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A Mile-Long Post About My Week of Open Mics in Paris – But Some Real Discoveries!

March 14, 2016
bradspurgeon

Le Paradis

Le Paradis

PARIS – I cannot believe that it has already been a week since I last posted about my escapades in open mics and jam sessions in Paris, and that I’ve done another pretty full slate of open mics in Paris again since that post! That was not the way this blog has gone for the now six years of its existence. I’m usually very timely in my writings about the open mics – a day or two maximum afterwards. But like I mentioned recently, I’m really hard at work, and very excited (that’s corporate-speak, but true!) about the progress of my open mic documentary, which, like my CD that I just got finished and made, will also be called, “Out of a Jam.” But now, on to a few notes about the last week….

Monday, I decided to return to some old territory I had not been to for a very long time: The Tennessee Bar has started its Monday open mic again. This, remember, was one of the best in Paris when it was run for well over half a decade by James Iansiti. After some kind of difference of opinion between James and the bar owners – if I have my facts straight – James left the open mic. And so began what would be eventually a descent into the dark ages, and the open mic fell so low that it stopped. Now there is a new MC, and it is trying to build its way back into its once glory days. There is no reason that it should not succeed, if the environment of the fabulous cellar room were the only thing that counted. Let’s wait and see! (Oh, it also continues on Thursday nights, by the way.)
First bit o jam at Paradis

I then headed over to the new open jam session on the Ile St. Louis, at the Chez Madame Louis bar. It turned out to be as lively and kicking hot as usual. I managed a couple of songs on stage with a bassist, drummer, lead player and me on my guitar. But what ended up being the highlight of the night for me was that on my way out of the joint, I found some people outside the front door to the bar, struck up conversations, and pretty soon one of the guys took out his guitar and started playing out there. In all, a couple of people ended up playing and singing. But in the end, the bar owner decided it was time to take pity on the neighbors, so the music had to stop. But it was a fun moment of the kind I love at open mics and jams – spontaneity.
Second bit o jam at Paradis

On Tuesday, I finally decided to see if I could show up on time for sign-up at the Café Oz open mic near Place Blanche. I ended up maybe 12 to 14 or so on the list! But it was just two songs each. Still, I calculated that would give me at least two hours before I got up. I then thought of going to the many other open mics along the line 2 of the metro on Tuesday nights, but ultimately I calculated that, Hey, I bet I could take the metro all the way across Paris down to the Bastille, and then walk over the open jam session at the Nul Bar Ailleurs and take part in that, and then return to the Café Oz and do my bit there.
Third at Zebre Rouge

I was actually really kind of proud of myself when it turned out that I COULD do that. In fact, I was quite simply happy as anything because I thoroughly enjoyed my moment at the mic in the Nul Bar Ailleurs jam. It’s called, “Jam around the table,” because it has that kind of feel to it, and there are tables around it…. But it is very intimate, and extremely well organized. My only criticism would be that in between the main bits where you get to the mic, the jamming of the rapping and reggae kind can go on a long, long time, as it did Tuesday – but that’s only a criticism because I was so excited to get behind the mic again myself!
Second at Zebre Rouge

In the end, I figured I better get off to Oz again…. And I did, and I played, and I had time for a beer before, and after. So it was the perfect night!
First at Zebre Rouge

Thursday, it was back to the Zebre Rouge open mic and another fabulous time in the cellar of this bar. In fact, I had to go and pick up my entirely re-fretted Seagull S6 in Pigalle before the Guitar Garage closed, so I was very early for the open mic. But I decided that I would try out the food at the Zebre Rouge, and man did I have a great African meal! And I managed to find a table in the back of the room very secluded, where there were about four or five places in the wall where I could charge my telephone and plug in my computer. So I spent an hour sitting there, drinking my dinner wine, eating, AND editing my documentary film. Can things get any better than this?
Third at Nul bar ailleurs

Evidently, they can! For on Saturday night, I finally had the time and inclination to go and check out the jam at the bar called, Le Paradis, which is near the Barbès métro. I had seen this one for months, since there is little else on a Saturday night in Paris. And because it is usually run by the same guy who runs the Nul Bar Ailleurs jam. So I went to le Paradis, and found myself in Paradis! The bar is just the right size for a jam, i.e., small, with a back room where you can go to breathe, nevertheless. But best of all, the bar manager lets the music go on until nearly 2 AM or so, and it is loud, and it is drums, it is saxophones, it is guitars, basses and keyboards and vocals.
Second at Nul Bar Ailleurs

