An Open Mic Bowled Over

The Living Room in Stroudsburg, PA presented another installment of their weekly Open Mic Nite Series on Sunday February 3rd. As I arrived at the venue near the 6 o’clock hour, I noticed the crowd gathering was unusually spars in their numbers. This may have been due to the fact a popular Football game known as “The Super Bowl” was taking place during the same time. However, as the evening progressed, a number of people entered The Living Room in order to offer what proved to be their astonishing talents to evening.

The event began at 7pm with some welcoming words given by the series’ long established host, Billy Mack, who had returned from his touring schedule the previous week. His joyful countenance were reflected in the songs he shared as the Billy Mack Collector which isn’t a band in the conventional sense but rather a spontaneous collection of musicians who are available and willing to perform alongside Billy at any given time. Poet Amy Knopf and Guitarist Crystal Rose happily became part of this musical collection for the evening and together they laid the framework of all the wonderful experiences that were bound to be enjoyed throughout the night.

As Billy completed his set, the evening’s first performer took the stage. C. O. G. sat before the mic with his guitar and began to play the folk songs that echoed off the walls of time. Those among the gathering who remembered the tunes and where they were when they first met them began to whisper the lyrics that touched their lives. C. O. G. was followed by a solo performance given by Crystal Rose whose guitar and voice penetrated the room with its familiar subtleness touching the souls by teaching them the lessons they already knew but placed aside for the world’s sake.

During her performance, Crystal shared with the group she will soon be performing alongside other guitarist during an acoustic night at The Living Room Friday February 8th beginning at 7pm. They will include many who have performed during previous open mic nites such as Jesse Morales, Sunny Shading (who also performed during the current Open Mic Nite), Nick Fuentes, Justin O'neil Rosario, Tyler Reed, and Thomas Lewis. The upcoming show reflects the caliber of those who participate in the Open Mic Nights at The Living Room and it was good to learn the incredible talents these individuals will be showcased in the near future.

As Crystal finished her performance, Jesse Roth took the stage in order to bless the mic with her poetry. Jesse took over the series for Billy while he was away and continues to bring her magical talents to the venue assisting him in this loving endeavor for the arts. The words she utilized to create the moods and imagery her poetry demanded moved from one ear to another allowing each listener to embrace them into the arms of experiences. More poetry followed Jesse as Joel Craig III and Amy Burowski (aka Swag Amy) began to bless the mic with their words.

However, before sharing my impressions of Joel and Amy’s poetic performance, I would like to explore this word, “Swag” that has become a lexiconic icon that I’ve been made aware of in recent months. This intellectual exercise may either be my chance at appearing academically astute or demonstrate I’m someone who is over the age of 50 and only cares about conveying my studies on such trivial things is because I’m an old fart. Regardless of how my endeavors define me,  here is what I’ve found.

Swag is currently a word that defines how one presents him or herself. It was originally taken from the Scottish slang word “swagger” which was a description of the way some Scots walked. It later became a word that described where stolen possessions where kept. During the 1960’s, it became an acronym created by a group of men which meant “Secretly We Are Gay.” The word presently replaces the oft used catchphrase, “cool” just as referring everything during the 1990’s as “da bomb” did. However, there are still a lot of people who still say “cool.”

Whether the word “Swag” is destined to have the longevity of “cool” or fizzle out like “da bomb” is yet to be seen. However, in my research, I’ve found a warning that people over the age of 50 (like myself) who can kill the word by just knowing about it. Sorry about that.

Anyways, the heart revealing poetry of Amy Burowski and Joel Craig III filled the room with their varied styles. Both poets touched the essence of love and relationships but from different perspectives which served to remind those who experienced their work how the emotion elicits a myriad of life changing memories as time allows one to reflect upon them. Amy and Joel were followed by Theo (aka Sunny Shading) and his guitar whose new songs echoed the delight found in the pieces he sang during previous Open Mic Nights. He will also be performing alongside Crystal Rose and others during the acoustic night to be presented at The Living Room Friday February 8th mentioned earlier in this article.

Theo (aka Sunny Shading) was followed by Guitarist Michelle Leanna whose powerful voice enhanced the soul of each song. However, during the singing of one piece, she had forgotten the song’s lyrics which gave rise to an opportunity for those who enjoyed and supported her performance to demonstrate what a meaningful experience attending an Open Mic Nite at The Living Room can be. A number of Soul Sisters and Brothers lovingly sang the song for her until her recollection its words recovered from its lapse.

