February 12th, 2020. El Golfo w E'RBODY and Heather Aubrey Lloyd.

So – open mic math can be hard. I’ve got an end time, I’ve got a start time, but the number of people I can fit on any given night is a wide open variable. I roll as fast and hard as possible trying to get every artist in, and sometimes I make miscalculations… and sometimes things aren’t smooth… but damn if I almost ALWAYS end on time.

Last night with a combination of people who’d gotten listed last week because they’d been so patient but still couldn’t play and a couple of genuine local / not-so-local luminaries that I DID let signup in advance (Robert Lighthouse and Tom Prasada-Rao) I spent most of the night holding on for dear Life.

I wish I could’ve just sat back and listened though, and once I’m done rendering the video I’ll probably do just that… because it was an incredible night.

Robert Lighthouse

We played with him once before in Bowie a billion years ago, but I’ve been a fan for a billion and one. An old blues and rock player, it was strange to watch him be a “folk musician” for the night, whatever that means, but it was flattering to have him in the room!

Heather Aubrey Lloyd

You know her. I could go on at length about my partner for the past 18 years, but you can click on any of the links above and get that. Sandwiched betwixt Robert Lighthouse and TPR anyone else might’ve been nervous, but Heather shone.

Tom Prasada-Rao

I don’t get to see him as much as I feel I ought to – and I don’t know him as well as I should. Tom has always been on the edge of my scene (or perhaps I’ve always been on the edge of his?) occupying a more spiritual world reserved for people who don’t just agitate but actually soothe. Every time I see him I’m stunned by the calm beauty he exudes and to have him sharing a slot with almost 20 other open mikers sort of made the whole night feel more like a MOVEMENT and less like a parade of disparate artists.

The El Golfo open mic is made possible in part through the support of Dave Eisner and the House of Musical Traditions. Our featured artists are supported through the generous donations of our audience! Gallery here : http://www.ilyaimy.com/wordpress/?p=16802

Video here: https://youtu.be/AeNSkDusVMM

The El Golfo open mic happens every Wednesday at El Golfo in Silver Spring, MD. Signup at .30pm, performances at 7.30pm. 2 songs / 10 minutes whichever’s shorter, with a family-friendly environment – and is hosted by rob Hinkal of the band ilyAIMY. Rob’s Open Mics were declared a National Open Mic by Shure Microphones, “Best of DC” from Dcmusicdownload.com and have received recognition from the Library of Congress.