Openmic Thursday Sept 10

Join us at the Knights of Columbus in Melrose this Thursday Sept 10th, 7:30 to 10:30 PM! “I am hosting this week!”. The theme this week is “Songs with a Person’s Name in the Title. (ie…Daniel’s Song). The rules are, There are No Rules! You do not have to play a song with a name in it but if you have one, bring it.

Come by and play some great music or just listen! 23 West Foster St. in Melrose on the “Second Floor”. Open to the public. Cash bar with a full lineup of drinks, beer, wine and good nonalcoholic beer and soda as well. See you there.

How to Be a Better Open Mic Performer – Tip #1

Tip One Preparation

If there is one thing that is most often missing among some open mic players that would be “Preparation”. Too many performers sign up for an open mic and then get up and perform a song poorly or only get part way through a song before they give up, laugh and move on to another song attempt.

Note that this advice does not apply to the one sixth of folks who are nervous already, wouldn’t leave their house without checking every detail in the mirror and spend six to eight hours preparing their songs to the finest detail. These folk are prepared. I’m talking about the one third of players who show up with any combination of the following.

They:

-Learned one of their songs in the car while driving home that day.

-Played a song whose chords they had not yet mastered.

-Thought about songs they might play as they sign up.

-Contemplated performing a song they wrote half of last night.

-Considered making up the second verse while singing the first verse on stage.

-Met a new musical friend, asked them to play with them, got up for their set, got

plugged in and then asked your new found musical

soul mate… “What do you want to play?”

Hopefully, you found these a bit humorous, but I have seen every one of these scenarios play out multiple times at open mics. Let me be straight, these rarely go over well. Yes, there are times when an unknown collaboration can go well but that usually only happens when at least one of the collaborators has a solid idea of what they are doing and why.

That said, I’ve seen good performers show up with a plan to play three songs by a favorite singer who was in the news that week. They think they remember the songs and they download the chords and lyrics from the internet in a rush and print them out or even worse they look them up on their phone five minutes before they go on. Yikes!

But, far be it for me to ruin the fun for the audience. If you want to be a train wreck be my guest. I’m just kidding actually. The truth is you will not impress anyone with that level of preparation. You will at best pull off the song in a less than stellar way and it is entirely likely you will crash and burn when you forget the words, can’t negotiate that tricky passage or continue to play the wrong chords, sing the wrong melody or just get stopped in your tracks by that mischievous Amaj7 chord followed by a D/F#.

I am of the firm belief that most of us who perform at open mic do it because they we enjoy playing and singing music and we want to share it. If your intention is to get up in front of people and get some sort of of personal satisfaction by appearing not to know what your attempting, that is fine, the signup is for anyone. But, if you want to get noticed and have people praise you “honestly” for your performance you need to come prepared. You are doing yourself a disservice by not preparing.

Years ago when my kids were small and I had a dream of being a good well known local performer I made a point to make time to practice my repertoire of songs and I planned out my presentation. I would set the kids up with a movie downstairs and practice upstairs. On Saturday mornings when the rest of the family was sleeping I would get up and practice for an hour or two on the sunroom deck. was a sunroom that was attached to the house but separated enough so that sound did not flow to the rest of the home. Those were the days when I memorized all my lyrics and could show up with a list of songs ready to go.

I realize that not all of you will have a soundproof sunroom to practice in and your life is probably pretty chaotic but if you want to improve and be the best performer you can be, I believe that you much make time to practice and prepare.

So here are a few pointers that will help:

– Practice your songs enough so that you can get through the whole song without having

to stop to regroup.

– Make sure you have a good lead sheet either printed or on a tablet.

– Take a video and analyze it before your show.

– Choose your songs ahead of time and do not change your selections unless you have good reason.

– Practice your songs one more time.

In closing, I will say without reservation that if you prepare for every open mic performance as if it were a paying gig loaded with fans, you will build that following and you will find yourself the recipient of many compliments from listeners.

