Last night I found myself in the back of a darkened pub at 10:40pm awaiting my turn to perform in my very first open mic. I wrote a song for B. and R.'s wedding at their request and wanted to test it out on a group of strangers to cut down on the jitters. When I first walked in, there was just a handful of people nursing beers and talking...and effectively ignoring the guy on stage singing. "Oh, that's the way this is" I thought. But as each successive performer began I noticed the crowd would give their full attention if they were interested enough.
It was a fairly friendly group for the most part. That is, until a comedian got up and said something that offended a foul-mouthed and totally sauced lady. She started heckling him mercilessly, to the point where it got really awkward and uncomfortable. In fact, I think I mentally spirited myself away to a land of kitties and rainbows for a few minutes to avoid the commotion that the place erupted into. I kept wondering when someone would put an end to it.
That's when I started to worry. Was I suddenly stuck in a room of belligerent drunks about to pull out my ukulele and sing cute, sweet tunes with a wink and a smile? Would they eat me alive? Deep breath...
They called my name and I glided onstage, unable to grasp how a non-musical, non-singer who used to be terrified to sing in front of others was behind a mic. I opened with The Polygamy Song........and I had them in the palm of my hand from the first word! Everyone at the bar turned around when they heard the word polygamy slip out of the mouth of the shy, unassuming young lady who had been sitting alone in the dark for the past hour. By the end of the first verse they were laughing and cheering! Next I tried out the wedding song on them and again, they were with me, giggling and smiling. Even the most intimidating dudes were transformed. As I left the stage I got a slew of high fives and pats on the back. The host came back to my table and invited me to jam with his jug band sometime. Jam? Mama don't know how to jam. I freakin' know nothing about music. Once again proving the point that if the writing is funny, nobody cares if you're a good musician or singer. Score!
Facing my fears pretty much always lands me aces.
It was a fairly friendly group for the most part. That is, until a comedian got up and said something that offended a foul-mouthed and totally sauced lady. She started heckling him mercilessly, to the point where it got really awkward and uncomfortable. In fact, I think I mentally spirited myself away to a land of kitties and rainbows for a few minutes to avoid the commotion that the place erupted into. I kept wondering when someone would put an end to it.
That's when I started to worry. Was I suddenly stuck in a room of belligerent drunks about to pull out my ukulele and sing cute, sweet tunes with a wink and a smile? Would they eat me alive? Deep breath...
They called my name and I glided onstage, unable to grasp how a non-musical, non-singer who used to be terrified to sing in front of others was behind a mic. I opened with The Polygamy Song........and I had them in the palm of my hand from the first word! Everyone at the bar turned around when they heard the word polygamy slip out of the mouth of the shy, unassuming young lady who had been sitting alone in the dark for the past hour. By the end of the first verse they were laughing and cheering! Next I tried out the wedding song on them and again, they were with me, giggling and smiling. Even the most intimidating dudes were transformed. As I left the stage I got a slew of high fives and pats on the back. The host came back to my table and invited me to jam with his jug band sometime. Jam? Mama don't know how to jam. I freakin' know nothing about music. Once again proving the point that if the writing is funny, nobody cares if you're a good musician or singer. Score!
Facing my fears pretty much always lands me aces.
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2 comments:
So awesome! Enjoy that sea of aces :)
um, heck, YES!
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