Open Mic Travels

During the past year I've been to a wide range of different open mic nights up and down the UK.  From Llandudno to Bridgend, Glasgow to Edinburgh, London to Leeds and many more.  The performers that I remember most of aren't always the best of musicians or the most brilliant singers, its the weird and wonderful stuff that stands out for me.  Like the guy with a mohican who used a lap top to recount a tale of a festival that took place on a burial ground, or the man with a very tall hat (it literally hit the ceiling) who played a twin neck guitar that he'd made using gaffer tape.  Or the human beat box in Bristol who emulated drum and bass and synth sounds in the manner of five grandes worth of electronic gear.  Or the young lad who sang 'These boots are made for walking' and played drums, it was a daring step to take but it worked.  Or the woman who played an assortment of pots and pans through a loop machine.  These eccentricities and sudden bursts of originality are what make these nights interesting for me.  The fact that anyone can get up and do anything they want even more so.  These are the sorts of spirits of adventure I have captured in my book 'Open Mic Travels' and which I think are worth sharing with the world.