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ADVENTURES OF AN OPEN MIKER: Fire in Northern Liberties
Every Thursday, singer/songwriter Matt Cantor gives you the skinny on a local open-mic night so you'll know which stages to call home. This week, he goes to the Fire in Northern Liberties.
ADVENTURES OF AN OPEN MIKER: Fire in Northern Liberties
Every Thursday, singer/songwriter Matt Cantor gives you the skinny on a local open-mic night so you'll know which stages to call home.
This week I headed to Northern Liberties to check out the open mic at the Fire, one of the area’s top smaller music venues. The place has hosted the likes of OK Go, Iron and Wine, and the Moldy Peaches. Fortunately for us open-mikers, the Fire welcomes local talent to its stage on Monday nights.
When I arrived at the scheduled time, 8:30, no performers had showed up yet; they trickled in around 10 p.m. I got the impression, however, that showtime is fairly variable from night to night. Eventually, a small crowd filled the stage room, a long, shadowy, candlelit area separate from the bar. The stage was deep, with a drum kit at the back, a pair of mics, and a set of monitors — definitely more than you get at a lot of these shows. With an engineer always at the mixing board, the sound system was crisp and well-balanced.
There were about 10 performers, and each got a 15-minute set. Cowmuddy, the show’s host, kicked things off with some excellent original songs about heartbreak, loneliness, and eight tracks. He played a guitar with just five strings — someone else had played it a little too hard, breaking the top E — yet it still produced a powerful, dark, rhythmic sound. His soulful singing complemented the well-structured lyrics. Another standout was WillAmaze, who rapped over a thick, richly produced backing track; he won an enthusiastic response from the audience with a single song. Later, Stephen DiJoseph performed an innovative cover of “Norwegian Wood” as well as a pair of originals. His songs, full of open tunings, harmonics, and technical expertise, showcased some lightning-fast fingers.
Meanwhile, the beer was cheap and high quality — Magic Hat #9 for $3! — and the staff was warm and friendly. Usually, they said, you can expect about 18-20 performers, many of them regulars. There was also a lot of overlap with Fergie’s open-mikers; with the two good shows on the same night, some may manage to fit in both.
The nitty-gritty for performers: Mondays, sign-ups theoretically at 8 p.m., show technically at 8:30, free, the Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave, iourecords.com/thefire. Fifteen minutes each.
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