Open Mic in Alaska

It was the first Thursday of the month, and so it was Open Mic Night at the College Coffeehouse along College Road.

At first I thought it was starting at 7pm, so I caught the 6:15 pm bus. Just to learn upon arrival it was starting at 8pm. So I lingered instead of going back to the hostel. I was just too lazy coz I was in the warmth already.

Ken and Eli

I found a spot in the corner and practiced some tunes. I know for a few cover songs I've been wanting to try that night, the lyrics weren't really 100% saved in my memory bank.

Around 8pm, no Eli. I wasn't really sure if it was a guy or girl even. Didn't mind at all. I just hope the person
would arrive on time. Around 8:30 Eli did show up. He was smiling with his cool aura, holding on his guitar case. Yup, that's Alaska time for you.

Matt

It was a little bit quiet, but the thing is, I like cafe settings, it's more intimate and you get to have people listen to your songs more. There were a few heads in the place, but I guess on a thursday you'd find that people are more into going to pubs rather than to a cafe. Fair enough.

Eli, the organizer of the open mic, is on his last few months of finishing his Mechanical Engineering degree at the UAF. He's focusing more on the Aeronautics side and designing of planes. It was pretty awesome, plus the fact that on the side, he's still doing his music.

He started playing some tunes, which was then followed by Ken, a guy from Colorado who were just there to take photos of the Northern Lights. He does this, he says, every 11 years. He played some country like tunes. Pretty cool when Eli joined him on stage to do a jam and play some leads. :)

The next kid was Matt, skinny, with a yellow T-shirt that was obviously too big
for his size. He was playing chess earlier, with another local guy. Matt I found was a cute boy and most probably is on his early 20's.

When he played, I was dumbfounded. The intricate tunes he played coupled with the guitar tapping and string slapping were superb. he was very shy though and could hardly be heard on the microphone when he spoke. He was very sweet to introduce me as the next act.

And so I got on stage with my Luna, which was so out of tune...I hated the sound at some point. I played a few originals and another cover song. That was cool.

The next act was Bill who was joined with Eli again. Bill was a friend of Eli, who usually jammed with his father... both playing the guitar. It was really cute when I listen to them, a small community and him supporting Eli....

After that, we ended up having dinner at the Sourdough, Ken, Eli and me. It was hilarious actually coz Eli was feeling lazy to walk to the nearby place, so instead decided to drive it. And so he offered me a ride to Sourdough. We ended up with the police car at the back because of his left lights malfunctioning. He requested the cop to just smack it, and the lights would turn on. Good thing was, we didn't end up with a ticket...a warning was good enough for the night.

It was so nice having a chat with the guys and just talking about music, lights, fairbanks, and travels. I was told off for hitch hiking though. eek! duh.

Eli was so sweet to give me a lift and dropped me off exactly at the hostel. I hugged him thanks and bid him goodbye.

It's really great to meet musicians around the globe!!! :)