# Eddie's Attic Open Mic Shootout XXIII **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddies-attic-open-mic-shootout-xxiii/333050 "2005-11-28T14:22:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddies-attic-open-mic-shootout-xxiii/333050/1 "2005-11-28T14:22:06Z")
Or…Cello! And welcome to Eddie’s Attic… For those of you who don’t know, [Eddie’s Attic](http://www.eddiesattic.com) is a great little bar/performance space in Decatur, GA, just east of Atlanta. Since opening in 1991, Eddie’s has been a must venue for the touring singer/songwriter. The performance space is small and intimate, and the audience is known to be uniquely enthusiastic while at the same time quiet, polite, and respectful. Eddie’s has been credited for helping to launch or support the careers of some folks who went on to be hugely successful. From their website: > [@](#): > > In it’s first 15 years Eddie’s Attic has been the springboard for an amazing number of local artists who have gone on to receive national recognition – names like John Mayer, Sugarland, Shawn Mullins, Josh Joplin, Billy Pilgrim, Kristen Hall, Caroline Aiken, Michelle Malone, and Matthew Kahler. The list of nationally known talents who have played this stage is also impressive – names like the Indigo Girls, John Gorka, Sheryl Crowe, Ani Difranco, The Black Crowes, David Wilcox, Bill Mallonee, Kevin Kenny, Edwin McCain, Ellis Paul, Francine Reed, Patty Larkin, Malcomb Holcomb, Larry Jon Wilson, Eric Taylor, Glen Philips, Dana Cooper, Pierce Pettis, Kate Campbell, Cheryl Wheeler, Cliff Eberhardt, Vance Gilbert, Lowen & Navarro, Indie Ari and Don Conoscenti. Every week, Eddie’s hosts an open mic competition, and twice every year the winners of these weekly bouts compete against eachother in an ‘Open Mic Shootout’. This past Friday night, my girlfriend and I had the good fortune of attending the most recent competition. Interestingly, before the show started, we happened to meet and share a table for a ‘bar food’ dinner with the individual who ended up being the winner. The banter and conversation was top notch and highly entertaining, but you’ll have to read the rest of the thread to find out who this person was…😛 There are 5 rounds of performances in this 7:30pm to midnight marathon of music. The roster included 20 performers, and each round consisted of the performers playing one song, with maybe 30 seconds of a sound check. The exceptions to these rules were the last two rounds, when the performers who made it that far could choose to play 2 songs each, if they so wished. The prize: $1000 cash, a one year subscription to [Performing Songwriter Magazine](http://www.performingsongwriter.com/), a day at [Nickel and Dime Studios](http://www.nickelanddimestudios.net/) with [Don McCollister](http://www.makearecordatlanta.com/analog-recording-staff.html), and free entrance to the December 18th Eddie’s Attic Songwriters Workshop with [Ellis Paul](http://www.ellispaul.com/), [Shawn Mullins](http://www.shawnmullins.com/), and [Michelle Malone](http://www.michellemalone.com/newsite2/frame.html). The evening was hosted by Eddie himself, with 8 judges that were hand-picked for their various roles in the southeast music scene, with the current owner of Eddie’s Attic, Bob Ephlin, tossing up the occasional tie-breaker vote. (Unless otherwise noted, all performers sang solo with an acoustic guitar) **ROUND ONE** In this first round, 8 of the performers who randomly drew short straws were randomly paired to compete. [Ben Schmidt](http://www.benschmidtmusic.com) of Iowa City, Iowa advanced, while Josh and John Morrison of Atlanta, Georgia (both playing acoustic guitar) went home. [Johnny Roquemore](http://www.johnnyroquemore.com) of Mansfield, Georgia advanced, while [Spencer Durham](http://www.spencerdurham.com) of Dahlonega, Georgia went home. John Poucher of Athens, Georgia advanced, while Kirk