The Center for the Arts in Natick has a strong history of enriching its community and encouraging local artists-- with an open mic that has been going on since 1997-- so, this seemed like a great place to start my open mic tour. That, plus the fact that my good friend Dan Martinelli was playing the feature set and I always love seeing him perform. He has a new EP out which you can hear here (I played fiddle on one of the tracks!).
The TCAN Folk Open Mic is hosted by Mark Stepakoff, who warmly greeted me at the door to TCAN and explained the process for the evening. He extends such a welcome to newcomers and encouraged an intimate listening environment. One of the most striking things about the open mic was the fact that the performers for the evening included people of all ages. There were 7 high schoolers there and 4 of them performed-- very well, I might add. I wish I had half their talent or poise as a singer when I was their age. They seemed comfortable on the stage, and I was incredibly impressed by the row of young high school men from the St. Sebastian's School in Needham who didn't come to perform, but to listen to their friends. Not only did they sit in the front row, but they quietly and respectfully listened to everyone else for the entirety of the event, which went from 8 pm-11 pm. I honestly did not expect that.
Needless to say, I am SO glad to be back in the game and re-engaging with the community. It warms my heart and keeps my love for music-making and sharing strong.
Dan Martinelli
The TCAN Folk Open Mic is hosted by Mark Stepakoff, who warmly greeted me at the door to TCAN and explained the process for the evening. He extends such a welcome to newcomers and encouraged an intimate listening environment. One of the most striking things about the open mic was the fact that the performers for the evening included people of all ages. There were 7 high schoolers there and 4 of them performed-- very well, I might add. I wish I had half their talent or poise as a singer when I was their age. They seemed comfortable on the stage, and I was incredibly impressed by the row of young high school men from the St. Sebastian's School in Needham who didn't come to perform, but to listen to their friends. Not only did they sit in the front row, but they quietly and respectfully listened to everyone else for the entirety of the event, which went from 8 pm-11 pm. I honestly did not expect that.
Needless to say, I am SO glad to be back in the game and re-engaging with the community. It warms my heart and keeps my love for music-making and sharing strong.
