The thing that makes music such a powerful tool / ideal / entity / (fill in the blank) _______ is the fact that you can form communities through music. Some people like to refer to them as scenes, but that description sometimes gets a bad rap. It often gets that bad rap because people often equate “scene” with “clique”. Something very exclusive you have to be invited and accepted to be a part of it – no outsiders allowed, no “uncool” kids by whatever definition the scene deems appropriate, secret handshakes, etc., etc.
I’ve been observing lately that music communities can develop in a more positive manner through Open Mics. The rules of most Open Mics (when followed) are simple yet effective – “show respect for the other performers and when it is your turn they will show respect to you.” That sums it up in a big ol’ generic heap, but it is the truth.
Lately I’ve taken to going out Wednesday nights to observe the Mac’s Tavern Open Mic Night that is hosted by Bill. A community is beginning to develop. There are young performers, older performers, acoustic instruments, electric instruments, solo artists, full bands, original tunes, cover tunes, couples, fathers, and sons, etc. There is no one set or type of performer – nothing typical. You cannot say oh that Open Mic Night is for rock music or that one is predominantly country / bluegrass. Anything goes as long as it is respectful to the audience and the other performers. The people are coming out with loads of talent. All well-rounded communities need diversity and this Open Mic Night is no exception.
Relationships begin to develop. Leaders begin to present themselves leading and mentoring others. It takes a lot of guts to get up there and perform that first time. Legs may buckle a little and voices may crack – but all are empathetic to what they are going through and first-timers are respected for doing it. These rookies begin to improve on a weekly basis. What was a struggle for them the first time they performed becomes easier. Fewer lyrics forgotten, fewer sour notes – they begin to shine. The guidance they’ve received from the more experienced individuals is beginning to pay off. Everyone is complimentary, positive, and accepting. No one feels as if what they are doing is the best most unique performance – everyone can see the positive elements in the performances.
The overall point is that I invite all who read this to do a little Google-search and look into any Open Mic Nights that might be going down near you. Go out and support these developing communities. Support through performing your own “work of art” or support simply by ordering beer or coffee, watching respectfully, and clapping your hands for the performers. Either way you will not only feel entertained, but you may also feel like you were a part of something special.
Thanks for Reading,
Chris
Open Mic Night hosted by Bill West – Wednesdays 8:30 p.m. Mac’s Tavern in Cary
www.macstavern.net
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hey chris; good article man; thought i'd chime in.
ReplyDeletehey, after literally 20 years of not playing guitar publicly (like zero, none...), i decided to go to an open mic in 2008; i was fortunate it was Bill's open mic (not that i knew it at the time). Props should be given the the Mac's owners as well for giving us a great place to play.
always felt welcomed and encouraged to play whatever i wanted to.. I often experiment with a new song / style now, knowing that as long it's respectful and not 45 minutes long, it'll be well received ..
i know the other musicians feel the same; we've become an ever evolving group of people, with different styles, etc feeding off each other's feedback, round of beers/shots, etc...
lastly, there is a book called Tribes (it is a marketing / sales book) and one of the main points in this author's teaching is that a collective group of people (the tribe) always have a need for something, being goods, services, etc; Bill's open mic meets the need of our evolving tribe; a comfortable, safe place to play our music, encouraged always to improve.