How was your open mic or jam night last night?

[tauzero]

Something I wasn't expecting last night at the Cavern was for one of my old drummers to turn up. We were in a band together in 2010, he had to move away with work, initially to Exeter which was a bit far and then to North Yorkshire, so he left. It turns out he moved to Sutton Coldfield a couple of years ago and joined a band last year which is just starting on the hunt for gigs. They did half a dozen numbers last night and were really excellent. If you see Poppy Jam playing a gig in your neighbourhood, I recommend going to watch them.

 

Edited March 14 by tauzero

[nekomatic]

There were three bass players, plus the guy in the house band, tonight. Three! Felt like I hardly got a look in. 

[Geek99]

18 minutes ago, nekomatic said:

There were three bass players, plus the guy in the house band, tonight. Three! Felt like I hardly got a look in. 

Wow “rocking horse collision”

I’m the only bass player in this village where I go 

[Bluewine]

On 05/02/2025 at 18:21, Acebassmusic said:

 

I think excessive volume is a common problem for many jams (and gigs). For a number of years I used to be in the house band for the local blues jam. I kept saying the volume is causing people leave. People would be sat with their fingers in their ears and then leave, it was that obvious. We had a really good sound guy who would (as requested) mic everything up......and then mute it at the desk as the stage volume was so high he couldnt do anything with it! He had a superb Nexo / Allen & Heath system at his fingertips that he could only use as a vocal PA I eventually tired of it and passed the batton to others.

 

In my area you can get someone to host an acoustic open mic for as little as $75.00. I've been to a few and I can't see how this brings in any business. 

 

Unfortunately in my area these open mics for the .most part bring out a lot of marginal local talent. 

 

Daryl

Edited March 14 by Bluewine

[Geek99]

4 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

In my area you can get someone to host an acoustic open mic for as little as $75.00. I've been to a few and I can't see how this brings in any business. 

 

Unfortunately in my area these open mics for the .most part bring out a lot of marginal local talent. 

 

Daryl

The lady who runs my local one gets £200 each night and tries to do one or two every week plus private engagements as a singer/songwriter 

 

[tauzero]

10 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Wow “rocking horse collision”

I’m the only bass player in this village where I go 

 

Luxury. There's variable numbers at the ones I do - generally me and one other at one, me and a guitarist who owns a bass at another, and up to four plus me at another depending on whether the band of young lads are there (all but the drummer can play guitar and bass). I'm the official house bassist for the last one, generally finish up bookending it with the occasional excursion in the middle.

[tauzero]

Last night, had a rehearsal with the originals band then straight off to the Shirley British Legion as a friend of mine that I used to be in a duo with some time in the 90s had said he'd be there - he's been very unwell, and lost his wife a few months ago, so I wanted to see him. He was there with another friend, the widow of the organiser of another open mic which I became the house bassist for and which introduced Mrs Zero to singing in public. The evening was finished off by Kevin getting me up to accompany him once again, which turned the clock back very effectively.

[tauzero]

Last night, did some bass backing for a couple of people - the most notable being backing 12 year old Amelie (vocals) and 14 year old Phoebe (guitar) doing Sweet Child O' Mine. I think Phoebe's guitar playing was better than our guitarist (but don't tell him I said that). It's good to see that there are youngsters coming on as well as the old brigade.

[TrevorR]

This Monday we’re doing a country themed night. I’ve been nabbed by some folks to bass on The Devil Went Down To Georgia, I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw and Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert. Should be a bit of a hoot, even if it’s not the type of stuff I normally play.

 

Last one, I played Still Got The Blues For You which went really nicely despite the lead player’s OD pedal not working. Talking about working up Parisienne Walkways in a couple of weeks! Result!

[tauzero]

On 11/04/2025 at 13:21, TrevorR said:

This Monday we’re doing a country themed night. I’ve been nabbed by some folks to bass on The Devil Went Down To Georgia, I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw and Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert. Should be a bit of a hoot, even if it’s not the type of stuff I normally play.

 

Last one, I played Still Got The Blues For You which went really nicely despite the lead player’s OD pedal not working. Talking about working up Parisienne Walkways in a couple of weeks! Result!

 

I've always thought that the Devil played far better than the plodding pedestrian redneck Johnny.

[TrevorR]

Country theme night at our Weekly Monday Night Jam last night was an absolute hoot! A great mix of great tunes, cheesy songs and lots of folks not taking themselves too seriously. Did 3 tunes in the end - here’s one of them: Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert.

 

 

The house band opened with a slice of Albert Lee - played even faster than Albert plays it! The guy in the hat is Nick Meier, who is the regular host. Not so shabby on the skinny strings… but then he did spend 5 years or so playing in Jeff Beck’s band in the 2010s… yes THAT Jeff Beck! Lovely guy and quite a player!