After Michelle ended her set, Theo (aka Sunny Shading) returned to the stage with his guitar and was accompanied by Anastasia Byler whose voice lent a new substance to every song she sang. This was her first performance at The Living Room and perhaps her first performance anywhere. Her nervousness was felt by those who are intensely intuitive about such things. However, her impressive talents shown through as each note echoed throughout hearts of the appreciative audience. Theo and Anastasia were followed by a return to the mic by poet Amy Knopf whose familiar words inspired many who were revisited by them to delve deeper to their essence by asking questions about them. This exploration brought a new dimension to the work as well as a higher level of appreciation for the poetry and poet.

Amy was followed by a group of friends who embodied the joyous and spontaneous spirit of the Open Mic Nite series. They consisted of Travis, Joel (Craig III), and “any other odd fuck who can’t sing.” Amidst the laughter filled frivolity, one can certainly say they lived up to their harmonic pretensions. I personally felt inspired by their performance and may take the stage to share my singing talents with the gathering. But then, I may not as I don’t want to dissuade anyone with sensitive hearing from attending future Open Mic Nites. Smiles.

After the performance given by Travis, Joel, and others came to an end, they were followed by a guitarist known simply as, “Mike” whose outstanding voice filled the room with “whoa.” Mike was followed by a return of Travis who performed an instrumentally touching piece on his guitar. Billy Mack returned to the mic after Travis’ performance with a new collation of talent. 

Poets Amy Burowski (who performed earlier) and Cydnee Bence explored their singing talents with an audience who were very pleased by them. The evening ended with an a cappella version of the song titled, “Listen to Your Heart” which originated with the Swedish (post ABBA) duo known as “Roxette” and became popular during the late 1980’s and early 90’s. Jesse Roth sang the song enhancing its deeper meanings through her favorably comparable rendition of it.

As the words of the song Jesse sang were quietly heeded, Billy Mack began to bid those who attended the evening’s installment of the Open Mic Series a fond adieu. During his parting words, he made note that, while there were many who performed in previous events, there were many who stepped before the mic for the very first time. It was agreed this enhanced the experience even more than usual and created a super bowl of talent each person could take a sip from and become more nourished by it’s ingredients. Those who left did so eager to return the following week to partake of the fulfilling meal The Living Room’s Open Mic Nite has to offer. You’ll be able to find more photographs taken during the Sunday February 3rd Open Mic Nite in The Living Room 2013 Gallery at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151402355470421.537393.636000420&type=3.

The next installment of the Living Room Open Mic Nite series will take place on Sunday February 10th beginning at 7pm (sign up begins at 6:30pm). Musicians, poets, writers, and anyone who would like to share something with an audience are welcomed to do so. The featured performer for the evening will be Brook Pridemore who will be making the trek from New York City to bring with him his masterful version of folk punk music. You can learn more about Brook as well as The Living Room Open Mic Nite Series itself by Exploring their facebook Page at www.facebook.com/OpenMicAtTheLivingRoom.

In addition to the Open Mic Nites presented at The Living Room, the venue also holds a Gallery which is currently presenting a group exhibition for their featured artists for the month of February. They include the works of Jesslynn McCauley, Sean Turrell, Patti Keegan, and Patty the Poet. The exhibition continues until February 28th. Their March exhibition will be a group exhibition featuring the work of a huge variety of local artists who will be invited to participate in a show embodying the concept of “Pop Culture.” Artists who wish to participate are invited to submit their work to The Living Room on Friday March 1st from 6-9pm. The Artists’ Reception Scheduled for Saturday March 2nd from 6-10pm with the exhibition continuing until March  31st.

The Living Room opened in April of 2012 and is located on Main Street in Stroudsburg, PA next to The Sherman Theater who owns the building. The Living Room is organized by members of the community who include Shane Izykowski, Martelle Jones, Elisa Byrne, Tom LeFevre, Darlene Farris Labar, Sarah Bouma, Toby Sabatine, and Billy Mack. Please Explore The Living Room Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/The-Living-Room/123978921059378 for more information on The Living Room, all they have to offer, and how to be a part of it all.