But it IS a jam, and the audience is so big and crowded around the “stage” area that you are best off playing crowd pleasers of one kind or another and having the audience sing along. To my total surprise, I also met Stephen Saxo there, and so we managed to jam together. There is no doubt for me whatsoever that I will be returning to this fabulous jam, which I finally got to. In addition to everything else, I arrived and found the mic ready for me the instant I arrived, and in ripping off my coat, buying a beer and taking out my guitar in about one movement, I did not see it but I had dropped my expensive new cell phone on the floor by the bar. An hour later – after they had announced the discovery of the phone, and I had not heard them – they still had the phone behind the bar and when I was running around in a panic thinking I’d lost it, that it was stolen, there it was being kept in a safe place for me.
First at Nul Bar Ailleurs

“We’re serious in this establishment,” the manager said. I agreed, and thanked him profusely.
First at Café Oz

I will definitely be back to the Paradis – it’s a paradise (for jammers, anyway).
More jam at Madame Louis


Jamming outside Madame Louis

First at Tennessee

Bit o jam at Madame Louis

A Laid Back Triple Header of Open Mics over Two Days Before the Weekend in Paris

February 28, 2016
bradspurgeon

Cafe Jean Open Mic

Cafe Jean Open Mic

PARIS – The open mic of the Café Jean on the Blvd Jean Jaures is one of Paris’s more interesting, and kind of oddly contrasting sorts of open mics. So I took it in on Thursday, then sped off to the Zebre Rouge for the tail end of that one, and then on Friday, I had planned to go to Murphy’s pub’s open mic, which happens only once per month, but it was moved from that big Irish pub to the small and intimate Delly’s café at the Jaurès metro at the last minute. And I must say, each open mic, each night, each visit, was an interesting, warm and fun occasion.

I was especially touched with how Renan Mazeas, who runs the Murphy’s open mic managed to find a different venue at the last minute after it turned out that Murphy’s had been reserved for something else at the last minute. I don’t think I know any other open mic MCs who would have felt it more important to honor the promise of an open mic, even if in a different location, rather than just saying, “Sorry, cancelled.”
Harpist at Café Jean

And I was a little skeptical about going to the much smaller, and less classy Delly’s joint for the open mic. But I’d only really ever seen the bar from the outside, and when I walked into the open mic I found a fabulously intimate evening and a great sound system, and Renan’s excellent, warm hosting. And I did not regret a minute of it. I’m happy that the once-per-month Murphy’s open mic will be happening next Friday, in fact, rather than in a month. So I will definitely go!
Rim at jam

The Café Jean open mic is run by Nicolas Blampain, who is an excellent soft-touch, fingerpicking guitarist who sings, and he used to run the fabulous Lou Pascalou open mic in Menilmontant, before starting up this Café Jean one, which happens just twice per month. I say it is a kind of contrasting open mic because, in fact, the hosting is fabulous, the sound system is good, the environment nice, but when you get down to it, the crowd of patrons are mostly there for a night of food and drink, and many talk throughout the performances.
Instrumental at Delly’s

And yet, they remain respectful, and when they really like something, they turn their heads, and look and listen, even if some talking continues! On Thursday, the fabulous harpist was one of those who turned heads.
Harpist with Blampain

I went to the Zebre Rouge open mic not long after I played at the Café Jean, and it was a little more quiet than last week, but there were some interesting musicians, singers, including Rim Amine, whom I had never heard or seen before, but who is currently involved in putting together another backing band for herself, and may be seen this Tuesday at the Petite Mercerie, in nearby Oberkampf.
Another at Café Jean

Anyway, it was all quite laid-back, and unexpected, the three venues in two nights in Paris before the equally laid-back weekend….

Bad Fantasy at Zebre Rouge

Double harmonica at Zebre Rouge

More at Café Jean

More Rim

Another at Delly’s

First at Delly’s

Renan closing Delly’s

Growth of a Little Open Mic into a Big One: At the Red Zebra (Zebre Rouge) in Paris

February 21, 2016
bradspurgeon

Zebre Rouge

Zebre Rouge

PARIS – It’s funny how some open mics can explode in joyous celebration starting with their very first meeting…and then fizzle out and disappear by their second one. That happened in the last week with the open mic that I spoke in such praiseful terms just last week, at l’Imprevu bar. After its first fabulous show last Saturday, by this weekend it no longer existed! There was some kind of disagreement of some kind, somewhere, and the second edition never happened and will not happen again at the Improve. On the other hand, the open mic at the Zebre Rouge bar that started slowly, quietly, with little life, has grown into a major open mic, if the last two editions are anything to go by.