 

 

[Killerfridge]

8 hours ago, TrevorR said:

Country theme night at our Weekly Monday Night Jam last night was an absolute hoot! A great mix of great tunes, cheesy songs and lots of folks not taking themselves too seriously. Did 3 tunes in the end - here’s one of them: Gunpowder & Lead by Miranda Lambert.

 

 

The house band opened with a slice of Albert Lee - played even faster than Albert plays it! The guy in the hat is Nick Meier, who is the regular host. Not so shabby on the skinny strings… but then he did spend 5 years or so playing in Jeff Beck’s band in the 2010s… yes THAT Jeff Beck! Lovely guy and quite a player!

 

 

 

I keep meaning to come down to this, hopefully I'll drop in in the next month or so

[TrevorR]

3 hours ago, Killerfridge said:

 

I keep meaning to come down to this, hopefully I'll drop in in the next month or so

Do, do! It’s a great vibe and a nice bunch of folks! Zero egos too, which it nice!

[Passinwind]

Not last night, rather last month. This place is out in the country up towards Mt. Hood in Oregon, about a twenty minute drive from where I live in Washington State. It serves an old nine hole golf course and when the weather's nice there will usually be at least 40-50 civilians and 10-20 musicians. The host plays mandolin and guitar and is conversant in many styles, so many players choose to use him for backup. Most of the open mics I frequent feature a lot of working pros, many of whom I've known for 20-30 years or more. I tend to sign up for a three song slot and then wait and see who gets shut out of the 10-12 15 minute sets, then grab a few and work out something to play. I also do solo bass sets with vocals sometimes though, or jazz duos with the host where we throw darts at his iPad and wing a few Real Book tunes. I subbed in one of his gypsy/swing/country bands years ago, and still have their book, so I can shed on a few tunes beforehand if the mood strikes too.

 

And then for the last hour we typically turn off the PA, circle the wagons, and go around the room with everyone getting a couple of features and a lot of learning going on. I am allowed to plug in my bass, and really weak singers might get a mic if the host deems it necessary, but it's all acoustic beyond that, and often sublime. Some folks just show up for that last hour, and the staff take a load off and relax a bit, while starting to clean up a bit. We quit around 9PM, which is official closing time.

 

This is the view of Mt Hood from the parking lot:

 

 

And then this was the last electric set, which I got pulled up for with no notice, just after I finished a set with a singer-songwriter I'd never played with before:

 

 

 

I don't own a fretted bass, but I had just finished a preamp install on that one and wanted to see how it sounded in a full mix. No advance notice of the song selection, but at least it was something I had heard 40 years ago...

 

[Bagman]

Mt Hood = big fu**ing volcano 

[mikebass456]

On 05/02/2025 at 14:49, Happy Jack said:

Last night's blues jam at [identity withheld to avoid upsetting people] was WAY too loud. Again. 

 

I tried arguing with the organiser (an old friend and long-time collaborator in bands) that this might conceivably be the reason for the on-going tail-off in numbers attending.

 

Wouldn't have it. Just wouldn't have it. Even in a small, nearly-empty pub the volume level has to match the O2 or it's not a "proper" jam. 🙄

 

Lord save me from delusional musos.

 

 

 

[Passinwind]

13 minutes ago, Bagman said:

Mt Hood = big fu**ing volcano 

Indeed. And to the north of where I live we have:

 

Mt St Helens

 

 

 

Mt Adams

 

 

And then Mt Rainier

 

 

 

What could go wrong? 

 

[Stub Mandrel]

3 hours ago, Passinwind said:

9PM, which is official closing time.

 

A different world...

[Bagman]

2 hours ago, Passinwind said:

Indeed. And to the north of where I live we have:

 

Mt St Helens

 

 

 

Mt Adams

 

 

And then Mt Rainier

 

 

 

What could go wrong? 

 

NZ is basically volcanic 

 

check out the history of Lake Taupo 

[TrevorR]

25 minutes ago, Bagman said:

NZ is basically volcanic 

 

check out the history of Lake Taupo 

As a Kiwi Johnny Cash tribute act might sing… 🎵 “…made my home on a burnin’ ‘Ring of Fire’…”

[Bagman]

The Earthquakes we had 2011-14 were something but still waiting on the big one 

[Passinwind]

4 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

A different world...

Yeah, and one I welcome greatly after many many years of often watching the sun come up before getting to bed! Late shows at venues around where I grew up (i.e. near New York City) often started at 1 or 2 AM.

[tauzero]

A couple of us did anti-war songs last night - one did "If I had a rocket launcher" and "Come away Melinda", and Mrs Zero and I did "Zombie" and one of mine, "Newborn" - first time it's been played in public although I wrote it at the time of the Bosnian war, about a woman taking her newly born child that died after a few hours to bury it. All very cheerful.