As stated the music scene in Ohio and more noticeably in Ada is basically non existent. Understanding this, I used to travel back to Michigan a lot to perform. However, with this being my last year I wanted to stay in Ohio more to keep myself focused on my schoolwork, but also perform whenever I can if it was close. Sometimes opportunities only come to you when you are looking for them. When it comes to performing this seems to always be the case for me. Since quarantine, simply searching Google for open mics and showcases has opened so many doors for me. Surprisingly enough this continued to hold true even in a place like Hardin County. I knew there were a few places in Lima I could go to but I was shocked to find an open mic being held at the cask room, a bar located right by campus.
That Wednesday I spent all day thinking about what I would be walking into that night. From what I had previously seen, no one really ever goes into the cask room and I began to wonder if they even had a stage or even do open mics at all. With that in mind I knew it wasn’t going to be packed; I assumed it would be a person or two and maybe a couple of spectators. Before the night started I decided to check out the place and make sure they were still holding this event. When I walked in, the bar was so empty I thought it was closed. I was greeted by the bartender who confirmed that open mics were a thing they were trying to do, but obviously not very successfully. This led into conversation on business strategy which segwayed into all types of topics like comics, movies, personal life and most importantly music. As empty as it was, the hospitality allowed me to stick around and notice how spacious and nice the room actually was. The stage is fitted in a perfect area and the style of seating is very comfortable for an audience. I had a few friends swing by as we practiced performing songs, had a drink or two, and just hung out.
With the low attendance and room for improvement, it excited me to talk about ways to enhance the experience in the Cask room with the bartender, who I later learned was one of the managers. I’m not sure what it is about this year, but many unexpected things are happening at very random times. It almost seems as if going out, being present and speaking up ACTUALLY helps people move forward.
