Shock & Awe

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to musician, artist, father of 6, husband of Brenda, Rick Beerhorst! Rick and Brenda met me at the Sidewalk Cafe last night for my first open mic in years. I had been warned about the enormity of the Sidewalk Cafe's Monday night open stage, but I wasn't PREPARED for the scope and range that the night held in store. First of all, there were SIXTY people signed up. The thing started at 8:00 and I left at 10:45 and they were on no. 15! It reminded me of BACK IN THE DAY when I first started out at Club Passim's open mic. There were at least 30 people signed up on any Tuesday night. It was usually an all night affair. In some ways staying all night, until the WEE HOURS, when only a few stragglers were left, was like a private AFTER SHOW. People would rise to the stage, as if they had just reached the peak of Everest. They would shout out: ARE YOU STILL OUT THERE? And the five of us that remained would all shout: WOOOOOOOO!

At the Sidewalk last night, it was quickly apparent that it had a REGULAR CREW. People knew each other, entire rows of people would have shows coming up together. Open mics can be a sort of GRAB BAG of talent and artistry. You never know what you are going to get. I'd never been to a NEW YORK open mic and was SHOCKED and AWED at the range of acts that kept appearing on the stage. Rappers, Emo kids with ties, rappers with ACCORDIANS, belly dancers turned folk crooners, British spoken word artists exploding into the audience, guys dressed like Sylvester Stallone in Rocky, holding a wine glass and crooning, blonde sisters from Iowa that made me want to EAT MY HAT, teenage kid with braces singing originals entitled "Young People are Customers Too" (and then totally rocking out on his electric guitar). It was CRAZY. My friend Mindy said at one point, "I want to leave and yet, WHAT IS NEXT?"

As it happens, I didn't get to hear Rick play, who was the on eI REALLY wanted to hear. He was no. 53 and I was getting nervous about going home by myself so late and also I had to be at work early this morning. I left him and Brenda doing only what you can do in a jam packed room, filled with guitars, characters and music, TAKING IT ALL IN. I hope he made it.

I am going back there tonight to play my little ol' show. Turns out that the RAPPER WITH THE ACCORDIAN goes on before me, and the BELLY DANCER TURNED FOLK CROONER is on after me.

Oh, you had me at 'hello.'