Countdown to 100: 5 - Pecan Street Brewing
Chronicling the final 10 out of 100 Open Mic and Showcase performances I have done since June 2011. This is #96
photo by Mike Shirley
I suppose it’s time for a couple of small confessions.
#1) Not EVERY one of these performances I’m tracking has been an actual open mic per say. But the majority of them are, and it’s a lot easier to say “100 open mics in Austin since June” than it is today “100 open mics, a few showcases or mini-gigs, a going-away party and a live internet show, oh and a couple of them were in Colorado.” The point to me is, anywhere that people are there who could potentially be listening (an audience and performer situation), and I play and sing my songs, that counts. Perhaps the most accurate thing would be to call it 100 performances. Anyhoo, if you want to be technical about it, now you know!
#2) I have always secretly wanted to get called up to do a song or two from the audience at someone else’s gig. Since most of my stronger songs require my partial capo, I often walk around with it in my purse, just in case. Be prepared and all that. I don’t expect it, and I’ve never asked anyone because hey, their gig is about them! But I’ve seen it happen and it always seemed like a pretty cool thing that I’d like to have happen to me sometime.
So Saturday night I went out to see my friends Jana and Emily perform at a women songwriters in-the-round night at Pecan Street Brewing in Johnson City. It was hosted by the talented and very funny Penny Ney and the whole night was delightful.
I had a delicious brick-oven personal pizza and actually found a beer I liked too! The super nice bartender gave us samples of their current beers on tap. The one I got was called “Catcher in the Wheat” and was hardly bitter, just a little fruity. I grilled my friends on what I might be able to find at a regular bar that might come close and was told Blue Moon might be it. Several of the open mics offer a free drink for playing, and I have usually ended up getting a tea or a soda. Black tea keeps me awake, and soda isn’t the healthiest. Neither is beer I guess, but it’s nice to have even a possibility of another option on occasion.
Back to Pecan Street Brewing though, there is a front room with the bar and lots of tables, and then a back room with a stage and a balcony room that potentially looks over the stage if the patrons choose to look in that direction. There are little delightful surprises scattered around in the form of knick-knacks and clever signage, as well as awesome original artwork, from I think mostly, if not all local artists.
The music and the sound system were both great. Each of the women had their own distinct, unique style and yet it wasn’t jarring or weird for them to sing songs one after the other. Penny kicked in some tasteful light percussion on a few songs, Emily tossed in a few lovely harmonies here and there, Jana was queen of the in-between banter and creating a sense of continuity and Katie Lessley even got up to sing one of Jana’s songs and put some of her gorgeous harmonies to a few of the other songs too.
At the break Jana asked if I wanted to get up and do a song on one of her turns during the second set and I said sure and asked if she had any suggestions for what I should play. She named off a few and I decided to go for the one that probably had the least tuning issues, because as a guest I sure didn’t want to spent time fidgeting with tuning for one song! I got a good response, and then a bit later when I moved closer to the stage to take a picture, Emily asked me if I wanted to take her last slot, so I actually got to do two songs! Thanks gals!
I jokingly complained to them that this performance was throwing off my count, because I had the final 10 all planned out, so now instead of my 100th performance being at Fair Bean this Friday, I’m going to reach 100 at Flipnotics and Fair Bean will be 101! I guess I’m ok with going beyond my goal before going home for the holidays! :-)
Songs: Jonah’s Whale, Wings
Location:
Pecan Street Brewing
106 East Pecan Drive
Johnson City, TX 78636
830-868-2500
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