open mic fun

[hbarcat]

Went to an open mic nite at a small bar way out in "the boonies" on the invite of a musician friend I've known awhile. Maybe 20 patrons but a dozen musicians showed up and I was the only bassist there, so I was invited to sit in the entire night (7pm to midnight).

Played some really fun songs with reasonably talented musicians who mostly understood the concept of playing this type of improvised situation.

A couple exceptions.

A guy playing two trumpets. At the same time. Badly. He was trying to make the trumpet into a classic rock instrument and was failing. Plus he was terrible. Did I mention he was playing two trumpets? At the same time.

A guitar player who was very talented, but for some reason, insisted on doing the over - embelleshed, gigantic, stadium rock ending to every song. Literally, minutes at a time. I could see the audience getting more and more bored with each successive flourish.

Another guitar player decided to try playing songs that nobody else knew. He'd actually ask the drummer and the other guitarist and me if we knew song "X". After all of us said we didn't, he'd immediately start playing song "X". We tried a few times to fake our way through them and gave up. Way to bore the audience.

Good times.

 

[Chad Michael]

Always enjoy stories like this - thanks hbar!!

 

[Ghook]

I assume your good times are said sarcastically. Lol

 

[hbarcat]

I assume your good times are said sarcastically. Lol

Yes and no. I played pretty much the entire 5 hours and was mixed and matched with different musicians. About 70% of that time it was just to be expected for such an event - fun to just jam with others as long as we don't expect too much. About 20% was surprisingly good. We nailed Locomotive Breath, Who'll Stop the Rain, All along the Watchtower, and a few others. It was only a very small audience, but they went bananas.

It was the remaining 10% that I described earlier that was excruciating.

 

[Ghook]

I ask because it's difficult to find open jams it seems. There are mic nites that require you sign up for a two or three song set. The other problem is that I live in a musical collecting point. So many pros and talent that I'm not sure I would be comfortable sitting in, even if invited. I would love to find a group of old guys like myself that just wanna play some music and relive some of those sixties garage band moments.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi @hbarcat,

Nice work. I haven't played a five hour (five set) gig in decades. That's a long jam session. You gotta take the good with the bad, especially in situations like that. Grin and bear it.

I've seen the dual horn thing work, but you gotta know what you're doing. Maybe the guy just needs practice, and he goes there for the accompaniment and stage time.

Hey, if you think of it, next time take a picture or two and share them with the class.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Only 10% falling into the excruciating category, out of 5 hours, is a pretty good ratio for an open mic!

 

[hbarcat]

Hi @hbarcat,

Nice work. I haven't played a five hour (five set) gig in decades. That's a long jam session. You gotta take the good with the bad, especially in situations like that. Grin and bear it.

I've seen the dual horn thing work, but you gotta know what you're doing. Maybe the guy just needs practice, and he goes there for the accompaniment and stage time.

Hey, if you think of it, next time take a picture or two and share them with the class.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

Since it wasn't a paid gig, I dispensed with some of the details that make a band appear more professional. I sat on a stool most of the time and had a big music stand in front of me with cheat sheets. Also, there was a lot of chatting and "dead air" between songs, and I don't drink alcohol when I have to drive.

The bass amp and PA was provided, so I didn't have to haul that in and out. And my usual gigs are Saturdays when we would typically play until close, either 1 am or 2 am.

All that made for a lot less stress and effort, compared to a real gig.


For some reason, someone video recorded the entire evening. I'll see if I can get a copy.

 

[Ostie]

Exactly why I avoid open mics.

 

[pappabass]

One of my gigs is a open mic. We play for 1 hour+, then let others play. Then we will play again. On our 2nd set, sometimes an additional guitar player or singer will sit in. Its controlled pretty well. I do have the option to play bass for some of the other guys. That is how I got hooked up with the guy I play bass for now.
Usually its OK, other times it turns into a free for all.

 

[delta7fred]

I started attending an open mic night to play delta blues slide guitar (think very poor imitation of Son House or Robert Johnson) so got my 3 songs with an occasional 1 or 2 more if very few people turned up.

When I started learning upright bass I also took my EUB along as there were a couple of singer/guitarists that I supported.

This has now turned into me playing most of the night, the host (singer/guitarist) wants me to support him and his wife, also a singer/guitarist, occasionally comes along and wants me to support her.

Last month a new guy was coming and asked the host if he thought that "the double bass guy" would support him. I ended up sitting out about 5 songs the whole night and that was only because I hadn't a clue how they went and didn't want to train wreck anybody's performance.