Thursday, January 29, 2009, 6:50 PM:
Hey, folks, here I am sitting up in the front of the room at the North Star Music Cafe in Portland, with about 10 minutes to go to showtime. Tonight is the Maine Songwriters Association Showcase and Open Mic – I’m going to try a little something here, in the context of my education as a blogger – real time blogging! (Not that I won’t be editing just a little before I post!) Let’s see how it goes! But hold that thought – I need to get a beer!
OK, I’m back! Craig Hensley has started his showcase set – Nice Conley guitar (local luthier!), with vocals that remind me of Chuck Pyle. ”Dark Eyes” is the opener, a lush strummer with thick romantic themes. Craig has obviously spent some time on stage; he’s very confident, and an accomplished performer. (above, Craig Hensley!) ”Thunder and Lightning” comes a little later in the set – give a listen below!
(All audio was recorded live using a Zoom H2 Handy Recorder; the resulting MP3 file was imported to GarageBand and exported to reduce the file size; permission to post was obtained from all artists!)
Streaming Audio: Craig Hensley sings “Thunder and Lightning”
The night is structured thusly – beginning at 7:00, there are four MSA showcase slots. These are MSA members who have performed in at least one open mic slot, and are eligible for the 35 minute showcases. Generally, the quality of these sets is very good and Craig is no exception. After the showcase slots end at 9:30, the open mic starts, with 15 minute slots until 11:00 PM, when the evening ends and the North Star closes.
Ronda Dale is our MSA host tonight! Ronda has a lot of cred around here – she performs with her partner Kevin Attra often as a folk/pop/blues/alt country duo, plays bass for Truth About Daisies, and has a show on WMPG radio. Nice gal, 
very talented!
Caleb Davenport is on the sound board, along with Jennifer McQuaid (at left). These volunteers are what keeps this evening going – it’s got to be a candidate for the longest running gig in Portland, at nine years!
7:20 PM: Craig has broken a string, borrowed another guitar, and is re-tuning and setting up with a new mic on the guitar, with Caleb’s help. We didn’t even skip a beat here!
It’s not even 7:30 yet, but the open mic list is full, and players continue to come in and ask to sign up. As most people know, this night is an “all originals” night – only original music, in keeping with the tradition of the Maine Songwriters Association.
7:45 PM: Craig’s set ends and Ronda does a few hosterly duties, and then she and Kevin Attra take the stage! The first tune is Ronda’s, called “Preachin’”, and it’s bold 
and beautiful. She and Kevin are very tight musically; they’ve had lot’s of time to get inside each other’s heads. She has a clear tone to her voice, dead on pitch, with just a slight hint of that southern drawl from her home land. Their set is a nice mix of each other’s songs, that blend well together. Kevin’s lead work is very, very nice.
Streaming Audio: Kevin Attra’s song “Terminal”, with Ronda Dale
8:10 PM: Next up is Heather Hardy! I met Heather at Jud Caswell’s song circle (see my 
last post!) The song she had us critique that night was “Here Lies Vera”, which is about a woman who died in New Orleans after Katrina; the authorities didn’t want to bother with burying her, so her lover had to do it himself – poignant story, great song! She is singing it right now, here at the North Star Music Cafe – give a listen below!
Streaming Audio: Heather Hardy sings “Here Lies Vera”
There are some folks who come here every single Thursday night – great supporters of the MSA! The host passes a silver bucket so that the audience can contribute to the organization – it’s the MSA’s largest source of revenue at present (full disclosure – I’m on the Board of Directors of the MSA and I’m currently the Treasurer! Just so you know!) The bucket generally attracts between $10 and $30.
The last showcase slot is Brendan Hogan. I met Brendan at another MSA night here at the North Star a month or so ago – he drove up that night from his home in Cambridge, MA, in the middle of a snow storm. He’s got this wonderful old legacy gibson guitar, from the 1950’s, and he actually let me play it that night – what an experience! Brendan performed a great set that night, with inspired songwriting and solid guitar chops.
Alas, I did not get to stay and hear Brendan’s set tonight! I had to depart for the evening at 9:00 – I am trying hard to live without a car, and that puts me at the mercy of available rides. The two-and-a-half mile walk home is OK in the warm weather, but not in the dead of winter!
But it was another great night at the Maine Songwriters Association Showcase and Open Mic. If you go to the North Star on any Thursday, you will experience this great sense of community, the killer music, and the excitement of the open mic. Bring your instrument and sign up, if that’s your thing – it really is a lot of fun, and the crowd is very friendly and supportive!
Have a great week!
Bob McKillop