And it turns out that one of the pieces of the recipe that had been missing at the Zebre Rouge in the first editions is that they were doing it on the ground floor room of the bar, while they should have been doing it in the cellar room. Now they are in the cellar, and they have some devoted hosts – Antoine, Pascal and Jules – and the ambiance is just wonderful.
Insu at the Zebre Rouge

It has proven that the Zebre Rouge bar is a PERFECT venue for an open mic, with two cellar rooms and the ground floor room, and smokers’ gathering out front. That allows not just for those who want to talk during the music to be on the ground floor, but they can actually go into the back room of the cellar and talk at tables, while listening to the music at the same time. Furthermore, there is another bar in the basement, so you can order your drinks there too, without leaving the open mic.
Last at the Zebre Rouge

And while this open mic allows for a jam session situation, it puts a high value on individual performances, if that is what you really want to do. The sound system was quite O.K., and with the stage being in the small cellar, you know you can make loud music without bothering the neighbors.
Another at the Zebre Rouge

A fabulous open mic now, this Zebre Rouge had better continue this way or I’ll start losing faith!!!
First at the Zebre Rouge

Four Nights of a Week, Culminating in a Gig (And thence onward to Wynton Marsalis, the Olympia, the Giant, the Orgasmic Master and the Smelly Woman)

February 7, 2016
bradspurgeon

Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis

PARIS – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Those were the nights out this week. More than lately as I work on various personal projects and the blog gets left a little bit behind. Where I would have done four posts in the past, I’m doing one. Things will no doubt change as the projects I’m working on get caught up…. But in any case, it was a great four nights out and it varied from regular open mics to a cool new jam to an incredible concert at the Olympia by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra!
Someone at Bliss

On Monday I dropped off at an open mic that just began its second year: The open mic of the Bliss bar near Les Halles. This is a posh back room to a sizeable bar brasserie, and the sound system is great, there are lots of musicians, a jam feel to the thing, but ultimately also if you are into live karaoke – i.e., you sing but need a backup band – then this is also the place for you. They say they accept basically all styles, but from what I saw, the accent is on soul – maybe funk too. I’ll have to return to confirm, as I got there too late to get up on stage, and I only stayed for around three songs.
Group at Some Girls

Knowing I had failed to arrive early enough, I moved on fast to the Some Girls open mic on the Rue de Lappe, which is quickly becoming a personal favorite, and which is quickly become a personal favorite for many other musicians, I can see that! From there I went up the street to the Yellow Mad Monkey, but I was too late to play there as well, alas.
Someone at Some Girls

On Tuesday, I decided to drop over to the Zebre Rouge to see if the open mic was still happening there, as they now have a new open mic and jam on Thursdays. In fact, no. The old open mic was not happening, but there was a wild and cool jam in the basement. This was jazz, funk, far out stuff, sax players, drummer, guitar, bass, all sorts of mad stuff. Very free and easy and worth it if you want a classic cool instrumental jam.
Jam at Zebre Rouge

I went from there to La Féline to take part again in this, hopefully, growing open mic on the amazing stage of this popular bar near the Menilmontant metro. I know it would be a much wilder success already if it took place on one of the bar’s busier nights – but in fact the bar does not need the open mic on the busier nights, obviously, because the place is packed on those nights….
Another at the Feline

From there I wandered over to the Café Oz open mic where things were just booming. It felt at that time of around 10:30 PM as if the verdict is in and the old Coolin vibe – of one of Paris’s then best open mics now defunct – has now transferred to the Café Oz. Again, though, I was too late to get my name on the list. But I had a great time talking to friends….
One at the Cafe Oz

And thence onward to Wynton Marsalis, the Olympia, the Giant, the Orgasmic Master and the Smelly Woman

Thursday was the day of being a spectator, no playing music for me – although I still find it difficult to go somewhere as a spectator alone. And I must say, although attending a concert by Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra was a musical experience I will remember for the rest of my life, the seating arrangement as a spectator was something that made the trip nearly persuade me that I never wanted to be a spectator again!
Threesome at the Feline

