2003-07-06 - 8:03 p.m.

Area man dubs himself �artist,� plays two shows a year.

Local �musician� John O�Hara will entertain an audience of three friends and a mumbling old queen with his unique brand of original songs and deftly chosen covers at Jacque�s in Bay Village this Monday.

�I think a lot of artists fail because their work isn�t viewed by the people,� boasts O�Hara, who is playing his second show this year tomorrow. �This show at Jacque�s is not only important for me, as an artist, but also for the people, who will have the unique opportunity to see music as performed by a musician, and in a bar-type setting.�

O�Hara, 26, has been playing guitar since the age of fifteen, and was one half of Boston�s �The Sorry Jar,� an unsigned band that included O�Hara and his now ex-girlfriend. The band broke up when their relationship ended.

�Playing solo requires a tremendous amount of courage from the performer,� continues O�Hara, who has never made any type of effort to recruit new band members or to join another band. �I think a majority of musicians are not comfortable enough with their own work, nay, their own skills, to perform out of the womb bereft by art--in the absence of the succor of other band members.�

�It�s comfortable for me to perform in a �private engagement� type format for my new girlfriend, because I don�t have to remember all of the chords and lyrics,� adds O�Hara. �But on Monday, everything will be much more artistically challenging for me. As an artist, that is.�

�As usual, John has underscored his accomplishments,� gushes girlfriend Jenn Harrington. �He�s played far more than two shows this year. In fact, he has performed at both of the soirees we�ve thrown since we moved to our apartment in Somerville last year. Moreover, he rocks out every Sunday morning in his underwear--he calls it �performance art.��

�I think that, artistically speaking, people should just know when you have a show coming, and then show up,� professes O�Hara, who has yet to inform his friends by e-mail that his second, and most likely final, show for the year is tomorrow. �The public must stay informed when it comes to events of such artistic magnitude.�

�Tons of people make grandiose statements about what art is and stuff like that, but they can�t back it up,� concludes O�Hara. �This show tomorrow, well I�ll show the world that I know what I�m talking about.�

Rick Berlin solo @

JACQUES - the FIRST Monday of every month

(59 Broadway in Bay Village - 617 426-8902)

see http://www.rickberlin.com/map.html for directions/map

JULY 7th

Guest artists: 1) SORRY JAR 2) CLIFF RAWSON (AMERICAN CHEEZE)

Berlin at 10:15 on the nose.

PLEASE NOTE Jacques has retained her liquor license, but new restrictions have been imposed - although entertainment will run til MIDNIGHT, NOBODY WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE CLUB AFTER 11 PM!!!!!