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Lucy’s open mic offers variety of self-expression
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A musician plucks an acoustic bass as master of ceremonies, Dave Gapen arranges chairs and sets up the microphone. As night grows, a deep aesthetic builds. On Wednesdays from 7 to 10 p.m., it’s Open Mic Night at Lucy’s Coffee and Espresso, a gathering of artistically passionate individuals.
“It looks like a small night,” Gapen comments. Two musicians discover a beat and begin to improvise.
Soon a poet approaches the microphone, reading a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Gapen reads a poem entitled, “Child’s Mind.” The two trade off and wait for people to trickle in.
These poems possess a modern tone, a free form style influenced by spoken word poetry and performance. By far, the range of poetic ability is pure and unique. Another poet reads a poem called “Shotgun.”
Now two musicians set up, tune and do a sound check. The music is as modern, improvisational and avant-garde. The cafe fills with an electric euphony. The upbeat music elevates the intimate atmosphere.
Another poet, whose name is also Dave, dedicates a poem to his mother. Then a woman named Tina reads some poems out of her journal.
At this point a classical guitarist named Sean Valinsky arrives and promptly plays. The music is soothing and harmonic. Only the guitar strings can be heard. The traditional art form of classical guitar is magical to experience. Valinsky plays a Christian hymn and performs a personal favorite of mine, “Mood for a Day” by Steve Howe of Yes. We listen in silent awe.
After intermission, local comedian James Zimmerman comes up, making the variety of performers more versatile. He jokes about his living space and how it’s so addictive. He grasps the audience’s attention by saying hello to someone from Grangeville.
Zimmerman introduces another comic, Dylan Hughes, who jokes about Christmas and how there’s never enough money for it. Hughes’s hair is wild and he dresses in dark colors. He tells us how he works at the Funny Bone Comedy Club and how the comedians there always tell jokes about pot.
Next, a comedian named Mundeck Clement-Stein comes on. He says it’s weird being Jewish and Indian. He jokes that he has a yarmulke with feathers on it. His comedic style interacts with the audience. He speaks of the comical experiences growing up in a small town.
At the conclusion of the open mic night, a Christian-oriented poet, Douglas, reads, “A Juxtaposition of My Soul.” He performs a spoken word piece with fresh rhythms and innovative rhymes. He finishes with singing a tune about a friend who committed suicide, which is behind a musical background.
For Open Mic Night at Lucy’s to continue to exist it needs support from the community. So get down to Lucy’s Coffee and Espresso on Wednesdays from 7 to 10p.m. just a step away from the Boise State campus.
THOM GARZONE
Culture Writer
