You wouldn’t know it from their scruffy exteriors and long beards, but the operators of the weekly open-stage events can be a gateway to new opportunities.
“I’ve always liked the open-stage environment,” said Junebug, operator of the open stage at Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery. “It’s good musical discipline ... It’s probably the single best training ground for a live musician.”
Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St., hosts its open stage every Monday during which interested musicians can simply walk in, talk to Junebug and get a slot for the night.
Yet, when it comes to the open-stage scene, the atmosphere is more stripped down than a feature set, even if the open stages at Casa Nueva, 4 W. State St. and Jackie O’s have a louder venue than the coffeehouse atmosphere of The Front Room and Donkey Coffee and Espresso, 17 1/2 W. Washington St.
“When you come in, it should be a fairly simple setup,” said Chris Biester, operator of the Casa Nueva open stage. “It’s logistically too hard to deal with and it eats up so much setup time. The simpler acts are better.”
Junebug and other regulars at the weekly event are very open to playing along with other musicians that come in and want to improvise a song on the spot; most people, however, are too shy to ask.
One skill open-stagers develop quickly is learning how to play in front of an audience that may not be listening, Junebug said. But once in awhile, an act shows up that turns heads.
“Those are the moments I live for, and I get chills even just thinking about it,” Junebug said. “Some people come in that are so awesome that they demand attention. And not any one person slays every time, but hopefully everyone gets that opportunity.”
The open stage can be a great place to meet other musicians as well. Many bands have formed over the years due to partnerships formed on the stage.
Bruce Dalzell runs the open stage at Front Room and said that all the open-stage managers work together to give exceptional musicians the opportunity they deserve at other venues.
In other words, playing the open stage exceptionally could open doors to gigs in the future, seeing as how these operators also book shows for their venues.
“Everyone who picks up a guitar wants to be a performer, because it’s fun,” Dalzell said. “We provide a safe and encouraging opportunity for these musicians.”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
