Open Mic Talent Pool Has Deep End

He’s a 46-year-old postal worker by day, processing mail at a plant near the Spokane airport.

Ah, but Monday nights are a different tune for Allen Schurman. That’s when he grabs his acoustic guitar and heads downtown for a 15-minute fix of fame.

Schurman is a regular performer at the Blue Spark’s Open Mic Night. The year-old pub at First and Howard has become one of Spokane’s hippest scenes for struggling songsmiths, itinerant poets and thumpers of deep-toned African drums.

The unexpected nature of Open Mic Night is what makes it such addictive fun.

On any given Monday, beginning at 9 p.m., listeners may hear a Christian such as Chris Hanson, 21, strumming contemporary praises to his Lord.

Or Hidde Hanenburg, 38, who has the market cornered on original cowboy punk songs about the Devil.

“Yes I know the Devil’s a man, but he’s a better lover than yooooou …”

Bet you won’t hear that on the radio.

The talent pool ranges from shallow to deep and all points in between.

Schurman, our postal picker, is somewhere in the middle. He croons cover tunes by groups such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam in an airy falsetto that doesn’t always make the high notes.

Last Monday, he had the misfortune of having to take the small plywood stage near the bar’s front door immediately after Cindy Pearson. Headed for L.A. to cut her fourth CD, the touring professional singer from Portland stopped by with her jazzy band, Lulu LaFever.

Having to follow such a rich-voiced talent would reduce the knees of most amateur musicians to warm Jell-O.

Not Schurman.

Sporting a flattop haircut and sleeveless V-neck sweater, the lanky guitar player was nonplussed.

“Naw, I don’t get intimidated,” says Schurman, following his three-song set. “I don’t feel like I have anything to prove coming down here.”

Open microphones are nothing new to Spokane.

A number of bars, such as Fort Spokane Brewery and Ichabod’s North, provide regular venues for drop-in entertainment.

But the buzz on the street ranks the Blue Spark’s Open Mic Night as the best for its diverse talent and streamlined format.

Rule 1: Thou shalt play 15 minutes. Period.

That’s the original commandment set up by singer Tiana Gregg, who started Open Mic Night last November and served as its first MC. Gregg eventually left, but the edict still stands regardless of experience or ability.

That’s a good thing. Some of the hambones would play all night if they could.

“Some people come through here and cop a serious attitude,” says Dave Johnson, who has been MC for about a month. “They come up afterwards and snap at me that I didn’t get the sound right.

“There’s no room for rock stars here.” Egos aside, Open Mic Night showcases some real talent that is lurking in our humble burg.

Carrie Cunningham, 25, and Andy Browning, 26, sing original country/folk songs with flawless harmony. They call their duo Mirror Image.

Then there is the enigmatic Larren Wolford, a fine singer/songwriter who calls himself Dai Jobu.

Dai Jo who?

“I’ve been trying to figure out how I can get noticed,” he says after a set.

Welcome to Show Biz, pal.

After three hours’ worth of 15-minute acts, Monday was creeping into Tuesday as I headed for the door.

Then 57-year-old Bill Diercks pressed his mouth against the mic and I had to stay. In a gravel voice, he belted out two original songs, “Monica’s Love Song” and “Blackmailable Bill.”

Bet we don’t hear those on the radio, either.