My first real exposure to the Miami band scene actually came from there, back when Johnny Allen was running the night. I would go there first just to watch the bands and musicians jam there, eventually getting up the nerve to get up and play some acoustic solo songs. Eventually, the guys that were "regulars" there found out that I played multiple instruments and sang, and I started going there more and more on a regular basis, eventually ending up being in the house band on and off for about 9-10 years! I got into the bands Train Of Thought, Southern Drawl, Swamp Drive, Force Three, Dirk Diggler, and Triad through connections that I made at open mic. I met tons and tons of cool people and musicians from open mic. I got in trouble with Hoolies because of open mic once too, but we'll leave that part out, since it's all good now! ;)
I was witness to some incredible jams, great singers, guitarists, drummers, and rappers there...I was also there when open mic was closer to something out of the old "Gong Show" from the '70s...You could really say "I saw it ALL" there over the years, which makes this hiatus a little scary for me. Not even about the money, but the togetherness of the scene down here in this part of Miami. Anyway, enough of me waxing nostalgic, we don't know what is gonna happen, we'll just have to wait and see...
Hoping this institution isn't over...
Just in case, come out this Thursday and help us give it a proper send off, just in case...
TB