A Night at the Friendly Coffeehouse

Well, Willie's tour bus made a stop at the Friendly Coffeehouse (sponsored by the BFMS with emcee Leah U.) this past Friday night and I had a real nice time there, hearing some fine performances. The thing I love about open mikes is that you never know what you're going to hear. There are almost always some wonderful unexpected surprises. Its like walking into a used record store and finding that one album you hadn't heard in years (whoops, dating myself again :-) Some of the highlights for me were the following performances:
1. local singer-songwriter Greg Shupe ( [www.gregshupe.com] ), including the singing of a humorous sing I Likes Her Personality

2. a delightful presentation of native American songs on different woodwind instruments played by Jan Seiden ( [www.janseiden.com] ) including an instrument with two sides in two different keys that she played simultaneously

3. Leah U.'s playing of the Dar Williams song about underground radio (I grew up myself listening to underground radio late into the night, so that one has a special place in my heart, and one of those station was a Pacifica station)

4. Mark's (sorry I don't know the last name) playing of a relatively unknown Pete Seeger song called Old Devil Time and also Stewball

Political songs and speeches were at a minimum, though after Elise played an original song on her autoharp about putting Hilary in the House, I was tempted to yell "move over Mama, I'm voting for Obama", but of course this fairly restrained folksinger, unofficial member of the League of the Socially Awkward, did no such thing. As for my set, after having recently watched Jimi Hendrix on YouTube burn his guitar at Monterey Pop ( [www.youtube.com] ), I was going to open (and close) with the acoustic version of Wild Thing, but I decided to leave the lighter fluid at home. My set:
1. I'm Gonna Mail Myself to You (Woody Guthrie as channeled through Pete Seeger and John McCutcheon)
2. Oh Mary Don't You Weep (and yes, people did sing along)
3. Not Fade Away (old Buddy Holly Tune, though like most I first heard it through the back door back in the sixties as played by the Rolling Stones)

My only suggestion, if there is a way of cutting back on some of the lights,it would provide a more intimate atmosphere and keep things a little greener :-) But that aside, was a good night and in the words of the General, I Shall Return.

Gary B