Just wanted to let you folks in the Philadelphia PA area know that there is an acoustic blues oriented open mic that has been started up, by a guy name of Shakey, at the Pontiac Grill on South St. just up from 3rd St. I noticed his posting about it on the IGS forum before my recent trip back east and decided to drop in. There's a featured act which I think starts at about 9 and then the open mic starts around 10 on every Thursday night. I turned him on to Weenie Campbell so maybe he'll post more about it. I had a great time playing for a small crowd the first night, and since I was gonna be in town, Shakey asked me if I wanted to be the featured player the next week. Unfortunately it was pouring rain, but one of my oldest friends in the world (1st grade) showed up so I wouldn't have cared if the place was empty, besides her and her boyfriend. It's a comfy little bar/grill with a good lookin' menu. Perhaps a little smokey for a Californian such as myself? (but I hear there may soon be a law there, too).
Anyway, I think that it is really important to get out and support country blues. Even if you're not ready to play, get out there and have a few drinks or a nice late dinner and support the scene. It's great that Shakey is doing this and if enough folks start dropping by they might let him keep doing it. And it might just start to create a little sense of community for the country blues folks in the area.
I've been thinking a lot about this idea of community for the bay area country blues folks as well. I'll post something about this soon.
All for now.
John C.
