Keira-WitherKay
heya all, hows all you fabulous people in guitarland.......
the question that i'm posing ..... is how many of you players on the guitar forum make use of the 'open mic" gigs offered around town.............. ???
only reason i ask is i would think that at say TJ's there'd be a line around the block of forum members wanting to perform.... but it's not the case it seems.... or are you guys and gals doing open mic's i'm not aware of...
even when i ran an open mic for jonathan's which ended a few months back...and i always go to the radium open mic every month and try make TJ's and tues at O haggan's in rock cottage when i can........ and in the time i've got to meet a few of the forum members in jhb or they would recognise me.... but i see Bob and mike and tailon regularly at TJ's but few others......
i would think guitarists would jump at the opportunity to play live especially the people who are not pro's .... also one learns so much at these gigs and above all networks ....... i have got gigs and a recording deal ( where i was sponsored by the owner so never paid for anything but the sound engineer ..... after he saw me at an open mic...and best thing is he doesn't even want a percentage ....so the networking pays off) also i use open mics to hone my new songs..... and develop my stage show...... ask the guys at TJ's about the big "Ole" sign on the back of my guitar which i started using in the act ...and tested it out there...it worked now it's in the show.... on thurs ...i'm gonna try some new idea's and might even try mic'ing up my guitar for that set ... an experiment.... but open mic's allow one to do this kinda "experiment" and that is the benefit of the "unpaid' performances........
and i truly can't think of a negative why someone won't wanna play??? i have seen muso's who their 1st live gig was the radium and they got through it just....... but they do it every month an other open mics when they can........ and now after a few months i'm amazed at how well they developped....
i reckon 3 songs at open mic is worth 3 weeks of practise in your bedroom......... and when you finally get to play 'paying gigs' you will have your stage legs so to speak and cope with the live performance anxiety
so yeah guys keen to hear if and who attends open mic's and where they are too .........
oh and i don't run an open mic anymore so this is not to promote any one open mic.......... just the idea of using open mic as a learning tool.......
peace and light
keira
Squonk
You will almost see me there, From September onwards.
Striving to get my drivers license and get over my nerves :-[
PeteM
Hey Keira, I think that open mic sessions are fantastic - at least the one that I frequent - Monday nights at a little pub called Musketeers in Malvern, Durban. There's nothing pretentious about the place and the particpants, who range from accomplished musos to teenagers just starting out, are all supportive of one another. It's not a large auduence - about 40 to 50 people with a core of regulars - performers and dedicated listeners.
As you say, it's a perfect platform for gaining confidence - it gave me the opportunity to play in front of an audience again after a 30 year layoff. For many of us, we tend to hide away in a little corner and play for our own amusement, but there's nothing like getting up and sharing your talent with other people, in fact I think it's incumbent on us to do so (God-given and all that). There's nothing more inspiring than seeing two shy 18 year old girls coming up on stage to play four or five numbers together - a little tentative but hey, they did it and who knows where it might take them.
We each get a maximum of half an hour and often we invite each other up in our slots to have a little jam together and we include the newbies so that they get a chance to feel what its like to play with other musos.
Is this venue a platform to launch a path to stardom? Not likely - but it is the basis of what music is all about, to me anyway. Music is a gateway to the soul and that should not be exclusive to a few star performers. (jeez I didn't mean to get all philosophical about it.)
So "Open Mic"? Yea!
Bob-Dubery
Keira WitherKay wrote
even when i ran an open mic for jonathan's which ended a few months back...and i always go to the radium open mic every month and try make TJ's and tues at O haggan's in rock cottage when i can........ and in the time i've got to meet a few of the forum members in jhb or they would recognise me.... but i see Bob and mike and tailon regularly at TJ's but few others......
I need to get out more. I didn't even know about this OM evening at O'Hagan's (hmmm.... don't know where Rock Cottage is either)
I played at Keira's open mike evening at Jonathan's a couple of times. Good fun, and Keira ran it very smoothly.
Squonk wrote
Striving to get my drivers license and get over my nerves
It's easier said than done (for me anyway) but you can relax a bit at open mike nights. The audience and organisers KNOW that it's open mike and don't expect Eric Clapton (or whoever your idea of the best, most professional etc is). I've seen lots of support given to people at TJs open mike night who forget lines etc. Good for building your confidence in your playing and for seeing your own progress.
Spyke
Bob Dubery wrote
I've seen lots of support given to people at TJs open mike night who forget lines etc.
As have I... all three times I've been dumb enough to agree to go up on stage.
Bob-Dubery
Bob Dubery wrote
Keira WitherKay wrote
even when i ran an open mic for jonathan's which ended a few months back...and i always go to the radium open mic every month and try make TJ's and tues at O haggan's in rock cottage when i can........ and in the time i've got to meet a few of the forum members in jhb or they would recognise me.... but i see Bob and mike and tailon regularly at TJ's but few others......
I need to get out more. I didn't even know about this OM evening at O'Hagan's (hmmm.... don't know where Rock Cottage is either)
Turns out I
do know where it is. I must check it out. Is it every Tuesday?
