AcoustiCafe: Pittsburgh's Treasure

There's a weekly gem in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is called AcoustiCafe.  It is really nothing more than an open mic...

Morgan on the cover of the City Paper playing at AcoustiCafe

I know, I know: most artists hear "open mic" and immediately tune out--myself included.  You think of lousy crowds of self-centered, competitive musicians, a shallow talent pool, and an overall lame time.  Or, at best, a good time with a few other musicians, but with nobody else really listening.

But ask any touring artist who happens to be passing through Pittsburgh on a Monday night, and they'll tell you: AcoustiCafe is unlike the rest.  The consistent level of talent we see on a weekly basis from locals and touring acts is remarkable. But what makes it truly special are all the non-performers who come every week just to listen.  Without them, I have no doubt AcoustiCafe would deteriorate into another low-rent talent show.  The crowd has a musical sense that I find is uncommon in the music club scene: they know when to sing and when to shout, but they also know when to shut up.  When Morgan and I have a good set, there can be nearly a hundred people in the room and you can hear a pin drop, yet if it's a sing-a-long, every voice joins in.

And the mainstays that make up the community of artists-- Mark Dignam, Brad Yoder, Judith Avers, Joy Ike, Paul Luc, Bear Cub, Pete Bush and the Hoi Palloi, Joel Lindsey, Jimbo Jackson, Clinton Clegg, Ben Shannon, Tim Ruff-- I could keep going, but I'll inevitably leave great acts out.  There are dozens.  These are brilliant artists and these are great friends.   Not only do we listen to each other, we play and sing with each other.  Eric George (the resident "drum slut") and Nathan Zoob (the guitar man) have been known to play on more acts than not on a given evening, making it decidedly difficult for them to get drunk (I feel for you, dudes).  Morgan and I are often invited up to sing songs we've never even heard before.  I'm incredibly grateful for this communal atmosphere.  We really owe Broken Fences itself to AcoustiCafe.  It was the common denominator that led to this band forming last year.

We're hosting this Monday, Feb. 13, so come out and play, listen, drink, and have a good time.  The theme is relationship songs that are NOT love songs.  See you there from 7-11.

http://www.facebook.com/acousticafe

-Guy
www.brokenfencesband.com
facebook.com/brokenfences
@broken_fences

The Music Industry?

I'm back! Back from NYC, settling into snowy Pittsburgh once again. And settling into my new job (ugh). While I was at work today, making sandwiches, french toast, and endless, and I mean ENDLESS bacon egg and cheese on plain, wheat, onion what have you bagels, I was thinking, what am I doing? It's really hard, from my view point at least, to take steps towards making a living off my music. Yes, I should be playing more shows, with Broken Fences and solo shows as well, and I will get on that!, but also, promoting. Promoting is a difficult one. It's something that has never come naturally to me, I would rather sit on my bed and just write songs.  But unless I want to be serving food to strangers for the rest of my life, this is something that I have to, MUST work on. Guy and I have a very good friend named Tim Ruff. You've probably seen him walking around pittsburgh, or caught his video "Walking In Pittsburgh" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELiRqFNdsW0

Anyway, he has a motivation that is to be envied. After talking to him about this, and getting some good pointers, I realized that it all just comes down to doing it. And that sounds so stupid. But part of doing it, is motivating yourself. He has been listening to this pod cast that he says is really helping him, and introducing him to new ideas. Guy has also listened to it, and sent a text today saying that he also was getting tons of ideas. I have not listened to it yet, but I should. and I am. I just have this stupid thing in my way called, being really good at escapism. This is something I have to take down a notch, rejoin the living, you know what I'm saying.

Another part of doing it, is having a team. Tim said this, thank you Tim. We musicians can't do this on our own. We have to have a team, a group of people we can put our trust into, and a group of people where each person brings something different to the table. Guy and I are very lucky to have a good team already. Zoob, Tim, Dave, not to mention the whole Club Cafe scene! Now all we need to add is a booking agent manager, and a great PR person. That will come, I'm sure it will, after our record is done and we tour with it and all of that.

I just have to keep telling myself that I will not be serving bagels or bread of whatever for the rest of my life, because damnit, I have music in me! It's my only real skill, really. So I kindof just, you know, have to make it. :p
-Morgan