Open Mikes, Local Music scenes and Politics

[bruno]

ORH - you've never played at an Open Mike - that really surprises me??? Man, you have more ability than most who play Open Mike's regularly - really, really, really - no BS. The first will be nerve wrecking, but you will feel fantastic afterwards. You possess a great voice. Playing live is different from at home, things happen that you simply don't expect, but I'm sure that you'd get loads out of it. Once you start playing, you are in you own little bubble anyway. You can always play with 2 of you - that makes it so much easier (strength in numbers).

Once you do one, its like falling off a log - you'd be doing them all the time. You must get along and do at least one - if I were in Scotland I'd drag you out, and play guitar for you and make you sing - once you get the feel for it, they'd be no stopping you. You'd be braw  

re FL - if me and Hook get to play live - I'll be sure to put up a vid :-)

I still think it would be great to do a Songcrafters open mike - but logistics would be a nightmare. Playing live for each other would be wicked. Perhaps one day!

B

[Oldrottenhead]

i go regularly to a local get together very informal not an open mic. but the talent there is incredible, the playing and singing at the same time malarky terrifies me. plus my thumb strum technique on the guitar is awful. thank gawd for multitrackers. so there i am an observer.

re meeting hook, i am sure you guys will have a ball. i have had the great good fortune of meeting quite a few songcrafters now, and the memories of those meetings are etched into my memory forevermore ( notwithstanding early onset senile dementhingy).

hilary i am sure i have talents, i am a very good juggler for one and am adept at a few conjuring/magic tricks but live performance fills me with trepidation. done it once but i had , geir, greeny and flash harry right behind me and copious quantities of sheffield's finest ales giving me additional dutch courage.

doing it on my own, get the hell outta here no chance.

[bruno]

doing it on my own, get the hell outta here no chance.

:-)

[Blooby]

If the open mic pans out in Florida, please keep me in the loop.  As a Floridian, it might be possible for me to be a fly on the wall.

Blooby

[Oldrottenhead]

now i am getting extremely jealous

[Hilary]

now i am getting extremely jealous

oh my lord, me too!

[Hilary]

ORH - I'm coming up to Scotland next year (there's still an outside chance I'll make it this year but it's not looking very likely atm) albeit to Edinburgh (I'm going to do the free fringe in 2014) so be warned

[Oldrottenhead]

edinburgh is a fine fine city, the fringe tho, is a very different kettle of fish, more performers than there is an audience.

the big acts fill big halls, the little acts play to empty rooms. if you are doing a gig, with lots of performers promoting there shows, you will have an audience but a very very tough one. some of the "compilation" type shows are reminiscent of the early stages of the "x factor" and "britains got talent", except the audience makes simon cowel seem like a pussy cat in comparison.

[Hilary]

edinburgh is a fine fine city, the fringe tho, is a very different kettle of fish, more performers than there is an audience.

the big acts fill big halls, the little acts play to empty rooms. if you are doing a gig, with lots of performers promoting there shows, you will have an audience but a very very tough one. some of the "compilation" type shows are reminiscent of the early stages of the "x factor" and "britains got talent", except the audience makes simon cowel seem like a pussy cat in comparison.

Bring it on . . . I'm going to do 50 minutes (my own show)! They say for every yes, you get 7 no's - well I've had the next 20 years worth of no's/rejection - the odds are now in my favour for a yes

[Oldrottenhead]

go for it, let me know when, if i can get through i'll come and heckle you like a guid un