BUSKING, OPEN MICS, GIGS: THE UNWRITTEN CODES

 

DREW CALLANDER -- MY LONGTIME HOCKEY BUDDY

ROOKIE DREW CALLANDER -- NHL PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

CHERYL -- LONGTIME MANAGER AT THE BUSHWAKKER BREWPUB

CHERYL SERVING "CHERYL'S BLONDE ALE"

BUSKING. OPEN MICS. GIGS.  All three venues are on a boustrophedon entertainment continuum that begins and ends with BUSKING, and with the OPEN-MICS and GIGS intermittently noted somewhere in between.

BUSKING, OPEN-MICS, and GIGS should always be a win-win-win scenario for the performer, the patron, and the proprietor, provided these following simple rules of business are practiced: 

• BE PUNCTUAL  

Punctuality matters.

When you decide to go BUSKING, it is you alone who runs the clock.  One of the main reasons I love busking is that I, alone, control the time.  I can go for five minutes or five hours; it is only up to me to decide.  Nobody will care. 

OPEN MICS are stricter.  When the MC calls your name, you must rise for the occasion.  If your name is called from the hat but you are not in your seat, then it is sayonara for you.  And the person whose name is called next is up. 

GIGS are more rigid than open mics.  If you are scheduled to hit the stage at 8:00 P.M., then your sound check needs to be at least 15 minutes ahead of that.  And to be really prepared, one should arrive at least a half hour earlier to check the stage for sound or chairs or whatever else that could go awry without a pre-gig inspection.

• MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION

Looks matter.

When I go BUSKING I always dress the part.  When busking I present my perfect-stranger alterity to that slew of passers-by who just happen to be, really, perfect strangers.  Expressing that alterity my busking costume is rather crisp.  Always hatless, I don the shades, the white t-shirt, the faded blue-jeans and the leather work boots.

At OPEN MICS it is best to look sharp.  There is no tolerance for being grimy or grubby on the stage.  However, at open mics, generally, the audience members will tolerate you no matter what, but if being discovered is your goal, if you look like a dreg, you’ll be only discovered as a performer not to pursue. 

Making a good first impression at your GIG is a stage priority.  When gigging you are representing more than yourself, you are also representing the establishment for which you are signed on the contract.  Impress both your audience and the establishment. If you are a good ambassador and deliver a quality product, you will be asked back.  If not, then you will be saying good-bye to any other gigs at this venue. 

• ALWAYS BE POLITE

Respect everyone.

When BUSKING attempt to look every passer-by in the eye, even if just for a moment.  This does not mean to disconcertedly stare.  Whether you are recognized as a wandering minstrel or perceived to be the lowly busker, acknowledging another person’s existence is of the utmost importance.  Treating others with respect is treating yourself with respect.  This is projective psychology relating to BUSKING, OPEN MICS, and GIGGING.

At OPEN MICS it is very, very important to show respect for both the MC and the sound person.  Factoid:  You really need them more than they need you.  For sure the open mic personnel need the collective you, but they certainly do not need the individual jerk you.  I have a couple examples of jerk-you behaviors.  I have witnessed open mic performers publicly on the microphone complain about the physical aspect of the stage, too many chairs, too many cords, too low the sound.  And I have witnessed the arrogance of many open mic performers appealing to the audience, rather than the MC, in their feeble and disgusting attempt as they lobby for more than their allotted stage time.  For example, the best-by-far open mic in my city is every Monday night at THE CURE (downtown Regina).  Stand-ups are allowed a maximum of five minutes stage time, and musicians limited to two songs.  Oftentimes, the stand-ups exceed their five minutes by adding maybe a couple minutes at most.  Musicians, on the other hand, oftentimes deliver anthem-length songs, and some musicians, even, appeal to the audience to whether to add yet another (third) song.  An open mic is certainly a place to be somewhat capricious, but to act socially irresponsible on a whim in this manner, is downright narcissism.

At GIGS one needs to exude respect toward the audience, the venue staff, the sound person, and your gig mates.  Sincerely thanking all the above right at the beginning and again at the end of your show is an essential gesture of social and professional etiquette.  I say “professional” because anyone gigging is under a paid contract and therefore acting in a professional capacity.

•          BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU SAY

 Words matter.

While BUSKING there is always someone approaching me, even baiting me wittingly or unwittingly, what I think of this or what I think of that.  Lately the baiting has included the topics of Covid vaccinations, the patriotism of truckers, and, of course, Trumpism in America.  I must, too, the discussions of missing Indigenous women and buried Indigenous children.  Showing empathy and expression compassion is certainly appropriate, however, to actual engage and take sides in banters about politics or religion or sexuality is a no-no, at least for me.  If you do mention certain topics even in humorous fashion, you are asking for socially awkward and embarrassing shout-outs.

Expressing any of the above-mentioned topics while on the OPEN MIC stage is, too, a no-no.  If you dare to, you will for sure be offending somebody.  Everybody in your audience counts.  Never attempt to please or impress the imagined majority by making fun of the few.

I remember a specific incident long ago, while some friends of mine were GIGGING at a local bar. I was an audience member, but only as a support for these guys, who were former bandmates of mine and of each other, and who had just created a new cover band.  This was their first gig, and introducing one of their songs, the lead guitarist mentioned that this Elton John song, “was on top of the charts when Elton was married to a female.”  Yikes.  Right his stock dropped; his social capital compromised.

And just a couple things to remember before I close. 

Do not pump your audience!  “Are you ready to rock!” is an expression that ought to be used only by real rock stars.  Over the years I have seen people modify this expression to their own personalized cliché introduction.  This phrase, or any phrase similar, shouted out to the audience right away reduces my expectations of any performer at an OPEN MIC or GIG.

Do not promote other venues!

While at OPEN MICS or GIGS, some performers feel compelled to promote other venues.  This may seem a harmless gesture, but it is very disrespectful toward the establishment upon whose stage such a proclamation is made.  Just lately, while gigging at a local bar, one of my gig-mates announced to the bar patrons that they ought to consider attending a Monday night open-mic at such-and-such venue! Can you imagine?  At a paid gig, a performer on contract announcing to the crowd to attend a show, and to eat and drink and watch other artists elsewhere?

Yikes.

(I will mention that when I am BUSKING, I often promote my favorite guitar shop, B Sharp in Regina, SK)

In summary:

I regard BUSKING as an easy venue where I get paid to practice.  

Any OPEN MIC is the perfect place to polish one’s stage presence and to test new songs.  

For paid GIGS ... 

NOTHING is de minimis – 

EVERYTHING, including every gesture and every word, is significant.