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  • TJs open mic night - January 26th

TJ's Acoustic Music Club are holding their first open mic night of the year on January 26th.

Venue: Press Club bar, Marks Park, Judith Road, Emmarentia, Johannesburg.

Time: Live performances start at 20:00

Admission: R25

TJ's provide the PA. You need to bring your guitars/mandolins/fiddles etc. You can book a performance slot when you get to the club. Slots are 15 minutes or 3 songs (whichever comes first).

The audience is supportive, so this is a good opportunity if you're not used to live performance.

I am running some formal shows for TJ's in the "big room" this year, and I am always keen to "promote" somebody from open mic nights. So come along and show what you've got and what you can do.
    I'm in a new band and we are looking for more gigs this year. We have about 25 songs (mainly covers) and our own PA.
    Is TJs looking for that any nights?
      Wishing you all the best with your open mics and other gigs in 2012. I hope you get the support that open mic gigs deserve.
        Hmmm, let's see if I can make this one. This time I'll come prepared with a son or two.

        PeteM, how are your open mic nights coming along?
          deefstes wrote: PeteM, how are your open mic nights coming along?
          It's getting better... some of my pupils have taken the plunge and performed there and I've found a group of new people which is encouraging. Apart from Clive and Kalcium no one else from GFSA has attended which is dissapointing. Steve Fataar is a regular and I reciprocate by playing at his unplugged sessions.
          Sorry for the hijack Bob. :-[
            PeteM wrote:
            deefstes wrote: PeteM, how are your open mic nights coming along?
            It's getting better... some of my pupils have taken the plunge and performed there and I've found a group of new people which is encouraging. Apart from Clive and Kalcium no one else from GFSA has attended which is dissapointing. Steve Fataar is a regular and I reciprocate by playing at his unplugged sessions.
            Sorry for the hijack Bob. :-[
            Yeah sorry Bob, hijack almost over.

            PeteM, when are your open mic nights? Just so we know in case one of us are in Durbs some time?
              deefstes wrote:
              PeteM wrote:
              deefstes wrote: PeteM, how are your open mic nights coming along?
              It's getting better... some of my pupils have taken the plunge and performed there and I've found a group of new people which is encouraging. Apart from Clive and Kalcium no one else from GFSA has attended which is dissapointing. Steve Fataar is a regular and I reciprocate by playing at his unplugged sessions.
              Sorry for the hijack Bob. :-[
              Yeah sorry Bob, hijack almost over.

              PeteM, when are your open mic nights? Just so we know in case one of us are in Durbs some time?
              Every Tuesday. I'll start posting reminders again. I stopped due to lack of interest.
                Brendon "BluJu" Neuhaus wrote: I'm in a new band and we are looking for more gigs this year. We have about 25 songs (mainly covers) and our own PA.
                Is TJs looking for that any nights?
                Hi Brendon,

                TJs has a fairly decentralised organisational structure, and anybody, like me, who arranges shows for TJ's only does so many shows a year. We're not above considering requests from people who want to play, but the general idea is that the host for the evening invites acts that they themselves have seen or know something about.

                Open mic nights are for whoever walks through the door, but for those nights it's a small room and a minimal PA is provided, so it's hard to accommodate a whole band, especially if there are amplifiers and drums as we need to keep things moving quickly to give everybody who wants to play a chance to do so.

                Finally it's a non-paying gig. TJ's is a non-profit club and although food and drinks are available they are provided by the venue and we get nothing from those sales.

                If you're still interested then PM me.
                  PeteM wrote: Wishing you all the best with your open mics and other gigs in 2012. I hope you get the support that open mic gigs deserve.
                  Thanks. The open mic nights are getting quite busy (in terms of attendance and in terms of players) and, just as good, interesting.

                  I see a real value in this kind of evening. There are a lot of people out there with a guitar, with talent, with ideas but who need a platform. I think of people like Squonk and Nechama Brodie who both tick all those boxes. And there are people who want to dip a toe into the waters of live performance but don't know where to start. So, in Jo'burg at least (and we've had people come from further afield) TJ's is able to offer that platform and allow those voices to be heard.

                  So, yes, such evenings are valuable. For me they're a public service, and something that musos (pro or not - in fact especially "not") should support.


