I stopped doing open mics a few years ago. I went because Taylor Burton’s private messages got my interest, I wanted feedback on a new song, and after a personal tragedy I badly needed to get out of the house and go be a musician. Blah blah blah. Even hermits get the blues.
The Belle open mic is waaay more professional than was common here last I went to one. The organizers and staff were on top. Amazing backup band. Excellent gear. Smart people.
- An open mic is better than a curated event organized around a few curated performers if you want to get a wide lens view of the state of a city’s music scene. It will be like the Monday morning open mic at the Bluebird where 200 hopefuls line up first come first serve instead of the Sunday night ten songwriters who had to pass a tough audition for a slot. It will be the same Bell Curve of talent with a longer brim. It will be much more diverse given cover artists as well as songwriters. Very cool for the audience in my opinion. The Belle is a much better room than the Bird if maybe not as scary. I am always terrified.
- I declined the backup band not because they can’t play my song but because I write chord rich finger picky ballads. Handing them lead sheets would be insulting and explaining this is a 90bpm light country tango with add2 chords, pickup across the bar, AAABA, blah blah is ridiculous. They would have shot me and I would deserve it. Nothing would have delighted me more than to have played with Larose and crew.
- A hint to acoustic guitarists doing this for the first time. Check your battery at home. Tune before you get on stage. Just because you tuned at home isn’t enough. These are Bird rules and they make sense. But if out of tune, just do it. Most intermediate cost guitars have cheap electronics and are tinny. The board guy can’t fix that. Me too. :) I usually use my looper as a pre amp but not knowing what the setup would be I opted for KIS:S. I need to rethink using the Taylor guitar. They are good for some things but finger picking isn’t one of them. Time to go back to nylon. Oopsie.
- The Huntsville music scene is evolving . Fast. A lot of serious heavy hitting talent is moving here and the natives are restless. Good. As some structural features mature I expect to see Huntsville acts get national respect. The music city thing won’t be a pipe dream. Excellent. Too late for past their sell by acts such as myself but that’s fine. Music is a River of love. Let it flow. There was outstanding talent that night and I am critical. No d’oh.
- If you are using these events to network, buy business cards. As Tony Mason taught me, they are your best investment. Phone sync later. Safely. Cards get passed around. Try not to lean in on a performer just as they go on or get off stage. It takes a minute or so to come out of the zone and what may appear to be unfriendly or cold is just brain fur. Do let them know you enjoyed it. It matters.
Many thanks to Taylor Burton, his colleagues and Stovehouse. I needed that and feel privileged to be allowed to perform my new song on your stage. God willing, I’ll do it again. Without the Cicadas.
Len Bullard
