Well, first of all, not all open mics are created equal... Some attrack real musicans and others attrack wantabees... Sop one has to keep that in some perspective...

Also, some are not all that "open"... Like I attended one several years ago in Leesburg, Va. and they folks there hadn't heard me and told me I had only 15 minutes... Hey, that was fine, but I got crankin' out some hard blues and the three backup jam musicans which play with anyone who wants 'um got seriously into what I was doin' and the guy who runs the open mic just told me to keep going as long as I wanted which was well over an hour... I have wondered ever since if there was a kid in the audience who had worked on his nerves for several days and wanted to play that night??? I hope not 'cause I been there... Okay, it was back in the 60's but I don't think any of us ever forget those first few performances... Maybe all the ones in between but not them...

Lately, I haven't had any desire to play night time paid gigs, like in bars or clubs, because the last regular gig in a club was at lodge at a popular ski resort... Them folks were mean... They made me play for 3 hours!!! That is mean... Yeah, I'm sure alot of folks love performing for 3 hours but not me... Two is okay... One hour is great... That is why I know play festivals... 50 minutes and yer done... That's another nice thing about open mics... Noone is gonna hold a bat over yer head and make ya' play on and on and on and on...

Another nice thing about open mics is that they are a great place to turn youngin's onto the blues, and open tuinings and stuff that their geetar teacher eitrher doesn't understand themselves or is not willing to teach the youngin' that stuff... I enjoy the teaching aspect that comes outta open mics...

Now I know I haven't answered any of the questions but hopefully threw a few other thoughts into the mix...

Bobert