Well, kind of.
(By the way, before I start this, I’d just like to point out that this is the mundane pointless stuff I must share forum and that this post fits happily under that category. Though I am tempted to call this “Wednesday night therapy session”, too.)
For those who don’t know, an open-mic is a thing they have at coffeehouses or bars where anyone can sign up to play/sing/read poetry/do comedy/scream–you think I’m joking–for five minutes or so. Anyhow, tonight I packed up the ol’ gitir and went to an open-mic night at a coffeehouse in Santa Monica (CA). I started doing this a few years ago but kinda stopped for a while, so I was a bit nervous (actually told the audience that I thought I shat my pants). My turn came up for my two songs, so I got up on stage and you know what? I fricking rocked. I mean, it wasn’t perfect (I’ve got some serious issues with tempo and I’m sure there were a ton of things I could have done better), but I got up there and sang my fricking heart out and played my guitar like there’s no tomorrow. When I was done I was actually pleased with myself. Please understand, THIS NEVER HAPPENS. I’m one of those dumb-ass perfectionists (all perfectionists are) who criticizes every little thing and has a difficult time allowing himself to believe that he ever does anything right. But while it wasn’t a perfect performance, it was an honest one. I sang like I meant it. I played like I loved it. And I did (both). I’m a total introvert, so being on stage is just weird, and often painful and awkward (but I’m still compelled to do it…go figure). But it wasn’t like that tonight. I wasn’t reserved. I wasn’t quiet. I wasn’t overly concerned with vocal inflection or guitar technique or any number of other things a “real” musician should be concerned with. I just sort of expressed myself. And it felt so good! It was about damn time.
It was cool, it was fast and furious, it was fun. (I even had a little help from a conga player who comes to these things to help out with a little percussion for whoever wants it. Didn’t rehearse or anything, she just jumps in with some darn cool conga playing). The audience even clapped along occasionally. They cheered enthusiastically at the end of the tunes. I may have actually smiled when I was done.
Weird.
I highly recomend going to one of these thingys if you’re one of those horribly repressed, but needing to get things out kind of a person. Or if you just like to sing, read, share, whatever.
Anyhow, I just had to share with someone. Why not you, electronic bulliten board populated mostly by strangers?
Pointlessly sharing mundane stuff,
Brian
