REAL TALK WITH DANIELLE - The Best Open Mic Ever

Last night was an absolutely beautiful and melancholy ending to an open mic that has been a pillar in the Newton community.

The Open Mic Jam, which lasted for 7 years, has moved to multiple locations, including Smoken’ Joe’s, Darryl’s Corner Bar, Terry O’Reilly’s, and Bill’s Pizzeria. It has been hosted by a few incredibly talented artists, and the last years were led by Terrance Reeves and Andrew Geano. They were able to bring in a full crowd of musicians and comics performing every week for 2 songs or 10 minutes. That is extremely rare. In my opinion, there is a very, very good reason that this open mic works...

These guys care so fucking much.

It never mattered how good the performance was. It mattered if you were there to do your art. It mattered that you tried. That was the overwhelming vibe I felt as soon as I walked into Terry O’Reilly’s for the first time 3 years ago.

For context, it’s really easy to feel a sense of insecurity or competition at an open mic. You’re surrounded by a lot of talented people and you want to be impressive. But this didn’t feel that way at all. It was an Irish pub filled with people who were deeply bonded by their love and support for each other’s artistry. And the best part was the open mic was intentionally built to cultivate a supportive environment. 

It was evident in the “rules” of the open mic: 1. Don’t Be A Dick and 2. Clap twice as loud for first timers. You haven’t lived until you’ve seen a comedian onstage sexually harassing a female audience member, and an entire room of people stops it by yelling “DON’T BE A DICK”. The hosts also pumped up every single new member who walked on stage by building a rousing applause for them. It also felt overwhelmingly good being that “first-timer” who was anxious as hell, to get that kind of welcome. It wasn’t just onstage either. These hosts made a point to talk to me after my set and give me encouragement and support. I thought they had a hidden agenda until I attended a few times and realized, “Oh... this isn’t fake... this is what they actually care about.”

From Terry O’Reilly’s, which took place from 8:00 to 12:30, the open mic found a new home this year at Bill’s Pizzeria. From my perspective, the mic matured a little bit by nature of the family-friendly restaurant and the new time from 7:00 to 10:00. It lost some of the raucous and hilarious moments that tended to happen late at night sprinkled with a dash of intoxication. But with that, it also gained some incredible friends in a new audience that included more parents and young adults. 

I owe a lot to this open mic, as Terrance and I would not be married, and Andrew would not have married us, without it. Terrance has made incredible strides in his personhood and musicianship, becoming kinder and more skilled with every passing year. Andrew has been an absolute rock since I’ve met him and worked on his personal growth even more vigilantly since choosing to be sober. 

Not to mention the deluge of friends I’ve gained by going to this mic every week. I met my friend and (now) boss, Dave Carroll, who is a wizard on the saxophone. He opened a music school and asked me if I wanted to teach after watching my performance. I told him I didn’t feel qualified because I had never taught before, and he really encouraged me to try. It’s been almost 3 years, and I’m just as passionate about that job as I am working in mental health.

Last night was a fantastic final performance of this event. A lot of people from over the years showed up to support and play. I feel so thankful for the role that this mic has played in my life and the people who I’ve met along the way. I’m also really grateful for the iPhone 11, because I GOT HOT PICS Y’ALL. I’m sharing some of my favorites below and I’ll post a bunch more later this week. Follow me on IG @daniellepinals or my Facebook page “Danielle Pinals” to check out the full album!

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