Why, then, only nine hours later was I saying "Guys, maybe we should just go home and watch Lord of the Rings..."
Rewind.
First thing that everyone should know is that mapquest is a sneaky, sneaky contraption, because, without the benefit of a brain, it can't really tell you directions in a way that is helpful. For example, mapquest has yet to tell me "Turn right at the place where the old Turkey Hill used to be" or "make sure you pay attention here because the turn is really sharp (or unmarked by a sign)" or "keep driving down this road even though it seems the wrong way."
Nevertheless, mapquest is still easier than reading an actual map, so, when I decided to go to the open mic night at Crimson Frog Coffeehouse, this is what I used.
In fact, I was so confident that I could make it to this place (which apparently was only fifteen minutes away) that I invited my friends Ian and Katie along. Usually, when it comes to driving new places I am a total wuss and either let someone else drive or pester my mom about the directions until she decides to drive me (let's keep that second part on the downlow, if you please).
So, Katie, Ian and I started out our adventure, and ten minutes later, after a small altercation regarding directions, find ourselves going in the wrong place. Finally we ended up parking in a McDonalds lot besides "Colosseum Kid's Palace," or something of that sort, which I assumed is a Chuckie Cheese with a Roman Twist. Of course at this point I am mortified that I have brought two perfectly nice people out on a wild goose chase on a Wednesday night, and ask if we shouldn't all just return to Katie's house.
"Well, we are only like a minute away," Ian answered. Ian had kept rather quiet on the directions front while Katie and I had (heatedly) discussed the various means of navigating the highway and what roads did and didn't go to the airport. Little did we know that Ian's phone has a GPS application (no he is not a spy, I am told that many phones can do this now) and with his help we were at Crimson Frog in, well, about a minute. However, let me just say that the GPS could not help me find a way out of the McDonalds Parking lot, which was incredibly complicated (at one point I think I was about to drive through the drive through backward...)
Finally, we made it there and headed into Crimson Frog, which was everything I hoped it would be, roomy yet intimate, eclectic yet unified, and...full of high schoolers.
After a second minor panic attack at the prospect of having to play in front of high schoolers, I tracked down the M.C. and signed Kate and I up with the original band title "Mary-Kate and Kate."
After a few rounds of cards and a cup of tea Mary-Kate and Kate were called to the stage. I was kind of hoping for one of those sets where everyone just goes about their business, but of course once I pulled the harp out everyone became really interested. At least we didn't get the response that we did when Seasons and the Birds played the ABC Brewing Company open mic, when someone yelled out "this ain't a harp bar." Yes sadly, ignorance like this still exists in the world...
Katie and I kicked things off with Wintersong, which I hadn't anticipated playing again till next Christmas (luckily the Mary-Kate and Kate band had a chance to practice before hitting the Coffeehouse circuit) and then I brought out "Angelo," which I have tweaked around with once again, but Katie gamely followed along with the harmonies. There were also a couple guys quietly playing along on their guitars on the couches by the stage, with I thought was fantastic (had they been out of tune, this would be a different matter, but as it was they sounded very nice.) As a footnote, someday I will need to write a definitive history for that song, since I seem to change the story of how it came about every time I explain it...
Finally, I played "Thesius and Ariadne," a new song I wrote a couple weeks ago (I can just hear John McDevitt calling me a nerd as he reads this) which is not half as intellectual as it sounds.
After our little set I was able to successfully impersonate a high school student for approximately ten minutes before someone asked my age (I suppose the fact that I had played harp for ten years was a bit of a warning sign).
The good news is, Sam at Crimson Frog booked Seasons for a show on the spot after our set, so on March 6th we will be returning for an exclusive Seasons show from 7:30-9:30 p.m! Don't worry I will keep bugging you all about the date many many times...
The morals of this story are that high schoolers can be a perfectly receptive audience once in a while, and that folk musicians don't need to live in mortal dread of them and don't give up trying to find a place if you get lost a couple times.
Especially if you friend whips out a GPS...
Cheers,
MK
p.s. If you want to check out Crimson before March 6th, they've got another open mic on January 27th (a chance to share the stage with Seasons...and Mary-Kate and Kate)
http://www.crimsonfrogcoffee.com/
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