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Should you go check out that local open mic you are thinking about? Clearly yes. Don’t know of any good open mics near you? Hmm, maybe you should start one. Sounds crazy doesn’t it. How does one start an open mic? Well, obviously it can be done, they exist everywhere. In fact, I had a hand in starting one myself. Why bother? Here is a brief(ish?) story of our open mic experience (so far): After being cajoled into giving a local mic a try some years ago, and finding a welcoming community of variously talented musicians there, (the cajoling and initial open mic experience is a tale for another time), our fine collection of participants was eventually left without a home, as the establishment in question shuttered its operations. We didn’t want to give up our fun, so with heads put together, a few of us found a local tavern willing to allow us a room to meet in once a week. For a year or so attendance wavered, often it was 3-4 stalwarts playing our cowboy songs for each other; sometimes a handful of random folks found their way to joining in. We stuck it out, eventually word spread, momentum gathered, and we now have a thriving community of folks such that on any Tuesday evening we have 15-20 performers come out. Here are some things that have happened: -People are collaborating, performing together; many times on songs that they never thought they would play on a stage. -Bands have been formed, several, among folks who met on Tuesday nights. Albums have been recorded. -Songs have been co-written by people who met on Tuesdays -People who never performed on stage in their lives previously are now playing gigs around town, sometimes via songwriter nights put together by community members and featuring several open mic regulars. Among the audiences are 5-10 members of the open mic community, there not just to support the musicians but to hang with our open mic friends. A community of people of all ages is building-I am an old(er) person, and via this group, I socialize with, learn from, and get inspired by friends who are 30+ years younger than I, and others who are some years older. The years fall away as the power of music brings us together. Local musicians of all stripes-some who picked up instruments late in life, some who had put them away for decades, some who have played in their basement forever, some who have more professional experience in bands etc-are finding ourselves motivated to push our boundaries, take risks, collaborate in surprising ways, and discover things about ourselves. In the process we have a grand time hanging out with like minded people that we likely would never have crossed paths with otherwise. So what can you do? First, try out the open mics in your town. If you haven’t played in public much, or at all, it will be hard! Just go watch one week. Then go back and play. It will be hard. But no one will care. Many will not even be paying attention. Then go back and do it again. It will be easier. You may find that the people who seemed indifferent or part of an “in” crowd start to open up and you realize they are figuring it all out just as you are. If the scene isn’t right for you, or there is no opportunity? Find your people. Find your person-one other who wants to play music. Get together in your basement and see what happens. Make it monthly, weekly, whatever but set a schedule. I think you might find that once you start doing something like this, you will discover more people in your orbit who would like to join in. People who have debated “getting that guitar out again” or “finding someone to jam with”-they are waiting for someone like you to come along and provide the opportunity. Some will come and go; some will stick around. Don’t have any grand plan of where it will go, just keep meeting and playing. Teach each other songs, play songs you have written, play songs you like, whatever works. See where it goes but keep doing it and it may lead you to surprising and rewarding places. Here is the overriding theme/motto/guideline of our open mic: no apologies! No one is allowed to say “I’m sorry” or its equivalent on stage, when a chord is dropped or lyric bumbled or whatever. Why not? Well, there is nothing to apologize for-we are all just up there trying stuff out, sharing our music, and the rest of us are there to support and encourage you. Just play, just sing, we will clap for you and invite you back. Give it a try, and if you are near Glenview IL on a Tuesday night, come find us upstairs at Grandpa’s Place.
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