The Ground Floor Pub & Club in Newark; 60 N. College Ave.  (302) 368-2900 (the old Down Under) has open-mic nights on  Monday nights from 9:00 until 1:00. You don't have to call in advance. You can play music, or if you want to you can do comedy or improv. Don't think this is a comedy open-mic, they're just cool about it. It's hosted by Dave Sumner, who also does guitar repair.

     Gallucio's (302) 655-3713 has an open-mic on Monday nights hosted by Anthony Gallucio. From 9:00 until 1:00. Try to get there early to sign up.

      The East End Cafe' 240 E. Main St., Newark (302) 738-0880 has an open-mic Tuesday nights hosted by Scott Birney, spiritual leader of the Sin City Band, from 8:00 until 1:00. Sign- ups start around 7:00. Talent not required but appreciated

      M.R. Doc's Rt. 41 & Yorklyn Rd. Hockessin (302) 234-1713 has a jazz open-mic on Wednesday nights.

      If you are thinking of starting music as a new outlet, you can go to a couple of different places in Delaware to get started. MTJ music has two stores in Delaware and is a good source for instruments and lessons. MTJ offers one-on-one instruction.
     MTJ is located at:                 Newark Shopping Center
                                                  331 Main Street
                                                  Newark, DE 19711
                                                  (302) 738-5808
                                                          and
                                                  1702 Kirkwood Hwy.
                                                  Wilmington, DE 19805
                                                  (302) 995-9007

        Accent music also has two stores and offers one-on-one instruction.   Accent is located at:     5615 Concord Pike
                                                          Wilmington, DE 19803
                                                          302-477-1112
                                                                and
                                                          5810-A Kirkwood Hwy.
                                                          Newark, DE 19808
                                                          302-999-9939
       If you want to learn to play guitar or bass, you have got to put a lot of time into it. Are there alternatives to lessons? Yes. One way is to buy a simple EZ guitar book. I started playing with a "guitar made easy" book by Mel Bay. It's good to start that way if you want to know your way around the guitar before you start taking lessons. If you intend to play seriously you should take lessons. I have never taken a lesson and I've been with the same band for 10 years. Granted we are awful and I'm by far the worst player in the band, and there are several songs we would like to do but my inability to play very well limits us to what we can play.
      You also have to decide which songs to play. Here are a couple of links to free music sites that offer lyrics and chords:
                 Michael's Kitchen
                           Renegade Olga
                 The Temple of TABs             back