Arts This Week: Open Mic Night at The Front Porch
By Ben Larsen
The Front Porch will be hosting its Songwriter Open Mic on Thursday at Potter’s Craft Cider from 7-9PM.
Alissa Emond:
You’re listening to WTJU Charlottesville. For Arts This Week. We spoke with Erynn McLeod from The Front Porch to tell us more about the Songwriter’s Open Mic night happening this Thursday at Potter’s Craft Cider.
Erynn McLeod:
Hi, my name is Erynn McLeod. I’m a teacher and singer songwriter at The Front Porch, and I host the singer-songwriter Open Mic at Potter’s that we do once a month. This open mic is part of our jam series at Front Porch. So we have a couple different jams; we have a bluegrass one, we have an old time jam, we used to have jazz, we don’t anymore. But this was kind of in collaboration with Potter’s to give a space for singer-songwriters to share original work in town, and you come at 6:30 you sign up, and then we have music running from seven to nine. It’s bring your own instrument, and we have microphones for you, and sometimes we have people nice enough who bring keyboards and things and let people share. But for the most part, you bring your own guitar or ukulele or whatever instrument you play. We have some fiddlers. We had a harpist once, and you come and you share an original work. And if there’s not too many people, I try and let everyone do two songs but, lucky for us, there’s a lot of people who come every time, and so most of the time we share one song each.
Alissa Emond:
What is it like to be a part of this community? Why should new singers and songwriters show up?
Erynn McLeod:
You would probably be surprised at how supportive people are, and like they’re very sweet. Like there’s- there’s times when people have gone halfway through a song and said, “I forgot the words. I’m gonna get off stage,” and still like everyone cheered. Like it’s really a very low pressure situation, and it’s nice to be seen, like it’s nice to be heard. And then, sometimes I even perform myself, which is really fun. Like I like to be a part of the community of singer songwriters, and I think it makes them feel good when like the host is doing it as well. Like it’s just as scary for me. Like I definitely have my own set of stage fright, especially with new stuff like when you’re showing someone for the first time, so I try to perform a lot too.
Alissa Emond:
Is there anything that you find particularly special about this open mic?
Erynn McLeod:
Yeah, I would say the community is really made up of a lot of singer songwriters who are performing and are pursuing this in a professional way, and so I- what I find really special is when artists come and say like, “Oh, I have a single out tonight,” or like, “I’m doing this other show. Come out to this gig that I’m doing, or this performance, or I wanted to show you guys something I’m working on,” which is really special. Like C. Burrows is an artist in the area, and I met him through this open mic, and Alex Norman too. And just by like making those relationships, we’ve created like a series of backyard shows, just the three of us, and we alternate. And so, for the past two or three summers, we have had these backyard shows. Like each one takes a turn hosting. Like that’s something that would have never happened if like I hadn’t hosted or met these people. So that’s been really special. And like when C. Burrows came out with his album this year, I went to his album release show, and there was like so many people from the singer songwriter open mic at Potter’s there, so I think those are the the special moments to me. Like obviously, the sharing of new music is such a special thing, and there’s not a lot of places, you know, in the world to share some with someone. Like, hey, this is a half finished product. What do you guys think? Like, how do you take this? So I think that in itself is special, but yeah, just like I see people all the time supporting each other’s musical and artistic endeavors.
Alissa Emond:
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Erynn McLeod:
Yeah, I would say it is a really special night, even if you just want to be an audience member and not perform, and it’s a good place to meet new people, try something new, put yourself out there, and drink some cider.
Alissa Emond:
For more information about The Front Porch’s Songwriter Open Mic this Thursday from 7:00 to 8:30 you can visit PottersCraftCider.com, or you can also visit FrontPorchCville.org to learn about their other community jams and ways to support events like these. Arts This Week is supported by the UVA Arts Council and Piedmont Virginia Community College. PVCC Arts presents a rich array of dance, music, theater, and visual arts. Learn more at pvcc.edu. For WTJU, I’m Alissa Emond.
