as getting your foot in the door. So I've been touring for about a year now (full time about 3 or 4 months) and the whole "I'm gonna leave and play every weekend" is still fun but it's starting to take a little bit of a toll on me. I still love playing out on the weekends, but when I get home during the week it seems like the world of music comes to a screeching halt and the business side of things kicks in . .. full force. Calling venues, printing posters, emailing the world. Last week I tried something different.
I went back out to an open mic. Before I went I thought to myself, is this something I really want to do. For a brief instant it felt like I may have been going a little bit backwards, but then again. There's something relieving about playing for people who aren't there to judge you for the cover charge they pay. They don't sit there and analyze if it was "really worth it" to pay the $5. Not that people do this. But there are many things that goes on inside a musicians head when they're on stage.
<Look for who is bobbing their head, tapping their feet, singing along with the words. LOCK IN on them and reel them in for a CD purchase, Mailing list. I'm thirsty. These lights are hot. What's happening in the football game that everyone is cheering for? I have to scratch my forehead but I can't stop playing, is there a break in the song where I can sneak one in? I'm still thirsty>
Needless to say I had a great time at the open mic. I sold a CD, a T-shirt and lined up a gig at the venue just by stepping in and playing 4 or 5 songs. But this wasn't the best part. The best part was walking into that place and getting hugged and loved by the people there who had known me from the time when I was just starting to push towards being a professional musician. It's a great feeling and really helps. I'm going to start playing open mics during the week more often. Like my friend Kevin said to me, "No matter what, just keep playing." And like I say to all of you.
Keep Driving.
