Getting Ready for the First Night of The Plug In

Jay Butler and I have come to an agreement about how we’re going to approach The Plug In at Artemis DC, and we’ve got a plan for our first night.

There are a few things I’m personally hoping to get out of this experience, along with some bigger goals for the musicians who decide to participate.

Building Connections and Collaborations

My number one goal is to meet some awesome people in DC and Silver Spring who are interested in making music together. I’m always looking for new collaborators, both for Sable Drive and my other projects, and I want The Plug In to create opportunities for people who might not otherwise cross paths.

I also want this to be a place where musicians can find each other, experiment, and potentially build relationships that lead to future performances.

Getting More Comfortable With the XR12

My second goal is a little more technical. I want to get better at using my Behringer XR12 digital mixing board.

I’m still pretty old school when it comes to sound equipment. I like analog mixing boards, and for projects like Sable Drive and Signal Drift, I’ve traditionally relied on analog setups.

I bought my XR12 a while back because I wanted a portable, relatively easy way to run sound at Sable Drive events. I’ve used it, but there’s still plenty I want to learn.

Since Jay already has an XR12 available at Artemis, this gives me an opportunity to experiment with settings, develop some useful presets, and figure out how to make the equipment work well for a variety of musicians.

My immediate goal is to develop some decent starting settings for guitar, bass, vocals, and other instruments so we’re not reinventing the wheel every time someone gets onstage.

I’ll also be sharing what I learn, including presets and settings, on the website so other musicians can use them and contribute their own.

Creating Opportunities for Musicians

What I really hope other people get out of The Plug In is a chance to connect with musicians and organizers who are actively creating opportunities for people to perform.

I know there will inevitably be some folks who just want to show up, play a few songs, and head home. That’s fine, and there’s room for that.

But what I’m especially interested in encouraging is a group of musicians who want to stick around, listen to each other, collaborate, and jam.

Ideally, I’d love to find a couple of solid, dependable musicians who enjoy showing up regularly and helping provide a backing band for people who might not have one.

I had a really good experience doing this at the open mic at Evening Star Cafe. Being able to jump in and support another performer, sometimes with little or no preparation, was incredibly rewarding. I’d love to make that kind of experience available to musicians in DC.

Not everybody has a band. Not everybody knows enough musicians to put one together. Sometimes all somebody needs is a few capable players willing to give their music a chance.

Getting to Know Artemis

There’s another practical benefit to participating.

Artemis already hosts a regular Friday night concert series, and The Plug In gives musicians an opportunity to become familiar with the venue, the room, the equipment, and the surrounding community.

If you’re thinking about booking your own show there, it’s a chance to understand how the room sounds, what the setup is like, and what it takes to bring an audience into the space.

I want musicians to leave with more than just the experience of having played a few songs. I’d like them to leave with new contacts, new ideas, and maybe even some plans for their next show.

Starting Something That Can Grow

For our first night, I’m keeping my expectations realistic. We’re going to be figuring things out, experimenting with equipment, and learning what works.

I don’t expect everything to run perfectly right out of the gate, and that’s part of the point.

What I do hope is that we can start building an awesome community of musicians who enjoy playing together, sharing what they know, and helping create more opportunities for live music.

If we can accomplish that, I think The Plug In could become something really worthwhile.