Open Mic Night strikes a chord

A packed house enjoyed the entertainment at THM. Glenn and Laura St. John had an ambitious vision for their little bookstore/coffee shop in old downtown Buffalo: that it become a place for 'community' to happen. Well, the growing number of THM regulars are proof that The Horses Mouth is becoming just that. And when Glenn and Laura invited folks to participate in "Open Mic Night" at their shop on Friday night, it apparently...well, struck a chord. Not only did folks show up to play and sing, but a large crowd turned out to enjoy the impromptu entertainment.

Passersby must have noticed that downtown Buffalo was packed with cars and The Horses Mouth itself was pleasantly crowded, as well. At one point in the evening someone counted 68 people in the old building, but more interesting than the numbers were the dynamics of the crowd. Scanning the audience or the list of those who signed up to play, one noticed a surprising mix: old and young, families and singles, locals and visitors to our community. As someone else came through the door, everyone just scooched over to make room for more.

Glenda Cheek and other entertainers found a warm reception at Open Mic Night. . The music was varied in genre. Classic country followed acoustic light rock that backed up contemporary worship songs. There was also a surprising amount of original music performed. My favorite lyric was from Bonner Missildine's offering, "If Jesus Came to Texas, He Wouldn't Want to Leave". It went something like, "...He might even come through Buffalo, but he prob'ly wouldn't stop..." (Not saying I agree, but it was a great line and drew a good laugh from the audience.) Some of the musicians were obviously ready to go professional, and others may have been performing for a live audience for the first time. Either way, the crowd was attentive and appreciative.

Arty Beshears acted as an emcee and kept things moving well. After everyone had a chance to play, several of the musicians teamed up for a jam session, with the percussionist improvizing with a trash can for a drum -- and it worked. It was that kind of a night...

The Von Trapp Family Si Nix family, represented here by Teresa and Bob (above) and Jordan (left), were among several family groups that proved the ol' adage: The (musical) acorn doesn't fall far from the tree! BHS senior Ryan Cheek takes a turn at the mic. Arty Beshears proved to be a gifted emcee, as well as musician. Percussionist John Easterling from Centerville jumped in on the African djembes (above) and the American trash can (below) ! Van'Go' photos A jam session ended the evening -- (L-R) Todd Rogers, Matt Torno, Arty Beshears, Nick Watson and John Easterling Flo's Nick Watson