As Les Brown the great business motivational speaker says, “Practice does not make perfect. Practice makes Improvement. But Practice combined with Preparation will also will make you a much better performer.

A Fun Night at the Knights

Last Thursday Aug 13th, a full house gathered in Melrose for another great night of music, friends and fun. Twelve performers signed up and each performed a three song set.

Among the highlights were the multiple songs on which one of our regular drummers Kevin, accompanied other performers. Kevin is one of three or four drummers who come and are willing to play if asked. What I love about Kevin is that he can play so many styles. He is patient, starts quietly while he picks up the song then lays down a solid groove. He provided drums for my songs Dancing Boy and The Downeaster Alexa as well as a solid freight train beat for Jason and I when we did Folsom Prison Blues. In addition, Kevin played with Huseyin and Max for their songs. Kevin is representative of the great open mic spirit. He is ready to play and collaborate at a moments notice.

Kevin and JohnnyO 8.13.2026

Thursday at the Knights is a standard open mic format of three songs apiece, first come first serve from a signup sheet. Performers present in all ages and abilities. This open mic had performers who ranged from their 20s to their 70s. Now that’s diversity!

One note of interest is that each Thursday night of the month night has a different host. Tim, Tom and Mark join me to share weekly hosting duties. This means that each host brings their own spice and zip to the standard presentation. In addition, each host attracts a somewhat unique group of performers. Every week has a different blend of players who sign up. Collaboration is encouraged and often different players will combine forces on a song or two. This creates a lot of unique opportunities for creativity.

When I host on the second Thursday of each month I announce a theme ahead of the event. The purpose of the theme is to encourage players get out of their comfort zone and play something new. There are no rules about the theme, you absolutely do not have to play a “themed song”, but if you have a song that fits I always encourage a player to bring it. Why a theme? It is not uncommon to hear many of the same songs at a typical open mic. The same songs by Tom Petty or The Rolling Stones or Ed Sheeran. There is not a single thing wrong with any song except that after hearing one of these for the 3oth time you might think, “There has to be something else by Ed Sheeran that this person might be able to play”. Open mic attracts a number of players who are new to playing music in public and are only comfortable playing a few songs. The theme provides an opportunity to think about a new song to learn or a forgotten song from the past to brush up and present again. More about that in another post.

In future posts I will be introducing some of the regular players in more detail. One of the joys of the open mic is that we are all amateurs but there are moments when something of true greatness happens and there are diamonds in the rough who start at open mic and go on to have major careers as musical performers. Join us for the fun next time will you?

The Knights of Columbus Open Mic is every Thursday night 7:30pm to 10:30pm. Signup starts at 7pm. This event is open to the public. The location is 23 West Foster Street, Melrose Mass, 2nd floor. Cash Bar – soda and NA beer available.

Open mic Thursday Aug 13, 2026

Join the cool crowd for Openmic at the Knights of Columbus in Melrose this Thursday Aug 13th, 7:30 to 10:30 PM! And yes, yours truly JohnnyO is hosting this week!. The theme this week is Ocean/Sea/Water Songs. The rules are, There are No Rules! You do not have to play a song about the Ocean, Sea or Water but if you have one, bring it.

For those wondering about the theme, I began incorporating a theme into the KoC Open mic a couple of years ago in an effort to encourage new songs. So many of us fall into playing a small collection of songs over and over. A theme is just a way to encourage players to scroll through their repertoire for something new and fresh.

Honestly, it has worked wonders. During August of 2024 the theme was Woodstock for the 55th anniversary of the greatest music festival ever. (By the way, I was one of the babies born at Woodstock). We heard songs that night from Arlo Guthrie, the Who and even some Tim Hardin music (look that one up).

We’ve done themes like, break up songs, British pop songs, songs you love no one else has ever heard, train songs and many more.

Come on by and play some great music or just listen! 23 West Foster St. in Melrose on the “Second Floor”. Open to the public. Cash bar with a full lineup of drinks, beer, wine and good non-alcoholic beer and soda as well. See you there.