I bought a very, very expensive ticket of 90 euros in order to get as close as my bank account would reasonably allow, and I found myself in a triple disaster situation: Sitting two rows ahead of me was the tallest man in the audience, which blocked my view of the stage (which was still half the hall away). Sitting behind me was a man of perhaps 60, 65 years old who seemed to enjoy the music so much that during periods when the entire audience was quiet due to being enthralled by the virtuosos onstage – particularly during a solo, piano, sax, trumpet or other – the man seemed to have mini-orgasms, letting out high-pitched, rather feminine cries of joy that while intended for no one but him, seemed to come directly into my ear on every important note of the solo. But the final horror outweighed both the orgasmic master seated behind, and the giant seated in front. This was the woman sitting one seat away from mine on my right, who smelled of some absolute horror killing odor that was impossible to identify. As soon as she came in and sat down, looks from all around – including the orgasmic master right behind – centered on the woman and whatever her smell was. It was so bad that you gagged. In fact, I had to breathe through my mouth for the entire concert. Had she failed to correctly dry her coat after a wash, and it spoiled? Had she spilt milk all over the whole thing a few hours before and let it dry out? Did the putrid chemical smell in fact come from her???!!! It was this latter possibility that led me to hold my breath on speaking to the usher and asking that I be moved to some better seat – but the place was pretty much full….
Communal Well at les Agapes

But still, the concert was so good, I mean the music, that I had no regrets about my fluke seating situation. These were amongst the tightest playing, most modern jazz musicians I’ve ever heard live. My references range from seeing as a child or teenager both the Duke Ellington Orchestra (with Ellington) and the Count Basie Orchestra (with Basie) and this Lincoln Center orchestra with Marsalis was just so crisp and hot. The sound quality reminded me that however good recorded sound is, live sound is better. These people played those saxes and trumpets like they were keyboards – just astounding. Hearing the clarinet of Rhapsody in Blue in a live situation for the first time, was an amazing experience like few I’ve had before, musically. (And I even enjoyed the Tuba rendition at the end of the Jackson’s song “Blame it on the boogie.”)

Friday was more relaxed. I was invited to perform a gig, as a warm up act for a local Paris band of Americana and blues, called, The Communal Well. I had met one of the members a couple of years ago, and had been meaning to go for some time to see a gig. Well, when I announced my CD being out a couple of weeks or so ago, the guy invited me to perform as an opening act in a 30 minute set for them at show they were putting on at a bar/brasserie in the 16th Arrondissement in Paris, a restaurant called, “Les Agapes.” I jumped at the chance, asked Félix Beguin if he could join me on lead (yes, he said), and so went and had a fabulously fun 45 minute or so set just before the main act.
Another Communal Well at les Agapes

Communal Well were very cool, a cross between The Band and … their band…! Very much how they describe themselves, in fact: between Americana and blues, a little of both, and more. I took some short videos to put up here.
Woman singer with Communal Well

From there, I went on to celebrate the birthday of a friend, and we ended up, of all places, spending quite some time drinking down the Pigalle Country Club, which is where the photo on my CD was taken….
Yet another Communal Well

A fabulous week, all in all…. Oh, and now it’s time to go watch the Super Bowl. So excuse me….

Three Nights, Five Open Mics, an End of a Week Feast in Paris

January 30, 2016
bradspurgeon

Zebre Rouge

Zebre Rouge

PARIS – The last three nights were a rollercoaster of exploration for me in Paris as I bopped from one open mic to another, visiting four new open mics out of five attended. The verdict? From potential to good to great!

