Under various labels hosted by various people but always here in Hoboken. It’s legacy will be that it has always been more than a simple open mic. Inexplicably at first glance. What was it about this series beyond most others that always seemed to bring out the best in musicians and poets and (occasionally) comedians?
Trace the lineage back to before ten years ago. Go back to Mike Latch at Maxwell’s and later to The Liquid Lounge. Continue on to a group called Hipnosis. Follow the line on to Ivy and ArtKore at The Rodeo/Ristra Lounge to The Shannon and then to Rue de Jardin. There were the glory years at The Goldhawk where the open mic truly flourished. There was a short return to Maxwell’s until landing at it’s current home at Northern Soul.
A long strange trip? Indeed. For ten years of that trip, there has been one constant. Host Dave Entwistle has always had a way to guide the night — week after week — to greatness. Never in a heavy-handed way but you could feel that there was some sort of something in the air. Most open mics tend to be long moments of excruciating discomfort with random fleeting moments of tolerable entertainment and rare gems of brilliance.
The Peoples Open Mic has always managed to somehow be the polar opposite of most open mics. What happened here (wherever here was at the time) was almost always brilliant. A rarity about which only a handful of open mics can boast. I’m happy to have been able to ride on this trip since it’s inception. I’m happy for all of the music I’ve discovered in others and in myself. I’m mostly proud of the amazing friends I’ve made along the way.
On September 5, 2012 our family of musical friends gathered to celebrate. My only regret is that I’m still on this self-imposed musical sabbatical. Soon to be broken (I keep promising myself). Anyway. Here’s to another ten years!
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