He sings a little, he plays a little.
It’s a common scene: He steps down to a smattering of applause and the evening moves on.
But Monday night, it was more than that at the Player’s Pub.
Every Monday evening, the bar hosts an open mic night for various local musicians, performers and stand-up comedians.
This week, the turnout was small but devoted. Regulars intently watched every musician. Every song received applause.
They were supportive and down-to-earth. They wore flannel shirts and beanies.
They were Bloomington.
A. Dwight Gregory and Robin Young sat at a table across from the stage. Young was managing the sign-up sheet.
“The thing I like about open mic nights is that it’s so open,” Young said. “Music today seems like it’s reserved for those who have hits on the radio.”
Gregory said he’s been doing open mic nights in Bloomington for more than 40 years.
He chuckled as he thought of some of his memories.
“Some people think they’re God’s gift to music, you know,” he said.
As he spoke, Beth Garfinkle played on the small stage. She introduced her next song.
“I got hired to play this one year at a Shakespeare festival,” she said.
It was a ragtime song on the piano, accompanied by a voice that leaned operatic.
Garfinkle said she has a doctorate in music from IU.
“I can play eight instruments, including the harpsichord,” Garfinkle said. “I’ve been playing open mic night here on and off for about three years.”
If that seems like a long time, it’s not. Jim Sampson also played, just like he’s been doing for the past 12 years.
“I do Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez,” he said. “I used to play at Rachel’s and at Max’s. I just have fun.”
He pointed to his guitar. It was covered with Post-it notes and masking tape.
“I tape the titles of the songs I play onto my guitar,” he said. “You know how it is sometimes, when you get in front of people and go blank.”
Even though the bar was relatively big, the feel was intimate. Young nodded at the table where Garfinkle eventually joined Sampson.
“That’s our regular players table,” she said. “They’re all regulars.”
Young said she loved the open mic nights at Players.
“There are so many people in town who are super talented and hard-core musicians,” Young said. “There’s nothing like trying it yourself.”