Adams of Atlanta, Georgia went home. [Michael Pickett](http://www.michaelpickett.com) of Toronto, Canada (guitar and harmonica) advanced, while [Hillside Manor](http://www.hillsidemanormusic.com) of Marietta, Georgia (3 piece band, all male: guitar, keyboard, bongo drums, background vocals) went home. **ROUND TWO** In this round, the winners from round one join the twelve who were lucky enough to be absolved from the first round, and all of the “sweet 16” were randomly paired to compete. [Chappy](http://www.chappymusic.com) of New Orleans, Louisiana (guitar and harmonica) advanced, while [Rebecca Loebe](http://www.rebeccaloebe.com) of Boston, Massachusetts went home. [Lindsay Mac](http://www.lindsaymac.com) of Boston, Massachusettes (playing a cello strapped to her torso like a guitar, strumming it like a guitar) advanced, while [Closer to Carter](http://www.myspace.com/closertocarter) of Atlanta, Georgia (3 piece band: guitar, keyboard, cello, background vocals) went home. [Nathan Beaver](http://www.myspace.com/nathanbeaver) of Athens, Georgia advanced, while [Jeremy Ezell](http://www.myspace.com/wilsonempiremusic) of Valdosta, Georgia went home. [Bo Bedingfield](http://www.bobedingfield.com) of Athens, Georgia advanced, while [Dawn Thomas](http://www.dawnthomasmusic.com) of Los Angeles, California (accompanied by another guitar player with backup vocals, male) went home. [Julie Loyd](http://www.julieloyd.com) of Chicago, Illinois advanced, while [Chaz](http://www.myspace.com/chaz) of Atlanta, Georgia went home. [Larry Zarella](http://www.larryzarella.com) of Talkeetna, Alaska (guitar and harmonica) advanced, while [The Ken Oak Band](http://www.kenoakband.com) of Los Angeles, California (3 piece band, all male: cello, 2 guitars, background vocals) went home. [Ben Schmidt](http://www.benschmidtmusic.com) of Iowa City, Iowa advanced, while [Johnny Roquemore](http://www.johnnyroquemore.com) of Mansfield, Georgia went home. [Michael Pickett](http://www.michaelpickett.com) of Toronto, Canada (guitar and harmonica) advanced, while John Poucher of Athens, Georgia went home. **ROUND THREE** [Lindsay Mac](http://www.lindsaymac.com) of Boston, Massachusettes (playing a cello strapped to her torso like a guitar, strumming it like a guitar) advanced, while [Chappy](http://www.chappymusic.com) of New Orleans, Louisiana (ukulele) went home. [Bo Bedingfield](http://www.bobedingfield.com) of Athens, Georgia advanced, while [Nathan Beaver](http://www.myspace.com/nathanbeaver) of Athens, Georgia went home. [Larry Zarella](http://www.larryzarella.com) of Talkeetna, Alaska advanced, while [Julie Loyd](http://www.julieloyd.com) of Chicago, Illinois went home. [Ben Schmidt](http://www.benschmidtmusic.com) of Iowa City, Iowa advanced, while [Michael Pickett](http://www.michaelpickett.com) of Toronto, Canada (guitar and harmonica) went home. **ROUND FOUR** [Bo Bedingfield](http://www.bobedingfield.com) of Athens, Georgia (two songs) advanced, while [Lindsay Mac](http://www.lindsaymac.com) of Boston, Massachusettes (two songs, playing a cello strapped to her torso like a guitar, strumming it like a guitar) went home. [Larry Zarella](http://www.larryzarella.com) of Talkeetna, Alaska (two songs, guitar and harmonica) advanced, while [Ben Schmidt](http://www.benschmidtmusic.com) of Iowa City, Iowa (one song) went home. **FINAL ROUND** _drum roll…_ [Bo Bedingfield](http://www.bobedingfield.com) of Athens, Georgia (two songs) strummed and crooned his way to the top of the heap of the XXIII Biannual Eddie’s Attic Open Mic Shootout, while [Larry Zarella](http://www.larryzarella.com) of Talkeetna, Alaska (two songs, guitar and harmonica) finished 2nd. **What caught our ears** [Michael Pickett](http://www.michaelpickett.com) played some great Blues. He’s shared the stage with the likes of greats like Taj Mahal, and he has certainly picked up some great stuff from the