|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Playing at open mic nights has long been a way for fledgling musicians to try out new material and get comfortable performing in front of an audience. But what about when they’re ready to take it up a notch? A monthly concert series, The Showcase, at Roger Bar and Restaurant at the Ameswell Hotel in Mountain View aims to offer an elevated experience for up-and-coming musicians and audiences alike.
The Showcase, held the first Friday of each month, is led by Maleli Raiyawa and Rafael de Ausen (aka Rafael Unplugged, whose brands include Clique SF and Sets in the City). The series, Raiyawa said, is meant to be a step up from typical open mic nights, designed for artists who are gaining confidence and experience as they progress in their music careers. As such, it’s a curated concert, with Raiyawa booking four to five featured artists for 20-minute sets per evening and interviewing them each after their performance slots.
“There are lots of different open mics in the South Bay. Our idea for (The Showcase) was to create a next-level sort of thing,” Raiyawa said. “There are not a lot of places for people to play more than five minutes, or for the local singer-songwriters to showcase.” The concerts at the Ameswell, he said, are a way to offer “a pipeline from the open mic proper to us, which is a little more of a showcase invitational.”
The very start of the evening does still have an open-mic element. Folks can sign up in advance to book short sets as part of the soundcheck, starting at 6 p.m., as the equipment – including a high-quality sound system and lights – is getting dialed in for the main event.
Raiyawa and de Ausen are musicians and friends who have both been very active in the local music scene, including at open mic nights, such as Red Rock Coffee’s long-running event.
“I’ve volunteered and hosted a few open mics in the area. I’ve done quite a bit of music community building in Mountain View in terms of throwing these kinds of events,” Raiyawa said. “I feel like that’s the thing that everything stems from,” he said of Red Rock’s open mic, which is an institution of sorts for many locals.
De Ausen originally hails from Guam, where he owned a photo studio, and his technical and artistic expertise is part of what makes his events especially desirable for musicians, as he strives to support up-and-comers with getting good photos, videos, live streaming and electronic press-kit materials so they can take their careers to the next level.
“We kind of help set them up for success after the show,” he said.
De Ausen began his association with the Ameswell when they booked him as a performer. Eventually, the Showcase idea evolved and he brought Raiyawa on board to curate and host. The hotel has been enthusiastic and supportive, he said, and de Ausen is now responsible for booking all the Ameswell’s Friday night entertainment.
“The Showcase was just this great success project … ‘OK , since First Fridays is going well, let’s do music every Friday,'” he said of the Ameswell management’s response. Those shows are now billed as “Fresh Friday,” and feature various line-ups (including, sometimes, de Ausen and Raiyawa themselves).
Mona Dena is a songwriter, performer and music educator who hosts local open-mic and songwriter sessions in the area. She’s also performed as part of The Showcase and found the experience rewarding.
“(De Ausen) really knows what he’s doing,” she said, of the sound quality and organization. She also appreciates the post-set interview sections and the care taken with helping promote the artists.
“I always want to know more about songwriters; What’s their process? What’s their experience? It’s so varied,” she said. “Maleli is so great at being an amazing emcee and announcing people and making them feel really special, and (Raiyawa and de Ausen) are really great at promoting afterwards. I’ve just been very impressed with who they are and how much care they put in.”
Dena is currently hosting two open mics herself, both in downtown Redwood City. One, open to all ages, is held on the fourth Sunday of each month at Coffeebar. She’s also begun hosting the open-mic night at The Hub on the second Monday of each month (the event is held weekly with rotating hosts). She said she’s been inspired by the quality of the events at Ameswell and hopes to encourage some of that showcase vibe at other events.
“When I host I am really trying to encourage songwriters, to make it feel like a place where people feel like they can really share,” she said.
SLIDESHOW: Jack Matyas plays guitar outside the entrance to Roger Bar on August 2, 2024, as the monthly event The Showcase goes on inside. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
SLIDESHOW: Host Maleli Raiyawa takes notes and writes down conversation ideas for his interviews as musicians perform at at Roger Bar on August 2, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney. 
SLIDESHOW: Audience members watche R. Vega perform during The Showcase at Roger Bar on August 2, 2024. Photo by Anna Hoch-Kenney.
Musician Melinda Kausek has been active on the local music scene since 2023, has recently begun recording and releasing singles, and has participated in a number of events at the Ameswell. She got to know Raiyawa and de Ausen through attending open mics including at Red Rock and Mama Kin (in San Jose) and, like Dena, has been a Showcase artist.
“I really appreciate how Rafael, Maleli and the rest of their team, they are creating opportunities to help emerging artists break out of the regular weekly mics. Everything from the venue to the sound system to the videography puts these events well above the typical open mic, but they are also more accessible than getting this kind of gig on your own,” Kausek told this news organization in an email. “I have also found them to be super supportive, which honestly boosts my confidence and makes it easier to put myself out there even more.”
Kausek “is the type of artist we really want to showcase because she’s putting in the work of getting her music out there,” Raiyawa said. “We want to help promote that in any way we can.”
He said that the lineup for the Sept. 6 edition of The Showcase would feature Amour de Seine, David Hobbes, Hannah McDonald and Redemption Breaking.
For Raiyawa and de Ausen, it’s all about supporting the local musical community and harnessing their respective skills and interests to do so.
“The Showcase has become Rafael and I’s passion project. I really wanted a podcast or interview type show, Rafael had the showcase idea and we just kind of merged the two,” Raiyawa explained. “So many people in general have phenomenal wild stories. If people have a story to tell, we want to be the stage so that people can share that.”
The Showcase takes place the first Friday of the month, 6-10 p.m., at Roger Bar and Restaurant, The Ameswell Hotel, 800 Moffett Blvd., Mountain View; rogerbarandrestaurant.com/event/friday-night-live/.
