have disappeared as result seeking other more intimate settings and I can't blame 'em. These are some of the nicest people I've ever met and I really like everyone there; background fellas included, but there seems to be nothing you can say to prevent them from just grabbing an instrument and joining in.
Just a matter of selecting the right open mic venue, I guess, but I'll probably join the other SS guys and seek a more intimate setting wherever that may be.