By Mark Ambrogi
Persistence paid off for Mark Taylor.
Taylor, a Fishers resident, approached Sahm’s Bar & Grill manager Sean Malloy about his band, TimeSlip, a couple of times about playing at his restaurant. Sahm’s Bar & Grill, 7870 E. 96th St., Fishers, previously had folk singers Saturday nights.
“I gave him a copy of our CD and I told him we’ll play one time for beverages and food,” Taylor said. “If we fill your restaurant up, you have to agree to bring us back every few weeks. He agreed and we packed the place completely. He was excited and he said you give me some dates.”
When the manager needed another band after a cancellation, he called Taylor for a band recommendation.
“I said, ‘I’ll find you somebody.’” Taylor said. “I said, ‘Look, you’re not getting anybody in here on Saturday nights with someone with an acoustic guitar playing James Taylor songs.’ You can see that anywhere in town, right?’”
That led Taylor to suggest he book the bands for Sahm’s for the rest of the summer. He came up with the concept of Saturday Night Originals with all the bands playing their original music. The bands play from 10 p.m. to midnight.
“The people at Sahm’s are fantastic, because there are not many places where a band that writes its own music can go in and get paid fairly.” Taylor said. “They pay $400 a show, and that’s really supportive. Sahm’s has been very forward-thinking with this Saturday Night Originals. They’ve put their marketing department at my disposal. The reason they’re doing that is we’ve had instant results. We’re filling their place on most Saturday nights.”
Taylor, 60, screens the bands to make sure the songwriting is high quality.
“I don’t get paid a dime for what I’m doing,” said Taylor, who is the lead vocalist for TimeSlip. “I get an occasional pint of Guinness for my troubles. To be part of the cooperative, all these bands agree to promote everyone else’s band.”
Taylor said many people might not want to see the same band each week until the band has a chance to write new material.
Taylor is hoping other bars/restaurants will adopt the concept. Other bands participating in the cooperative are The Breakes, Whoa!Tiger, Shift Bit, The Trip, Russ Baum & Huck Finn, Melodious Thonk, Hang Dog Hearts, Dave Muskett and No Pit Cherries.
The schedule can be found on Facebook under Saturday Night Originals.
