Parting Shots

"I get to take money out of his pocket every Sunday night."

For the past six months singer/songwriter Jefferson Jay has organized the Sunday night open mic at the Blarney Stone. He leaves the Clairemont pub with some not-so-friendly parting shots for owner Martin Kilgallon.

Jay says Kilgallon fired him July 10 for showing up late.

"I got there at 9:15. The music started on time. As soon as I walk in he called me over and asked me a bunch of questions like what time I was supposed to be there. He cursed me on my way out the door."

Now Jay says he will take his Sunday night show to a bar in Bay Park. "It took me three hours to find a new home at O'Connell's."

Jay suggests he didn't deserve the bum's rush.

"When I got there [in January], the Sunday night open mic was dead. We instantly turned it around. For six months straight we were packed for a Sunday night. My last night July 3 was slammed." Previously he ran a weekly open mic for eight months at the now closed Tomfoolery's in Point Loma. Before that he hosted an open mic at Twigg's for 18 months.

Jay said he got a flat fee for his work at the Blarney Stone, and at O'Connell's he gets a flat fee plus bonus pay based on increased bar business. He said the artists get paid by tips.

"I tried to have a tip jar at the Blarney Stone but I was told by the bartenders that [Kilgallon] didn't want it. [Kilgallon] wanted all the money to go to the bar."

Kilgallon did not return a request for comment but an employee said the Sunday night open mic at the Blarney Stone will continue. Jay's former co-host Allison Gill remains an employee at the Blarney Stone.

"Some open mics you can only play for ten minutes. At our show we give you four songs unless its packed, then you get three."

The Sunday night open mic at O'Connell's begins at 9 p.m. and is open to solo artists or bands. Free admission. O'Connell's previously had karaoke on Sunday. Contact jeffersonjay.com.