Some folks have a fishing pole and bait. Some have a guitar and some songs. It might seem otherwise, but music is a sport. I use my guitar and microphone to cast my song just within range to gently permeate consciousness. I watch how they react and manipulate the song with technique and effects and I make the offer clear until the foot tapping and laughter and energized conversation gives it away, they’re on the hook and I can take them up and away! Gone Songin’ T-shirt in development.
My open mic has taken off. I have teamed up with Bear Biggs and Mike Pool to coordinate and manage the event. We are loud and experimental and it’s really turning into something. We call it, Mic Club.
A lot has happened since the last newsletter. I can’t even remember when the last one was. I think the last one was before our early Thanksgiving celebration in Tennessee. I played an unplugged acoustic set for family. I tried to weave together a bunch of Disney songs and sing-a-longs.
The Christmas season is here. I have had the good fortune to book a number of private Christmas parties and am trading off between my Tree Rex and The Grinch sweaters with a white collar underneath. As time goes on, it does seem I am learning to have more and more fun playing music for folks. Every new audience is a new chance to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others as the primary creator and gatekeeper of the soundscape of an event. I can create sounds that help facilitate enjoyment and positive social experiences.
Noah and The Space Ark had a good first year and will be working toward an EP or album perhaps in the first quarter of 2022, smart and fun merchandising, promotional strategies, strategic booking, and of course playing original music!
Nathan Douglas came down and recorded five new acoustic demos at The Grove!
The Grove now has HVAC and proper electrical and is really coming together. I am covering the walls bit by bit with photos and stickers. As always, it was great to work with Nathan on his songs and I was so glad he was able to make it to Charleston despite the times.
I was on a couple of local podcast/shows. I have interviews on The Alma Leigh Show (hosted by Alma Leigh) as well as Songs of the Unsung (hosted by Eric Barnett). Speaking of podcasts, I have started my own called Grovecast. I’m still wrapping my head about an overall concept to guide the podcast content, but who would like to listen to an interview of Nathan Douglas? I’d love to get a digital interview with you sometime Nate!
I’ve been incredibly busy with gigs. It really hasn’t stopped since March of this year. I keep thinking it’s gonna let off and it just doesn’t.
In other news, I want to let you all know the central projects that I will be working on as time goes on. I will be working on:
1) The Grove // I aim to gradually build a solid base of work with local musicians and establish my studio as a good option for midrange budget recording in the Charleston area. Recordings from my studio will go on a playlist that will serve as the background music between performers at Mic Club.
2) Mic Club // I aim to continue to grow this event until people can’t even fit in the door. Mic Club has the potential to grow beyond a one location open mic. Mic Club can be a format that “franchises” across the country. It also can be a brand that organizes and runs events. Once we have enough content and organization, we plan to do Mic Club takeovers of various venues around town. There may even be a Mic Club festival on the horizon. In the meantime, we hope to continue to have excellent open mics that provide performance opportunities and help musicians connect and grow.
3) eOpenMic // Some of you may remember, when COVID first reared its ugly head, I started an online open mic. As things opened back up, I needed to focus my efforts on building locally and my viewership with eOpenMic diminished. I needed to think more on how I can actually achieve a successful ongoing virtual open mic. The concept is awesome and the name can’t be better, but there are challenges in pulling off a recurring event that maintains a viewership base. 2022 will see the return of eOpenMic!
4) Grovecast // I’ve long wanted to speak my mind about a variety of topics. This would of course include perspectives and thoughts on music, but also mainstream political topics, and maybe even basketball. I don’t aim to traffic in the political business, but I don’t want to be someone who just watches and doesn’t speak. I am certainly not the smartest person in the world by a long shot, and being an actively performing musician has taught me just how sharp the average person really is. In my experience, people are by and large very smart. They learn how to survive and thrive in the ecosystem they are in. We’ve all seen the gotcha videos that make folks look stupid because they don’t know basic geography. But try to pull a fast one on that same person and see how quickly they know what you’re up to. All that said, I did test in the 99th percentile and took advanced classes and generally outperformed my peers with little studying. So I must have some aptitudes that are above average. I think one of those is puzzle solving and I think that is one of the principle ways in which I want to speak on issues. And I generally don’t see my perspective voiced in the mainstream. So I’m going to do it for me and for anyone else that it means something to. Grovecast will also offer interviews of people who I think are compelling.
5) Noah and The Space Ark // This is my original music band. We aim to push to new heights in 2022 after a pretty good 2021.
6) YouTube // Noah Grove Zone is my YouTube channel. Similar to Grovecast, this will be a variety channel, but will focus mostly on music. I aim to build this channel to the point that it procures the opportunity to test out and review products that are sent to me for that purpose. I will offer advice and education on everything I learn on my music career path.
7) Solo Acoustic // I aim to move mostly into weddings and private events and strategic performances at bars and restaurants and markets around town. I have pre-ordered the Boss 505mkII. This is the second generation of Boss’s table top loop system. After performing well over 200 solo acoustic gigs this year and watching YouTubers like Dovydas and Reinhardt Buhr, I have realized that I really love the capability to build more complex soundscapes and that it can be perpetually fun and far more immersive and engaging to audiences. It will also take pressure off my fingernails and voice (which really took a beating this year) as I will be able to do more with keyboards, play more lead rather than heavy strumming, and energize the tracks with drums and bass.
8) Wedding Band // This is something I am just conceptualizing and may not happen right away. I have over 350 cover songs in my repertoire now. I had an experience recently playing with a drummer who blew my mind with his playing. He played with a speed and precision that blew the roof off. This made me want to find several other players that can all do this in their own right, and annihilate weddings. At feel good events, they just want their minds blown and they want the energy to pop off. I want to be part of a team that creates musical moments people can’t believe even happened.
9) Original Songs // I also aim to start regularly releasing solo singles. My recording chops are getting pretty good and I want to put out maybe 6-10 well developed singles over the course of 2022.
10) Promotion // This one is simple. Stay consistent and smart on the development of my website, social media presence, promotional materials, and merchandising!
If you made it through all that, you have earned a superfan badge. Let me know and I’ll send you one!
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas season and a happy New Year celebration!!!! Please like share subscribe etc. tell a friend.