Last night we went to the Limelight, a San Antonio bar and space for live music with a Sunday night open mic. Sari’s roommate Monica played, along with a bunch of other singer/songwriters. The standard guitars were acoustic, and the singers, even the boys who looked like indie rockers, had a really earnest tone of voice that touched on country even if it didn’t stay there. And you can buy three gin-and-tonics, one amaretto sour, and a can of beer for $14.

Maybe it was because we were with Monica, but all the artists who played were so much friendlier than anyone I would have met in LA. They played their sets, came and sat at our table, said hello at the bar. And they all knew each other, too – “I liked your new song,” and so forth. It’s a great environment. I think the Austin/Nashville scene spills over into all the smaller cities. If I were a singer/songwriter starting out, I wouldn’t go to LA or New York – I’d go somewhere more supportive first. Like this.

It’s basically the same lesson I’ve been learning about theater, that being the smallest fish in the biggest pond first isn’t always the wisest step – that you can get more experience more quickly in the regional scene.