An open mic gold mine

NOTE: This blog was published on the date shown at www.TriadLiveMusic.com and is reposted here for archival purposes.  

Mon-Dec09-2010

    It was about 6:00 pm or so and I like an old man (that I am NOT!) I was already dressed for bed and just relaxing around the house when my phone rang. It was Ginger, one of my dearest friends. It seemed that her husband who used to play guitar in a band, but hadn't played in fifteen years, had been bit by the music bug once again and wanted to try an open mic night but was nervous about it. "Would you go with him tonght and give him an honest opinion?" she asked. Without reservation or hesitation I replied "Absolutely." So off the pajama's came and back on with the jeans and shirt and I hit the road. After finding the first venue wasn't having open mic that night as advertised we decided to try the Flatiron in Greensboro. I had never been to the Flatiron before but the venue was on my list to eventually get to. But what I discovered there that night was a gold mine of musical offerings. Now mind you, these artists are not likely going to be found one day on top 40 radio or on arena concert stages - but you just never know.
As we sat and listened to the first several acts the host came over and told my friend he would follow the lady who was just then taking the stage. Her name was Vicki Genfan and as she started in on her three song set it was apparent that she was no amateur. Vicki's acoustic guitar had a beautiful tonal quality to it but she also used it as her percussion instrument by slapping the body and the strings - often simultaneously - and producing a beautiful, unique sound. Vicki's slap guitar playing method was actually "invented" by jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan but I had never actually seen anyone who used the method so well. Amid much applause the host eagerly requested just one more song which Vicki gladly did, playing a delightful rendition of the Beatles "Norwegian Wood."
When Vicki was done we chatted with her for a little bit. As it turns out she was Guitar Player Magazine's "Guitar Superstar of 2008" and was actually enjoying a night off from her current tour and happened to be in Virginia that day and on a whim looked up open mic nights in Greensboro, the closest city to where she was at the time, and settled on the Flatiron to go and "enjoy her day off" from her tour.
And my friend? Well, made even more nervous about playing because he had to follow Vicki, he took the stage, launched into his set and performed three original songs that awed me and made me wonder how he could play and sing so well after not playing for fifteen years (check out the video of one of his songs I recorded and put on YouTube by clicking here).
Live music on the weekends is great but if you want to catch original live music try one of the area's weeknight open mic events - then send me a note to say thank you for turning you on to it!