Blue Ajay, Dan's Silverleaf, 8 December 2025

Silverleaf 8 Dec 2025

Posted by Blue - 14 December 2025

Tags: blog Silverleaf

The Songwriter’s Open Mic at Dan’s Silverleaf Hosted by Justin Collins

Dan’s Silverleaf is home to a weekly Monday-night Songwriter’s Open Mic hosted by Justin Collins.

Justin Collins opening the mic at Dan's Silverleaf, 8 December 2025. — Justin Collins opening the mic at Dan’s Silverleaf, 8 December 2025.

Dan’s is a wonderful place and Justin is an excellent singer, songwriter and host. It’s worth a visit just for Justin’s opening performance.

Monday 8 December 2025 was my first time performing there.

It was a really good time. Denton brims with creative and talented people, and I very much love an all-originals open mic.

My two songs:

This particular event features, on average, two songs for each performer.

No Slogan

My first song of the night was, “No Slogan”.

It appears on my most recently released album, Bloody Wonderful.

I opened performances with this song regularly in 2019. I hadn’t performed it publicly since an “Art in the Yard” performance in 2022 (I’m not certain about that year).

This song, or at least my solo-acoustic interpretation of it, has matured extensively since I’d last performed it publicly. I added a considerable amount of guitar licks and runs into it, so many so that it is difficult for me to envision the song without them now.

I love the version on Bloody Wonderful, it’s funky in a plodding way. It also includes both a distinct analog synth part (my Minimoog Voyager XL) and a slide resonator solo played on Trixie (my National Reso Rocket Steel) plugged into an amp.

But my solo rendition of the song has evolved to very specifically incorporate guitar licks into its structure and arrangement.

Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll record another rendition. I can easily imagine a version produced and arranged like “Spot of Bother” from Blurry Days… only a handful of people have heard that, so that’s a lousy example for me to use. That album is slated for sharing early next year.

I should probably stop typing.

Expand for lyrics and details.

No Slogan

I got nothing to sing
I got nothing to sing
Got no position
I’m just gonna let my guitar ring

Don’t wear no ribbon or ring
Got no opinion to sing
No slogan on the banner
I’m just gonna let my guitar ring

I thought I had a thought on a thing
I thought I had a thought on a thing
My ideas they were flying
But now I’m seeing flames on the wing

Don’t wear no ribbon or ring
Got no opinion to sing
No slogan on the banner
I’m just gonna let my guitar ring
No slogan on the banner
I’m just gonna let this Gypsy sing
No slogan on the banner
I’m just hoping that I don’t break a string

Words and music by Blue Ajay
Written 11 October 2017 11AM
© ℗ 2019 Sanity Check Musec ASCAP
Lyrics reprinted with permission

“No Slogan” appears on:
- Bloody Wonderful

Better than I was

My second song for the night was a new one entitled, “Better than I was”. In fact, this was the first time I’d performed the song outside of our house.

I’d been itching to share it.

Expand for lyrics and details.

Better than I was

I wouldn’t say I’ve healed completely
I’ll always have this battle with my mind
the cliffside at the edge stands steeply
It wears away slowly over time

I’ve broken through the thinnest of ribbons
alone but on a personal best
sketching in the artbook of living
empty pages from now until my death

Tiny triumphs they need no celebration
they shine for what they are just because
Even if I don’t improve tomorrow
in this moment I’m better than I was
In this moment I’m better than I was

Some scars are stiff and some are supple
accumulating psychic wounds galore
my parapet seems about to topple
and intruders are amassing by the score

Tiny triumphs they need no celebration
they shine for what they are just because
even if I don’t improve tomorrow
in this moment I’m better than I was
In this moment I’m better than I was
I wa uh uh uh uh uh as
I wa uh uh uh uh uh as

I’m better than I was
contentment on the borrow
Yesterdays conspire to
teach me something sure
close my eyes and fill my lungs
exhale and feel me soften
just smile for an instant
before chasing after more
I’m better than I was
hopeful for tomorrow
every moment has its own special buzz
take a breath, feel a snapshot
take another and then settle
in this moment, I’m better than I was
in this moment I’m better than I was

Tiny triumphs they need no celebration
they shine for what they are just because
even if I don’t improve tomorrow
in this moment I’m better than I was
In this moment I’m better than I was

Words and music by Blue Ajay
Written 4 April 2025
© 2025 Sanity Check Musec ASCAP
Lyrics reprinted with permission

Snapshots

Christina and I both try to take pix of each peformer.

It’s a Monday night. We can only attend until 9-9:30. I suspect the place is hopping long past our presence there.

Obviously. we only snap pix of the people who play rather early. Indeed, the list was further populated after I took the photo of it.

My apologies to the performers I failed to photograph.

All of these photos were taken by either Christina M. Orr or me, on Monday 8 December 2025 at Dan’s Silverleaf in Denton TX.

– Blue

I’m not sure I’ve got this performer’s name correct. “Don Gerber?” “Don Garber?” “Bon” perhaps?

We met and chatted briefly, about the Violent Femmes (smile), after his most excellent performance. But when I wrote this blog post, having only the photo of the list to work from, I couldn’t be sure about his name.

I hope to see him again soon, if so, I’ll fix this credit.

– Blue

Q: Blue, how you likin’ Texas?

A: Immensely. The other night I heard a musician named Ryan at an open mic sing an original song in Swedish.

Note

Every single performer was exceptional. I'm lucky to get to get to toss my pebble into the same pond.

-- Blue

"No Slogan" appears on Bloody Wonderful.

Check out the website for Dan's Silverleaf:

Pertinent Linkage:

Home » Posts