# General Mandolin Topics > Jams, Workshops, Camps, Places To Meet Others >  Easthampton Ma.   BG open mic

## Joe Singleton

Hello happy valley pickers(we call it that too) -I'll be hosting a monthly bluegrass open mic at Treydon's Bar and Grill in Easthampton Massachusetts starting Thursday December 8th. (future dates TBA). We'll have a stage area and an informal sign up for slots of about 15 minutes to give all comers a chance at the mic. I'll be kicking things off at 8:30 and will be available all night for back up if needs be. Bring along your acoustic instrument and a friend or the whole band. Treydon's has great food if you want to come a bit early for diner. We're sponsored by Lucchesi Vintage Instruments www.lucchesivintageinstrumets.com . Treydon's is located at 29 Union Street just off the main square. I look forward to a great start and hopefully this will become a regular scene a la the Cantab in that fair city to the east. -Joe

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## Dando

post the date for january '06 as soon as you can. i am really wanting to go. thanks

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## Joe Singleton

Hi- There seems to be some momentum gaining for this first open mic night. I am getting together with bones (I hope I have the handle right)and having fun working up some new material(new to us) and look forward to rehearsing with a great local bass player this week. I hope some of you are planning on coming to add to the mix. Sorry but I don't have the next date set yet. We would like to do a regular thing like the 2nd or 3rd Thursday of each month, but so far no solid plan. I think the Dec. 8th night will have a lot to do with whether we have a regular spot at this location. Feel free to post any questions or suggestions to this thread-Joe

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## azerdayten

Thursdays: you may want to check and see if the Black Sheep in Amherst still has old timey sessions / BG on Thursdays - there was also a running acoustic Irish ssn in Noho's Basement on Thursdays - See if those 2 are still up and running...If you can hold it on an open week night your sessions will draw more pickers.

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## bluegrassforever

Hello, I'm a Easthamptonite and I am really looking foward to the 8th.T hree of our group will be there to play, listen and meet other who have a love for the music. Till take care and God bless.

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## Joe Singleton

Thursday is the only night we could secure a host site for the open mic here in Easthampton. I hope things go well and fortunately we have had a good response so far. I'm not intentionally competing with these other events, but at the moment there is little I can do. Thanks for the input. 
Bluegrassforever, I look forward to seeing you and your bandmates. Feel free to stop in the store on Cottafge street and say hello anytime.-Joe

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## bluegrassforever

I too am looking foward to meeting you, the store however is tuff, I work many hours and the store closes before I get home.

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## brownbeard

Not to steal any players away from your open mike, but the Black Sheep in Amherst does indeed still have open old time jams every thursday 7-9 or 10

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## Joe Singleton

old time is not a crime...   , we are going for a bluegrass open mic. and anyone interested in playing a few of thier favorite bluegrass tunes are welcome to stop by.

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## bluegrassforever

Old time good if it stays that, however most of the jams I have been to have turned into a blues, Rolling Stones and ? mix. This is why I am very happy that BlueGt has taken that first difficult step toward a true bluegrass program. If I am correct the Black Sheep as well as Conway Inn jam is a mix of the above. Don't get me wrong there are some great musicians that play however my true passion is traditional bluegrass.

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## brownbeard

The black sheep has changed from more of an open mike to an old time circle. I have never witnessed anything but old time/bluegrass there but I have only been going for about a year. Like I said above though I am not trying to steal any players away but maybe if the east hampton jam isn't weekly the black sheep is alway there. I started off as a bluegrass player but the black sheep sorta changed that.

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## Joe Singleton

I haven't been to the Black Sheep event, so I am not able to comment on it. One can hardly "steal players away", as you phrased twice now, from something that hasn't even begun. I could suggest that if you are wanting promote the other event, a new thread in this section would likely be a more appropriate location. The other event is set in a small venue and Treydon's Bar and Grill on Union Street Easthampton Massachusetts set for Thursday December 8th is also a small venue so it's probably a good thing that folks have a chance to spread out.   It's worth repeating that this is an open mic format with an informal sign up prior to taking the stage and gives folks a chance to step up to a mic if they are not seasoned performers, or try out new material if you are. See you next week aroiund this time!-Joe

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## Dando

i am looking forward to the winter picking ahead.

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## Joe Singleton

Well the day has arrived. Tonight will be the first of what I hope will be a long and successful Bluegrass event. We have a few partial or complete bands that have said they are planning to attend and hopefully many one's and two's that can find some common ground for a few tunes. Frank, of Lucchesi Vintage Instruments, will be sorting out the details and I will be starting the night off with fellow cafe member Bones on mostly mandolin and Joe from the great North(ampton) music store Downtown Sounds on bass. The rest is up to you!- See you tonight-Joe

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## Larry S Sherman

I live in Greenfield, and although I wanted to I could not attend. How did it go? Any pics?

Thanks, Larry

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## Joe Singleton

Hi Larry- The night went very well with several groups playing and a few put together units. We started at just after 8 or so and had "signed up" players till 10:30. I opened it up to open jam on the mic then and folks moved in and out until nearly midnight before it was through. The owner of the place took lots of pictures and may be putting a few up on his website. I don't have the exact web address but it should be easy to find searching Treydon's bar and Grill in Easthampton. We'll have the date for next months event ASAP and hope to see you in January.-Joe

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## bluegrassforever

Hello everyone, Joe I want to thank you and Frank for putting together the open mic. It was a blast, to hear all the other groups play and meet eveyone. What a great group of people. Thanks Mark

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## azerdayten

After the fact : Thanks, we had a great time.. have you considered putting together a contact list of the players who showed up - it would be cool to have floating regular get-togethers / mini festivals for local groups in the area. It would be nice to hv a healthy connected bluegrass scene in "Happy Valley" & I'll bet you'd get plenty of support.

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## Joe Singleton

Hey Azer- thanks for coming out and playing. I think your idea is a good one and next time we'll set up a voluntary list that can be emailed to all who want it. The next date is set for Jan. 5th, 2006! I think I'll post a new thread to hereld the decision to go with the first Thursday of every month for the open mic. I am going to double check with Frank and the owner of Treydon's to be certain this is the final choice, but it appears to be so. I look forward to seeing you again and I looked at your website and it seems you may be able to bring along a few extra participants for next time. Thanks again for your support-Joe

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