7 Days of Open Mic - Day 4: Cafe Deux Soleils

Admittedly this was the most musically enriching evening I have had yet this tour, Cafe Deux Soleils certainly did not disappoint, holding up to its infamous street cred.  Within the cultural community of Commercial Drive, this is an open mic venue warmly tailored to the performances of aspiring performers among a room of a welcoming and mosaic crowd.  My first time experience at Soleils last night was exactly what I was in search for when I decided to execute this seven day tour.

Emma and Leo

I arrived at the cafe at around 7:30 pm last night, and with good reason because I honestly didn't realize how popular this event was until it was 9:00 o'clock show time and the place was packed full of dancing conversation and the clanking of beer glasses all around.  Our host for the night was Matt, yet another personable and comical individual I have met within the last few days and a trend I have started to notice.  The key to a good open mic is an entertaining host, and the last three of the four open mics I have attended this week had just that.

Paul Barnetson

What makes this open mic unique in comparison to others is the performance lottery.  Because the evening is so sought after by not only fans but also musicians, everyone who signs up has their name put into a draw, and the performance line up starts from there.  The night offers an impressive fifteen slots, and from what I understand, the venue is lucky to get everyone who signs up onto the stage.  I love this idea; its sporadic, creative, and entirely unpredictable for the audience and the artist.  Even I experienced the surprise of hearing a couple familiar names; Paul Barnetson whom I met this past Tuesday at the Libra Room and the always dashing Donny Childs.  Within the last few days I have begun to realize the family within the open mic scene, and last night most certainly defined the irony.

Once the line up was established, the night was underway opening up with Barnetson and Mitchell performing original songs composed of rhythmic guitar and melodic vocals topped like a cherry with a dash of rap; even accompanied by a flute.  The set these two fine young men had was, what I felt, the perfect tone to kick off an evening filled with the unexpected, creating a down to earth light hearted vibe to carry on the night.  I must say I am excited to see Barnetson perform this Saturday June 22nd alongside Matteayus Moon for the Gypsy Blues Jam at The Jimi Hendrix Shrine.

As the night progressed, so did the energy.  This isn't just an open mic, but an event focused around the artists that perform, demanding audience encouragement and engagement which is what I also found unique about this venue in particular.  Most open mics the artists are taking a shot in the dark hoping that even a quarter of the room pays attention, but here you are hard to ignore.  My ears experienced a vast variety of music and duets consisting of originals and covers of every genre.  Leo and Emma in particular were a guitar and singer duo who came to Soliels for their first open mic performance ever as of last night and did a pretty fine job.  I must say I have quite a lot of respect for those who perform in front of a crowd so large and involved, but then again at least you know the audience cares about what you have to offer.  As best put by Matt "audience gives the love, band gives the tunes" and I couldn't have said it better myself.

Russel

If I had to pick a single best performance I couldn't, never have I seen such a variety of respectable artists perform such a motley variety underneath one roof.  But I can point out a couple faves that managed to grab me right by the heart strings.  To start and pleasantly surprised, Mr. Barnetson was definitely a memory of the night.  One of many Cafe Deux Soleils regulars Russel provided a graceful performance; his style is reminiscent of Dallas Green from City in Color and Ed Sheeran, but with a much heavier raspy vocal to accompany a soothing rhythm guitar.  And of course,always a personal favorite and what I would consider a new dear friend of mine, Mr. Donny Childs.

Donny Childs

I remember the first night I met Childs, which was ironically at the open mic hosted at Mr. Brownstone on Monday nights, and I can honestly believe it was his stage presence that said it all.  After a few by chance encounters at Blue Wave studios, I had become pretty familiar with Child's attitude and musical style prior to this performance.  The best description I can give you is this: picture a young Jack Nicholson (identical may I add) having the musical ability and mind parallel to Jack White, but the persona and energy paramount to Jack Black.  Give you an idea of how ridiculously awesome this really is?  Of course his performance last night at Soliels was nothing less than beautiful and I urge you to keep that name on the tip of your tongue for the future to come.

All in all the night at Cafe Deux Soleils was an experience, and everything about the open mic there on Thursday night is exactly what an open mic should be- a true 15 minutes of fame.  Its about good people, musical experience, and the sheer enjoyment of the atmosphere.  I'm interested to see if any of the next three nights will top my time at Soleils, but I certainly won't be holding my breathe for it.

Carly June