“The Borrowed Time Birthday Gig”

The Borrowed Time Birthday Gig

Sunday, July 13, 2014 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.

The NU Café

335 Chandler Street

                             Worcester, MA

According to the King James version of the Bible (Psalm 90:10), “The days of our years are threescore years and ten… “ and I’ll be turning that in July. So, I figure that’s enough of a milestone to celebrate (assuming I live that long), and my celebration will be in the form of a very loose open mike. Why that title? Because I’ll be on “borrowed time” at that point, and who knows what the interest rate will be (hopefully not usurious) or how long the term will run (hopefully a long time).  For those of you with very short attention spans, the pertinent details are in the banner above. For those of you who care to read on, then read on.

The NU Café https://www.thenukitchen.com is known to many of you and has been described by one of my friends as my “home away from home.” There’s some truth to that; I went to the regular open mike when it was there, I go to the new open jam, and I play there (solo or with others if they will join me) every Sunday afternoon (with few exceptions) from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., so it seems like a natural venue for this celebration.

We will have a PA system set up, and a few amps for guitars, etc., and very possibly a drum kit (if one of the few drummers I know will provide one). This is open to all: solo performers (musicians and/or poets), duos, small groups, and jammers. I will no doubt at some point play some tunes solo and/or with my Mirror Image playing partner, Jeff Mac. And I’ll be happy to play along with any of you, if I can and you care to have me do so. Beyond that, anything goes (well, almost anything, within the bounds of common decency). Depending on the turnout, each act may be limited to two selections or 10 minutes, whichever comes first. The jammers may be near the end of all this (and chances are we can go later that 6:00 if there’s a lot of people there), but we’ll see how it goes. I am the grand poobah of this, but I’ll see if I can get a little organizational help from my friends, if for no other reason than I’d like to relax a bit and enjoy my own party..

Please do not bring me any gifts. At this point in my life, if I don’t have it, I probably don’t need it, and I live in a small studio apartment, so there’s no more room for anything else anyway (I’m really not kidding about that). I suppose a card would be nice; they’re relatively cheap and don’t take up much space, but even that is optional. I really just want you to show up (whenever), say hello, hang out with me and the others as long or as short as you want, perform if you wish (please do), buy some food (salads, sandwiches, etc.) and/or drink (beer, wine, juices, soda, smoothies, whatever) – support the venue that supports me – and have a good time.

An RSVP will help me organize. If you even remotely think you can make it, knowing that will help me plan how to set this up. If you know you can’t make it (ah, too bad, but it happens) let me know that, too. But either way, RSVP or not, you’re welcome. I’ll probably send out one or two reminders as we approach the date (I know some of you have attention spans almost as short as my own), but this is the official invitation. (The café will be open to the public as well; this is not a “closed event.)

Tom Ewart – tommywart@aol.com