Neps
My only problem is time. When I can make an open mic I try to get there, but I've got quite a hectic evening schedule that I have to plan these things way in advance.
I think the main problem is that us Jo'burgers are lazy as well..hahaha.. after a hour in traffic, who wants to still get in the car again. And then there is the case that Stratisfear might show up, stand at the back and quietly snigger into his beer whilst one does a gutsy yet pluckish rendition of 'wheel'...hahaha ?
I'm all for them, time is just a problem with me most times.
[deleted]
Hahahahahaha. I don't snigger, Neps. Actually, I was having quite a ball listening to the folks up at the bar lay down some beatboxing over whatever was being played on the stage in the "other room". Completely bizarre scenario.
Having said that, yes, I agree it's a great place to bring up some talent, or cherry-pick some good musicians who could turn out to be great ones. Provided the atmosphere is actually supportive, it is a good idea. But you're right, Neps - those of us involved in other types of shows/gigs at night mostly can't find the time. The two nights I've made over the last couple of months have only been because of cancellations of other things.
[deleted]
Open mic'ing is the next step for me. I go and listen regularly to performances at the Barleycorn. I definately think it's a good place to get back into performing as the audience is receptive.
singemonkey
Excellent post. I recently came to the conclusion that, to ensure that my songs come off great with a band, I should make sure I can pull them off well just by myself. As you say, get used to stage anxiety again (which can get quite crippling. simple stuff becomes really difficult). And I reckon that, if you can get the songs across solo, then they'll be worth drumming up some musicians for shows with a band.
An open mic night would be the easiest way to get into that.
[deleted]
singemonkey wrote
(which can get quite crippling. simple stuff becomes really difficult).
Why is my hand feeling so stiff? Why am I suddenly having such trouble recalling what I'm supposed to do now? Why am I finding it so hard to improvise? Why can't I hear myself properly?
Ah, such fun.
Sean
Stratisfear wrote
Why is my hand feeling so stiff? Why am I suddenly having such trouble recalling what I'm supposed to do now? Why am I finding it so hard to improvise? Why can't I hear myself properly?
...why am I not wearing any pants??
[deleted]
Why is my hand feeling so stiff? Why am I suddenly having such trouble recalling what I'm supposed to do now? Why am I finding it so hard to improvise? Why can't I hear myself properly?
...why am I not wearing any pants??
Ha Ha, Once I had an experience where I went on after the DJ had been playing house music and everyone had been dancing, then everyone had to sit down and listen to me play classical Spanish. HMMMM bit awkward.
majestikc
When is the one by Rock Cottage happening, that's pretty close to me, I'll try get a few guys to come play maybe.
Ray
Broek, staan stil! Jou baas is nie bang nie! Is probably my main reason. Then again, I could get on one serious plak and that wouldnt be the case unless I got spookgerook of course. I have this thing about playing other people's songs and stuff. I like doing it but get sort of bored just before halfway thru. Then you get the idea maybe someone might be sitting there whispering to his tjommie "this oke is trying to play hundred 'n ten in the shade" or whatever I'm having a crack at. Whatever. So, I like my own things, just havent seen anything thru to a complete number. Actually, I been reckoning that the only way to get out of that rut is to expose myself to sessions like these, sort of get the inspiration thing going. But I read ol' Spyke's blog where he recounts how he was pretty much manhandled up to the stage to perform. And I thought like hell, with all the talk of gym and supplements and 100 pushups and stuff I could get hurt trying to fight off the good folk of the forum. So, someone's got to tell me if it's OK to go to these things and watch and listen and get the feel. Does everyone who walks thru the door got to play some songs? Lastly, time and distance. Way out east involves quite some effort to get up and go. I popped into something like this here but turned out not so lekker for me. I checked plenty moving fingers but I couldnt hear fokol.
Heath
i have played the one at rock cottage a few times now ,haven't in a while mind you , mostly cos i can't bloody sing at all and normally play with our ex drummer . but he's in capetown now , but if a few of the guys here wanna get together and tour the stage together it would be fun .
Keira-WitherKay
yeah i will check with the guy who runs the rock cottage gig today and see if it's happening on tues...... and let you know......
and yeah open mic's are even good for us pro's ......
last night i did a TJ's ........well not open mic but invite but still an unpaid non pro gig ..... and i find it allows me to try me things....
last night i used a different classical guitar and mic'd it up instead of lining it out .... which is a new skill i wanna learn....... that is how to play acoustic with it mic'd up...... and believe me it is a skill.... to learn that mic technique....so last night was a fab learning curve....... but the enviroment was forgiving that if i got the mic placing slightly wrong it was all good....... but it seemed to work out just fine.........
and also exposes me to a very different audience to the ones in the groove bars and cafe's i ussually perform in........... building my fan base cos i'm not from jhb ..and new in country even
also now selling cd's it becomes an opportunity to sell.......my so called unpaid set of 20 min or so..... turned out quite profitable ...after i sold well over R1000 worth of cd's after the show.........
exposure is good and profitable if they like you cos at every open mic since my cd been available i have sold......... so yeah all i'm saying is pro's should not think open mic's/ free showcase gig's are strickly for amateurs......
peace and light
keira
