Among the Bloomy fields of Bloomfield

My sister and I ventured to Bloomfield for an open mic at a place called Piano's. It was raining depressingly and I didn't want to go, but I'd made a semi-pact with her to play at least once every week, whether it was a gig or some place where nobody really knew me. Tonight was the latter, and there's something really liberating about playing for a crowd that's never heard you before. You feel like an underdog, free from the chains of how songs are typically played. Your nervous ticks are quirks and a nervous smile prompts someone from across the bar to declare, "That's the biggest damn smile I've seen all day!"

You're on your toes but floating, relaxed all the same. 

Kind of like last week, when Emily and I were driving back up

 from Philly, high from coffee and music and trying not to get lost. But tranquil, letting our playlist of "Catchy" songs fill the air around us. Cat Stevens, Don Henley, The Beatles, Sondre Lerche, KT Tunstall, Sara B. It had been a while since I'd gotten to see all those stars, even while driving up the Turnpike. 

It was the easy calm after a gig, but the gripping anticipation of the next one... in that case, playing at Five Points in just 15 hours, after juggling sleep, work and travel time.  

Oh life. . . 

Here are some vids from Philly, courtesy of Emily Tan:

Foot Out the Door

Home to Me

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