Manteye And The Moonshine Cafe

When manteye of 20yrs ago was starting out, I had the really good fortune of always having a place to play, because I could attend and jam at Augy or Ernie's single or sometimes (rarely) their duo act in various locations in the GTA.
These could be 1,2,3 or more song performances or full on jam and writing sessions complete with shitty, but effective voice recorder in tow.
Augy was super fun to hang with, because he was super supportive on most creative, built-in audience jam sessions.
He called it FREE-JA.
The Moonshine Cafe offers a way cooler place than some of the places that we used to hang in.
It's about 10 minutes from home in Oakville, and every time, I walk through the doors, I feel like I have come home again. It has a great, little, but effective stage where performers, jammers, open mic'ers of any one with the desire to play can find a home.
I walked thought the doors there in late November, last year after finding the Tuesday night open mic at the Moonshine Cafe and couldn't resist, giving it a whirl. I was as nervous as a house fly at a frog convention, but I went anyways.
I got there, dropped my guitar case down near the front door, signed in, ordered a great, ice cold beer and watched. There was performer after performer going at the supportive audience with one thing after another. Some original material, some not.
I forgot to mention that I came there earlier that night with my daughter. I went there so she could play at this place where kids under age can get up and do a number. I guess I figured if my 12 year old can find the nerve, what would my problem be.....right.
We met James, (the owners son) and wow before you know it, she was up in front a mic, in front of a small but supportive audience killin' a "Dixie Chicks" song.
I came back (after dropping her back home and nervously, but excitedly went back for a go.
I met Phil Kane, minutes before going up, and noticing his guitar chops, asked him if he would join me up there and before you know it, and 20 years after being on a stage in front of an audience, I was nervously and scared out of my fuckin' mind tearing through song I had just written. I was (with the help of Phil, supportively welcomed by most with open and applauding hands.
More later, but it just keeps getting better.