JohnnyOooooooo

Frampton Comes Alive – Live Album Review

The 1976 mega selling album Frampton Comes Alive! stands as one of my top five live albums of all time, transforming a struggling solo artist into a global phenomenon overnight. The tracks were gleaned from recorded in mid to late 1975 at three different venues. None of venues had a capacity of more than 5500 and this adds to the appeal of the record. At times you can clearly make out individual voices in the audience as they enjoy the show. Released in January 1976, this double LP captured former Humble Pie guitarist Peter Frampton at the absolute peak of his onstage powers. Before this release, Frampton had dropped four studio albums to minimal commercial fanfare. On stage, however, the material finally found its breath, resulting in an album that has sold upwards to 17 million copies and continues to be heard on classic rock radio and is actively streamed daily.

What makes this record work so well is its flawless, pristine live production, which retains the sweaty energy of a happy crowd without sacrificing sonic clarity. This review explores why the album captured lightning in a bottle and how it forever changed the landscape of the live LP.

The album opens with the roaring introduction of “Something’s Happening,” instantly transporting the listener into the middle of a packed 1975 concert crowd. If you close your eyes you can almost smell the cannabis floating in the air. The rhythm section—composed of bassist Stanley Sheldon and drummer John Siomos—locks into a tight groove, while Bob Mayo provides a rich bed of rhythm guitar and keyboards. Unlike many live albums of the era that suffered from muddy mixing, this recording offers a warm, crisp sound where every instrument sits perfectly in the stereo field.

The track-list behaves like a masterclass in setlist pacing. Upbeat rock tracks like “Doobie Wah” and “It’s a Plain Shame” establish Frampton’s credentials as a heavy-hitting rocker, but it is his connection to the audience that truly elevates the record. The crowd is not just background noise; they are mixed prominently, singing along and acting as an instrument of their own.

The third song of the first side is the album’s pop single “Show Me the Way” that started the radio airplay. Driven by a infectious hook and Frampton’s signature Heil talk box, the track became a defining radio staple. The talk box—which routes the guitar signal through a plastic tube into the musician’s mouth to shape the sound into vocal-like vowels—became Frampton’s sonic calling card, blending technological novelty with genuine musical phrasing.

Side two of the original vinyl shifts focus toward Frampton’s melodic acoustic sensibilities. “All I Want to Be (Is by Your Side)” and “Wind of Change” strip away the bombast, showcasing his honest, pure vocals and intricate fingerpicking. My love for this album comes in large part from this acoustic section where you can hear the audience interacting with Frampton’s music. These first two solo songs set the stage for the album’s most famous ballad, “Baby, I Love Your Way”. In its live incarnation, the track achieves a breezy, celebratory warmth that the sterile studio original completely lacked.

While the radio hits solidified Frampton as a pop icon, the album’s deeper cuts remind listeners that he was, first and foremost, a guitar virtuoso. Tracks like the driving “(I’ll Give You) Money” features fierce, dual-guitar sparring between Frampton and Mayo, delivering a gritty edge that satisfied the hard rock crowd. Even his cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” is injected with a heavy, driving energy that completely reinvents the classic riff.

Everything culminates in the jaw-dropping, 14-minute grand finale: “Do You Feel Like We Do”. Recorded at SUNY Plattsburgh, this sprawling epic functions as the definitive summary of the entire concert experience. It features extended keyboard solos, explosive drum breaks, and a massive, extended talk box section where Frampton literally “speaks” to the ecstatic audience. When he uses the effect to coo, “I want to thank you,” the crowd erupts, capturing a genuine, unvarnished moment of rock-and-roll communion.

Decades after its release, Frampton Comes Alive! remains a cultural touchstone. Critics of the era occasionally dismissed its mainstream accessibility as formulaic, but time has proven those cynics wrong. The record redefined what a live album could accomplish commercially, setting a new gold standard for the industry. It is a celebration of community, summer, and the sheer joy of live music. For anyone looking to understand the magic of 1970s arena rock, this double album remains essential listening.

Thanks for reading. JohnnyO