Rocking the Jersey Lilly

At five p.m. I started the evening at the open mike night of Charley's BBQ, as I have the past few Tuesday nights. I was first on the list because I got there early, and after the house band played a while I performed Freedom and Logger Rhythm. Later I got another turn and performed Early Morning Hours. I asked for adjustment to the sound for the last song (some distortion, less bass), and it went better than the first two, but all were good.

Afterwards I went to the Jersey Lilly for their open mike night that starts at nine p.m. I got there shortly after eight, and rode around a bit in their parking lot playing guitar on my bicycle before going inside. Again I was first on the list. I started with Legalize. A drummer joined me for that song, then I asked him to let me perform solo and he did. I played Logger Rhythm and Early Morning Hours here too, and Dust in the Wind by Kansas.

Then I got some distortion and played Long Hair (another of my originals) and closed with Sweet Emotion by Aerosmith. This was one of the best public performances of my life so far, and it was very well received.

Played two places tonight

I've been playing public places several times a week the past few weeks, including a metaphysical bookstore, a coffee shop, and a bar, besides also playing for other groups of people at various locations.

Tonight from five to eight p.m. I was at Charley's BBQ again for the third week in a row (last week I played Red Baron and Prayer). My first turn at Charley's tonight I played Hot Young Blonde, Running Out of Time and the Beatles song Help! After everyone else got their turn at the open microphone night, I got another turn just before they shut down. I played Oh! Jennifer! and What Can I Say? All these songs except for the Beatles song Help! are from my new (but as yet unrecorded) album When you ride over sharps, you get flats!

Then I went to a cocktail lounge downtown and got a contact number for the man who arranges entertainment there. I will call him tomorrow. Then I went to the Jersey Lilly, a bar that also has open jam sessions on Tuesday nights starting at nine p.m. The house band played a set, then I had a turn. I played my original song Red Baron, Help! by the Beatles, and Behind Blue Eyes by The Who (actually what I play is closer to Pete Townshend's acoustic version).