Went to Chan's in Woonsocket last night, with my guitar-pickin' alter ego Jim Chapin, for their open-mike run by Jim's friend Ken. As usually happens with open mikes, there were too many players, so we didn't get to perform.

A regular assortment of loud guitarists, 25x that number overweight harp players, plus a tall man with a small sax in a duet with a short man with a very large sax, and an extremely overdressed swank fop with boots, spurs, hat, rope necktie, kerchief - strong impression of wongo artiste on the run from former life in Nottingham or Leeds or some such place. There was also a good crowd of graying, white blues enthusiasts, all of them waiting to hear how they sounded in front of a supposedly live audience of themselves.

We had fun even though we didn't play. The frighteningly bubbly Woonsocketeers were there, piano-tuner Bill (who does the afternoon gig - solo barrelhouse & old-time New Orleans - apparently exclusively for visiting biker gangs, who want to hear blues, man! What is this shit!) & soi-disant accordionist Emily. Chan's also has a fine gallery of musician photos.

Ronnie Earl at Chan's

John Chan, visionary owner/manager