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New York City, for the Discerning Musician
For the musician with a sense of jet set adventure and an appetite for discovery and development of their craft, there is no better destination than New York City. Taking a bite at the Big Apple is like investing in a lifelong harmonious seed planting which, if nurtured through practice, will continue to bear fruit with that well known adage ‘what you sow so you shall reap’....
By Alicia Rose 2/3/2015
Intrepid travel across the pond can and will increase a performer’s insight and ability to enrich their business of making music, or at the very least, as part of a musical hobby horse it will be an engaging and eye opening time.
Akin to the port of Liverpool, NYC people are not only warm and welcoming but you also feel at first meeting how truly impassioned toward music they are, on top of this most have a great sense of humour too.
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There is of course, like anywhere in the world, bubbling egos that keep us all bouncing off each other, creating fast paced lucid waves of words and melody, but it’s all in the best possible taste and nothing can take away from the cool buzz of excitement and adrenalin surging up whilst scouring the open mic scene in the wonderlands of midtown Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Astoria, Greenwich Village, New Jersey and Long Island City.
At any number of these venues and events, when you’re ‘on deck’ you know you’re up next so it is best to be ready with a tuned up guitar and a clear voice.
The quality of American musicianship is indeed second to none; without doubt there is some world class capability amongst the grassroots of players. Those who have been on the circuit for years still proving that making music is a way of life and no matter how hard one tries to get off the gravy train, they just have to jump right back on because it is in their blood.
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Sporadically you come across a novice player whose choice of words and timbre of voice being unfit for the discerning listener, but this is a rarity, and there is always an encouraging show of camaraderie for all.
Many of the acoustic stages have pianos gracing the occasion too,and thus a great diversity of performance takes place over the passage of a few hours.
There are afternoon, early evenings, late night and early morning acoustic events taking place, for the night owl, you can be spoilt for choice, for the athletic performer you can play as many open mics as you can fit in to a 24 hour stretch.
Some events only give one song performance, more commonly it is two songs, you’re getting lucky to get three and if you get any more than three songs for your set, you’re onto a winner.
Watch out for the venues that do charge a ‘cover fee', businesses cashing in on the ‘ever faithful’ and ‘always eager to play’ instrumentalist/vocalist who will cough up the dough, anything to get on stage and have their moment of glory.
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