Singer Songwriters Night - Open Mics and Open Minds

Last Wednesday I went down to the new weekly singer/songwriter night at the downtown Ye Old Orchard Pub (1189 De La Montagne) for the first time. I had a great time with host Ben Griffin whose music I have always loved, and I felt a glow from the warm and serious supportive vibe he had created in the nouveau pub space. It helped when they turned off one of the TV’s.

To be honest, almost all the performances that night underwhelmed me. Still, I’m going back tonight and I have an inkling I’ll become a regular. There is something about a night like this that is really focused on developing new voices (entry is by donation and split amoung the artists and every week’s show has an open mic) that feels good and can turn up great musical finds.

Tonight at Ye Old Orchard, Erik from the Demaes is playing, so I know I’ll enjoy him and Ben, plus I always love “who knows what will happen” type evenings. Here’s the invite he sent:

We are happy to announce that tonight’s performance will feature:
Erik Virtanen
Richard Gauthier
Matt Antaya
Ben Griffin
There’s still some room for a few people to play so who knows what will happen. Come on down tonight for some beers and music. Tell your friends.
Cheers!

Lastly I’ll say this, since I’m reminded, last week at the Ye Pub also made for some nice “networking” - I sat and beerschemed with dear Dave Cool in the corner during the so so sets, and got to talk about Indie music things and discuss our feelings about giving artists opinion and critique. Personally, I’m all for it (shocking). I aim to offer opinion and receive it in balanced doses with an ethics of conversation that goes toward the always-getting-better-ness in things in general. I think this is what the monks in Burma are saying, and man, all our hearts here are with them.

But I was talking about Singer Songwriter night. This is orders of magnitude away from the struggle in Burma, but they are kind of connected: all our gatherings, stories and songs are rights being denied other writers and singers and songs around the world and in Burma. So let’s make meaningful noise in all their honour, and in solidarity, as often as we can and call that a good start at the very least, ok?

There is a petition here. (Thanks Peru for sending it to me).