                    X-rated Bob wrote:
                    Brendon "BluJu" Neuhaus wrote: I'm in a new band and we are looking for more gigs this year. We have about 25 songs (mainly covers) and our own PA.
                    Is TJs looking for that any nights?
                    Hi Brendon,

                    TJs has a fairly decentralised organisational structure, and anybody, like me, who arranges shows for TJ's only does so many shows a year. We're not above considering requests from people who want to play, but the general idea is that the host for the evening invites acts that they themselves have seen or know something about.

                    Open mic nights are for whoever walks through the door, but for those nights it's a small room and a minimal PA is provided, so it's hard to accommodate a whole band, especially if there are amplifiers and drums as we need to keep things moving quickly to give everybody who wants to play a chance to do so.

                    Finally it's a non-paying gig. TJ's is a non-profit club and although food and drinks are available they are provided by the venue and we get nothing from those sales.

                    If you're still interested then PM me.
                    Ye man I get it. Just wanted to see if you guys were in search of more regular acts for non open mic nights.
                    Although this open mic sounds like a good time so I may pop in with a mate some time and have a jam. ?
                      13 days later
                      Please accept, with no obligation, implied or implicit, a bump to this thread.

                      So who's gonna be there? I'm quite keen to drop in, have some drinks, socialise a bit and sing a song or two again.
                        I'll be there - but I don't know if I'll be playing. I have a "proper" show at TJ's on Feb 16th and I might decide to keep what powder I do have dry for that.

                        OTOH I should have got the Morgan back from Jed at Music Connection and might feel like giving it a run.

                        So dunno about playing, but will definitely be there and keen to raise a glass with any GFSAers that come along.

                          id love to join u guys, but not just yet, we are finally set to move to Alberton on the 28th of Jan, so as from then ill be attending open mics and your shows Bob!!!
                          i cant wait!!!
                          not that i think im ready to get up on stage just yet, thats gonna take some courage that i havnt mustered up yet...haha
                          see u soon
                            7 days later
                            Seeing how the venue is spitting distance from my place, I guess I should try make it for once.
                              Two more days. Who else is coming? Those who are, do remember to introduce yourselves. I always enjoy raising a glass with fellow GFSA'ers. If you don't know where the other GFSA'ers are, chat to Bob, he usually has a good sense of who's around. If you can't find Bob (if by some strange course of events he's not wearing his orange crocs) keep an eye out for a guy who's performing, amongst others, a Weird Al Yankovic song - that'll be me. Feel free to introduce yourself to me then and commiserate with my poor performance ?
                                Tyron Deakin wrote: not that i think im ready to get up on stage just yet, thats gonna take some courage that i havnt mustered up yet...haha
                                I know I've said it before, but this is really a very friendly and supportive open mic night.

                                Remember that it's not a pub where there happens to be an open mic going on and there are regulars whose turf you are on. This is run by TJ's specifically as an open mic night and the people who do come come to see or participate in an open mic night.

                                  Ahh no man, won't ba attending. Firstly it's too far. Secondly, my choice of music might get me stoned (and not in the good way) I's a country singin boy, playing this here guitar on the dusty end of the neck. :-[
                                    Nitebob wrote: Ahh no man, won't ba attending. Firstly it's too far. Secondly, my choice of music might get me stoned (and not in the good way) I's a country singin boy, playing this here guitar on the dusty end of the neck. :-[
                                    You'd be surprised Nitebob. No really, you would. You see all sorts of acts at TJ's and all sorts of skill levels. Really, there's something for everyone. And believe me, Country would go down a storm (and in a good way). ?
                                      Nitebob wrote: Ahh no man, won't ba attending. Firstly it's too far. Secondly, my choice of music might get me stoned (and not in the good way) I's a country singin boy, playing this here guitar on the dusty end of the neck. :-[
                                      To date nobody has been lynched for playing "Okie From Muskogee" at TJ's.

                                      I'm not saying this is good or bad, I'm just saying.
                                        Unless some of you sneaked in and sat quietly at the back (or were confused by the absence of crocs) it was Fingerpicker, Deefstes and myself. All of us played.

                                        A few new faces last night, guite a bit of variety.