Well, we DID make it through the first round, which was more than 50% of the other performers did, but we were beat out in the second round and I’m trying not to over think the strategy of it all. My brain wants to chew and chew and say “we should’ve played this” or this or that or the other – and we probably should’ve, but these contests – especially when all the performers are as spectacular as these – are always kind of a coin toss.
I came away with a couple of new favourite artists and a greater respect for some that I’d seen a couple of times before. I also feel that I have expanded my open-mic-host vocabulary via some Tomisms, but that that might not be a good thing. He had a couple of pretty special quotes tonight.
Okay, this place is pretty cool. Rick! Cellists don’t know what to do with guitars. (at Rick’s Music World in Raynham, MA)
Well, now the plan’s gone to shit. Unfortunately we had booked a hotel for the night to give us a halfway point back to Baltimore – but half way on an 8 hour drive is still four hours… and it took us a while to get out of the Lizard Lounge… and it took us a while longer to get out of Boston… the GPS now reports our arrival time at 5.30am and that’s without a stop for gas. At that point it’s absolutely absurd to pay anyone any money to sleep on their beds – but we’re locked into it by now and we’re just going to have to make the best of it.
Tomorrow we’ve got to be loading in by 5pm for the Baltimore Book Festival, and beyond that we’ve got to be charming and functional. That means leaving the hotel with checkout at noon and taking no more than an hour in either traffic or food stops…. It’s going to be a tight trip. Not at ALL the way I like to plan things.
Two of the most stunning performers of the night – above: Heather had recognized Sara Borrello frmo the moment she walked in. She’d been the stunner the LAST time we were here – and now she’ s just graduated from college and has tried out her first tour. She came back somewhat less than enthusiastic. Her brother, Matt Borrello who is ALSO pretty stunning. I realized while watching him that the reason we knew HIS name was that he was one of the competitors for this Saturday’s Lizard Lounge Open Mic challenge… he was properly intimidating! And a WHOLE lot o fun. The fantastic open mic at Rick’s Music World in Raynham, MA. A wonderful night that brings together everyone from 6 year olds to 80 year olds and first-timers and pros. It was a pretty marvelous night that really examplifies how an incredible community can grow around an open mic.
We woke up to the wonder of sleeping with friends who are professional bakers… After playing Rick’s Music World we made our way out to Newton, MA and crashed with Ethan of Pesky J. Nixon. We only got to see him for a couple of minutes, but that gave me more time for stargazing. The next day we spent wandering around the beaches of Plum Island before making our way down to Boston to compete in the Lizard Lounge Open Mic Challenge. Heather skipping stones on the beach on Plum Island in Massachusetts. I spent MY time climbing rocks! Testing out my new BIG lens on the local fauna. Some more enjoyment of my new lens on Plum Island, MA. Huh.