masters. [Larry Zarella](http://www.larryzarella.com) has a great nostalgic and often witty folk sound. [Ben Schmidt](http://www.benschmidtmusic.com) is at the top of my list for who I think will win next year, if he decides to try again. I think he should’ve played a second song in Round Three. We left with four cds from four different artists who resonated with us the most: [Lindsay Mac](http://www.lindsaymac.com) - she is truly a unique performer with a great sound and good, solid folk lyrics. My girlfriend thinks she should’ve won… [Closer to Carter](http://www.myspace.com/closertocarter) - these guys were great, and their sound with the cello (which is apparently their new experiment) left me with goosebumps. We’re hoping to catch a local show of their’s next Friday, but that will mean postponing our planned Narnia/Brokeback Mountain double feature… [Nathan Beaver](http://www.myspace.com/nathanbeaver) - this guy is really talented. Even the way he breathes between each word is musical. [Bo Bedingfield](http://www.bobedingfield.com) - what can I say…he’s like a young Dylan with songs full of whiskey, regret, and longing. Congratulations Bo! Best of luck. You are in good company. May you find as much success and enjoyment from the fruits of your talent and labors as some of these **previous Open Mic Shootout winners** : I: [Dayna Kurtz](http://www.daynakurtz.com) II: [Jennifer Nettles](http://www.jennifernettles.com) and Cory Jones III: Uncle Mark Reynolds (who passed away in 2004) IV: [Doria Roberts](http://www.doriaroberts.com) V: [Mike West](http://www.mikewest.net) and [Myshkin](http://www.myshkinsrubywarblers.com) VI: Jeffrey Butts VII: [Tammy Fowler](http://www.girlswithguitars.us/artist%20pages/Tammy.html) VIII: [Halcyon](http://www.halcyonmusic.com) IX: lo-fi masters - [John Mayer](http://www.johnmayer.com) and [Clay Cook](http://www.claycook.com) X: [Dogwood Moon](http://www.dogwoodmoon.com/dogwood.html) XI: [Don Conoscenti](http://www.donconoscenti.com) XII: [Jeffery Hyde Thompson](http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/jeffery_hyde_thompson) XIII: [Jennifer Daniels](http://www.jenniferdaniels.com) XIV: [Daniel Lee](http://www.danielleemusic.com) XV: [Claire and Bain’s Maple Yum-Yum](http://www.hopeforagoldensummer.com/claireandbain'smapleyum-yumindex.htm) - [Claire Campbell](http://www.hopeforagoldensummer.com/index.html) and [Bain Mattox](http://www.bainmattox.com) XVI: [Lindsey Hinkle](http://www.lindseyhinkle.com) XVII: [Paul Sprawl](http://www.paulsprawl.com) XVIII: [Scratch Track](http://www.scratchtrackmusic.com) XIX: [Nathan Mayberry](http://myspace.com/nathanmayberry) XX: [The Brilliant Inventions](http://www.thebrilliantinventions.com) XXI: [Mike Willis](http://www.mikewillismusic.com) XXII: [Michael Levine](http://www.michaellevine.net) I hope you find something you like. Happy listening. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddies-attic-open-mic-shootout-xxiii/333050/2 "2005-11-28T20:29:45Z")
I’m doing a shameless bump :o, but only because it took me _FOREVER_ to write and code this OP…even with the cheating I did pulling what links I could from the little pamphlet they handed out at the show…and even though I _still_ managed to futz up the spacing in the Round Two text. _grumble_ I just can’t let it slip to page 2 with no responses and only 20 views. There’s just too much good music hiding here in poor-title-choice obscurity. Maybe I should’ve gone with my alternate title of “Frothy Acoustic Action Live On Stage!”… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eddies-attic-open-mic-shootout-xxiii/333050/3 "2005-11-30T02:36:39Z")
Start a new cafe thread and resubmit with the header “Woman plays big cello like a guitar! - With links & pics!” or maybe “My fingers are bleeding! I demand you look at these deserving artists!” or possibly “Musical links, and kitten pictures.”