Great open mics. Last night at Sully’s Pub in Hartford, tonight at the Space in Hamden. After all these years (almost 7 years of traveling!) I still Love open mics, seeing all the other performers – marvelous voices and words and players. I get arrogant sometimes, and it’s good to be reminded just how amazing the other people in the world are….
It’s mortifying to be part of an absolutely stunning night of music and then screw up! I broke a string during the first song! We came into the Space and the owner was really excited to see us again. “ilyAIMY! You don’t write! You don’t call!” Steve was tickled pink to have us, gave us some band food coupons and a twenty-minute slot (vs the normal ten minutes) – and then had to run home to vacuum water out of his basement, because some people have REAL problems!
In any case – the night was really amazing. Rarely do I watch a “featured artist” at an open mic and NOT think “I should be up there right now!” It’s ego and arrogance, but I don’t think it’s generally undeserved and frankly – that ego and arrogance is the self-confidence that’s absolutely necessary in the job. However, tonight the Space had TWO featured artists – both of which were completely deserving of my undivided attention. Three if you count the first one’s traveling companion.
After the show we got to just explore the house. This is clearly an idol to Great A’Tuin, the celestial world turtle!
Shawn Levesque was the second featured artist. A great player, beautiful voice. I found in him a kindred spirit of guitar whacking, as well as in his sense of meandering irreverent humour. It’s good to see another Alvarez smacked good and hard, even if he’s actually a little gentle on the thing for my tastes.
The first feature was Jess Morgan from England – it’s not often that I’m simply floored by someone’s writing, or their music. I’m too jaded? Perhaps I just don’t have the attention span – or maybe I just don’t have the DEPTH anymore – but Jess really made me weep (in a good way). She was elegant and beautifully powerful. She seemed without pretension and with just the right amount of attitude.
I have never seen anyone who added extra fans to their Mackies. But that’s how you know the Space is actually pretty punk rock! This one’s for Brennan. Jax Burgoyne is another Brit – and a masterful storyteller. She made me think of Peter S Beagle, (though come to think of it I’m not really sure why) and for me, compliments don’t come much higher.
There’s something remarkably HONEST and brave about crossing the Atlantic Ocean and baring one’s soul with her particular weapon of choice: a ¾ Yamaha guitar that couldn’t have cost her $150. Diminutive and shallow, such a guitar wouldn’t survive in my hands and I’d spend the whole of its short Lifespan being completely disgusted with it. For her it was crystalline and simple and somehow appropriate. I Loved her words, Loved her voice – I was completely and utterly enamoured. She reminded me of falling in Love in college coffeehouses.
Jess was traveling with a short story writer of all things, with the difficult name of Jax Burgoyne. I’d already read a little bit of Jax when visiting her website, meandering from Jess’ myspace page earlier in the evening. I fell in Love with the story on her splash page.
The synopsis provided at the head of the story: “Canada, umbrellas in the snow, reluctant but inevitable homosexuality, Spiderman, an alternate, sacrifice, ‘I’m sorry, the lotion hasn’t worked.’.”
The story’s great. She read it to us at the open mic. It’s not a poem, no guitar or rhyme scheme to hide behind. I haven’t seen that kind of bravery outside my OWN open mic – and I admire it. The stories are marvelous. If you need something uplifting and beautiful and whimsical and strange, spend some time with her.
Enough out of me. It’s midnight and we’ve got a MORNING show. I’m sipping herbal peach tea and trying to contemplate the vague notion of getting my head down. Heather’s on the phone with her man and Kristen and I are winding down upstairs. I can’t believe we’ve got to be OUT OF THE HOUSE by 9.30am. How un-rockstar is that?! Still – I’m in a damned good mood for all that we’ve not really made ANY money this tour. Tomorrow’s a college show, which makes up for a lot – but I’ve still got a horrible amount of inexplicable optimism sloshing around in my system. Maybe I’ll swallow a spider in my sleep and THAT will solve the problem…
