Regina Spektor played here
and Michelle Shocked
and Nellie McKay and Kimya Dawson.
Platinum artists with multimillion-selling songs
have stood on this stage
and some of them
were stilted, awkward and ugly
in their performances.
Some not.

Greats have come and gone
took their at bat
and went down swinging.
Superlative superstars have suspended disbelief with what they did
under these lights.

There is a legacy you’re entering into here
with heroes and villains
going back scores of years
and scads of song.
Jeffrey Lewis.
Kirk Kelly.
Heather Eatman and John S. Hall
all these names were uttered meaningfully within these walls.
You’re in quite the space here
for this open mic
a room that has seen enough failures for many a scene.
No pressure.