It all started on Wednesday, when I went to a new basement open mic in a hip bar in Montmartre. That was the first time I attended an open mic so high up on the hill leading to Montmartre, and while it was pretty quiet that first night, it shows great potential. The bar, called L’Atelier Montmartre, has a neat “living room” feel to the ground floor, which is on two levels, and it has a kind of almost North American recreation room basement to it, complete with smoking room.
Brian presenting the Soiree Buzz

I learned from the MCs that they had actually held one event already, but that it fell on the Wednesday after the Paris attacks in November, and basically no one went. Of course, those were dark days. So they held off in December and launched it again on Wednesday. It’s a classic open mic and jam if you want that kind of affair. I played three songs, handed out my CD and then left, as I knew that there was the much more established “Soirée Buzz” at the Très Honoré bar on the place St. Honoré, not far from the Opera, and I could walk there in 25 minutes.
first at L’atelier montmartre

I also knew that my new friend from New Haven, the blues, rock and soul man Greg Sherrod, would likely be there. So it was a great contrast to find the hugely bopping, exciting, burlesque and live-karaoke scene at the Très Honoré. There are some top quality voices each week, and this time, as I mentioned, the super neat set of Great Sherrod, with a real backing band (compared to the last time, at Some Girls, backed by guitar and sax only). And I too played a couple of songs with the band – drums, bass and sax, with me on my acoustic guitar.
First at Soiree Buzz

Thursday night it was time to try out the new open mic of Thursday nights at the Zebre Rouge, run by several people who were regulars at the Baroc. I’ve mentioned an open mic on Tuesdays at the Zebre Rouge, but this one had a much bigger turnout, and the feel was more jam than open mic. But the neat little bar near the rue J.P. Timbaud is a great, warm place to jam.
Greg killin em at Soiree Buzz

I had heard that there was another new open mic just around the corner from there at the genial, loft-like space of the bar called the Quartier General, so I left the Zebre Rouge, walked about five minutes and found myself at Renan Mazeas’s new open mic at this really cool bar on the rue Oberkampf, with its fabulous little stage and excellent sound system, and the wrap-around-the-corner windows that expose the bar (and stage) to passersby on the the street.
Oma God at Soiree Buzz

There were not that many musicians, and not really that many bar patrons at that point, but that all meant that I got around eight songs on that fabulous stage and had a feeling like I was providing the soundtrack to the bar, with a happy, genuinely warm audience, even if they were there to only half listen to the music. It was a great experience and I’ll gladly return, if it continues – which is not yet certain.
Piaf stuff at Soiree Buzz

Renan told me that he was also hosting another open mic the next night, last night, Friday. In fact, it was not entirely new, as he had already hosted it around 10 times. But it was certainly new for me, and 10 editions is still far from some that have been around for years. This one would be a completely different kind of thing, in a classic Irish pub called Murphy’s, which is located on a slightly off the beaten track street behind the opera Garnier. It is an absolutely fabulous Irish pub, with lots of regulars, and the open mic set up right near the bar at the front of the pub works just fine, as the music can be heard throughout the pub.
Second at L’Atelier Montmartre

I was at first worried that the chatter from the patrons meant they were not there for the music at all, but as the evening progressed, as well as for me, as my set progressed, things got warmer and warmer and warmer! I got some encores after my “What’s Up!” and regretted only that I did not have another really great foot stomping sort of pub favorite as that to do. But I nevertheless had a fabulous time and wonderful reception.
Insu blues at Zebre Rouge

Renan did some neat duets with other musicians – including the fabulous Laetitia – and he was also available to play guitar for “live karaoke” for anyone else who wanted to sing. I managed to stay quite late chatting to lots of different and interesting people, and basically had a fabulous evening. This open mic is just once a month, the next being 26 Feb. But if it keeps going the way it did last night, it’s an excellent new edition to Paris’s ever-growing open mic scene.
Renan and Stephanie at Quartier General

Not bad, four new open mics in three days in Paris! And I’m sure I missed some others too!
Renan with lead at Quartier General

Rocking the Zebre Rouge

Another from Laetitia at Murphy’s Pub

Laetitia at Murphy’s pub

Opener at Murphy’s pub

Renan with Laetitia at Murphy’s pub

Renan with another at Murphy’s Pub

8 Bars, 2 Days, One Week Later in Paris – One Closure, One Opener

January 25, 2016
bradspurgeon

O'Sullivans

O’Sullivans

PARIS – If it were not for the fact that a few things dictate that I keep a record of my Sunday and Tuesday last week, I would let it slide. I was so busy in the intervening time with having received my CD, “Out of a Jam,” that I led the blog slide and did not write about those two nights. But both the fact of the CD, and the fact of taking part in one new open mic on the Tuesday, and then discovering that I had also taken part in the last open mic of one particular venue on the Sunday, mean I gotta write a little about it.

