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I have seen soundmen treated like busboys by some bands and believe me that is not a smart idea. You may be the star of the show for a few minutes but its people and clubs like these that got you there. I try to never forget that no matter what the level is it all comes down to this: Success is gratitude, gratitude is success.

On a final note, I have seen bands that compete with each other in terms of volume and I have seen bands that seek a perfect blend of volume, instruments, and voices. I think most music fans agree that it is the latter, not the former that manage to survive the test of time and continue to get the good gigs. Treat the soundman with respect and professionalism and you will undoubtedly play some fantastic gigs at some great clubs. And who knows, you may even make some fans among them.
 by Joe Hughes
 
(Joe Hughes is the frontman for the rock band Goldenseal and is a lawyer by day at Borrus, Goldin, and Foley; www.borrus.com. Email goldenseal2001@hotmail.com for music issues and jhughes@borrus.com for legal issues. Phone number 732-422-1000.)

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Between sets, the music selections of Steve, the sound guy, were really great and five hours of music flew by like five minutes. Though they were repeatedly thanked Saturday night, I would like to extend one more "thank you" to Scott and

extend one more "thank you" to Scott and Adam for providing their wonderful venue to the Jersey Shore. The Saint is an intimate room, one where musicians and music appreciators gather to share the great experience that is live performance art.
  By Danielle Hutchins

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The first performer of the night was the infamous Howie O, providing the “Howie-O Show,” which he declares with a homemade bright yellow sign and an immediate taste of his humor.  “I don’t usually go on first. I don’t want to set this as the pace ...” In “real-life” he goes by Howard. He's just gotten married and seems very happy – Congratulations Howard!  A self-proclaimed neurotic, he has given all of his songs a one-word name.  Not that these words are in the Oxford Dictionary - he takes artistic license, and creates words to depict the songs with which he is striving to make his audience think and laugh. He doesn’t want them to be quite sure why they are laughing at his somewhat cynical view of human nature.  He started the show with "Heavymetalman." He then donned a black mask and, in the spirit of Halloween, sang his “Bladdercontrol,” where he croons, “It sucks getting old.”  He also delved into a darker side in which his neighbors had to kill their dog because they didn’t like it in “Akimbo.” When asked how the open mic here has changed with the new ownership, Howie O says that it has gone through a lot of phases, even some where no one was running the show and performers took to the stage of their own accord.  He seemed very happy with what Don has done to organize the show and declared him very fair in giving everyone a supportive opportunity to get on-stage.

One last quote from Howie-O: “A little stupid goes a long way.”

The second performer of the evening was Gail Gilrane, making her debut at Coffee Blue.  In fact, it was only her second live appearance. But she caught the audience's attention with a couple of familiar songs and they grabbed right on to her vibe.

A resident of Point Pleasant, Gail runs some antique shops in town. Through her work there, she purchased a vintage classical guitar, which she stuck in the closet for a year before finally deciding to dust it off and learn how to play.  Four years later, she has upgraded her equipment, yet you can still hear “the vintage” in her playing. She demonstrated a good ear for grass roots strumming and timing.  The more she played, the better she got. When she came off the stage, you could feel the exhilaration emanating from her. She said she was very nervous and very excited to be performing – a true testament to the merit of getting out there and sharing music.


NJCoast would like to thank Brenda and George for putting the word out and gathering some additional talent to share in the local musical experience.
by Danielle Hutchins