The first time i played at the Cantab Lounge was a bit of a disaster. I went with my friend Nico Padden (an excellent singer, writer, teacher and colleague of mine--find her music on Facebook) to the open mic. It was crowded, it was noisy, it was frantic, and we had gotten there a little later than advised and ended up having to sign up for midnight or so.
If you've any intention to stay in a place, you learn a lot about it very quickly, the way children who are adopted learn the new language quickly. That night at the Cantab i learned that you don't touch the seat in the back, you bring cash, you eat beforehand, and Christine the waitress is like a superhero (the seat in the back is the stake-out of a bloke who swears at you if you try to sit there, they don't accept plastic or checks, and there is no kitchen--and Christine the waitress is like a superhero). I played one song, botched the second, and more or less got my awkward start.
I want to say more about the Cantab in general, though, because i'm pretty sure there is no other place like it on Earth. The demographic alone is extraordinary--from the game-watchers to the open-mic-ers to the I-just-happened-by-and-heard-something-that-interested-me's, the spectrum of colour, age and economic status transcends each label and dubs us all "folk" supporting and sittin' with "folk." And the music makes us all listeners. Every Monday night the same four or five gents come and play a range of five or six songs, with a few young 'uns from MIT or Harvard mixed in scratchin' their own artistic itches. Occasionally a hippie or a sailor wanders up from Jamaica Plain or down from Nova Scotia. We all hope to do our best, ante our two songs, and clap loudly for each other. Are we any good? You know, i think it doesn't matter. It's more about scratchin' the itch than matchin' the pitch. But there is some good scratchin', i gotter say (cheers to Richard Goldman [oldwithoutmoney.com] and Ed White, gems and regulars).
Tonight i had the distinct honour of being the Cantab's "Featured Artist" with Pamela and Scott Brownlee (parents i couldn't have even known to wish for [rockinbranch.com]), and Jay Psaros (a boy of the same description [jaypsarosmusic.com]). Thanks to all who even smiled at the hat as it went by.
There's something weird and magical about a bar that listens to the words of a song. There's somethin' been cultured at the Cantab over the years, some good vibration. I don't mind saying it's gotta be one of the diviest dives in Cambridge, and you gotta get yourself there--any night of the week.