I have to just at least acknowledge those two nights, 8 bars, and the end of the O’Sullivan’s Rebel Bar on Sunday night last week. This was a fairly cool open mic run by Etienne Belin, the host of the absolutely phenomenally cool Coolin’ bar open mic that closed down a while back after the bar was bought up by a big conglomerate. The Rebel open mic was a great place to go on Sunday night’s in Paris, but unfortunately it did not consistently reach the highs of the Coolin, and Etienne has said he has many other projects he needs to focus on – like a CD – so that’s the end of that.
Duet at the Green Linnet

It was fabulous night, that last one – which we did not know was the last – and followed on the 4-bar crawl I was doing: I started out at the lnce-monthly Green Linnet bar open mic right near the Coolin’, where it was calmer than the previous month, but still fun – with Stephen Saxo and Andy Bone’s warm MCing – and then I wandered off for a look at the Ondulatoire Mechanique’s big birthday party for a friend. That was also to feature a new band by some friends, but alas, I was too late for the show, and arrived just as they were packing up.
Duet at the Galway

After the Rebel Bar, I then moved on with some friends to the Galway, where there was a duet playing most of the night. Some nice talk, a Kilkenny, and it was back to home for a day of recuperation.
French trio at the Rebel Bar

The CD arrived on Tuesday, and I HAD to get out to the bars again and start handing out some copies. (More on this blog soon about the CD!!!) I started by checking out the Zebre Rouge open mic, which had turned into a real jam session, and because I needed to do several bars, I opted not to stay. I handed out a few CDs at the Zebre Rouge, then went over to finally try out the nearby Féline bar open mic, which has been running for two or three months now.
Her hopes and expectations at the Green Linnet

This could be one of the best open mics in Paris if it gets the crowds it merits – although with so many other open mics on Tuesday nights in Paris, it is not sure that will happen. The stage is absolutely fabulous, and the management loves music. In fact, the management created this fabulous little stage – complete with a kind of proscenium arch style, spotlights and half decent sound system – because he wants more music, clearly.
Jules at the Rebel Bar

I handed out some CDs there and played a long set of maybe five or six songs. Then I went on to the Pigalle Country Club bar’s open mic, not far from the place Pigalle (!!). That is the place where the photo that adorns the cover and back of my CD was taken. So I had to go there and leave a few copies. It was a very lively night, and I was offered the mic, but I wanted to get going to my final destination, the Café Oz bar open mic next to the place Blanche.
Young one at the Green Linnet

I was too late to make the list, but the Oz was buzzing with musicians and music as usual. Some great acts, and a nice environment, and the usual great presentation of the evening by Brislee Adams….
In their heads at the Pigalle Country Club


First at the Feline Bar open mic

Duet at the Café Oz

Duet at the Feline

Another from duet at the Pigalle Country Club

The Baroc is Dead; Long Live the Zebre Rouge….

November 27, 2015
bradspurgeon

Zebre Rouge

Zebre Rouge

I’m a few days behind on this, maybe even a few weeks – depending on how you view it – but a few weeks ago I announced the closing down of the Baroc, and so the end of an era of one of the best, quirkiest open mics in Paris. But that need for a quirky, Baroc-like open mic, took such hold of a group of the regular denizens of the Baroc, that they decided there should be another open mic in another seedy bar like the Baroc – impossible, right? – and that they should try to just carry on the tradition. Enter Paul Cash and the Zebre Rouge.

The Zebre Rouge bar/restaurant is located in a lost street off the Oberkampf, J.-P. Timbaud, bohemian quarter of Paris, and it has all the makings of a great location for a Baroc-like open mic. It has an owner manager who clearly likes music and the vibe of an open mic, it has a piano, it has a laid-back, small front bar open to the street; but it also has a cool multi-room cellar where music can be played as well. I attended the open mic for the first time on Tuesday, and it will not be the last time.
Paul Cash, the MC of the Zebre Rouge

The question remains as to whether the open mic itself lasts, as it will need – like any open mic – to build up its clientele and make itself known. Paul Cash, a brilliant pianist and composer, as well as a pioneer in the Paris slam scene, and above all, a longtime habitué of the Baroc, is running the open mic, and the night I went, it was made up mostly of former musicians, poets and barflies of the Baroc.
Another one at the Zebre Rouge

Will the spirit last? Will the Baroc find its tradition carried on at the Zebre Rouge? All the ingredients are there, only time will tell….
Bernie at the Zebre Rouge

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