Find Your Muse Monday's is the number one place because unlike most open stages that host weekly jam sessions and tipsy cover tune gatherings, the crowd does not consist entirely of musicians waiting for their 10 minutes on deck.
Charlotte's The Evening Muse listening crowd attracts fans--100 to 150 gazing at the stage in complete silence to the musings as Eric Scott Guthrie starts off the night--resembling days when people came to hear artists because the artists had something to say.
The new and the jaded, the talented, the unpublished poet, the indie muse of fresh talent: Find Your Muse Monday Nights 8 PM at the corner of 36th and North Davidson attracts artists that understand the art and the community of sharing. Egos are checked at the door. These artists are the talent of the city.
In The Beginning
Lowry--a Brooklyn based band--took over The Evening Muse for what was initially an empty rehearsal space with dollar drafts. Monday's in June 2006 began what has become a quietly packed reunion of artists at the mic or first time comedians with new material and compositions. From unpolished voices and seasoned blues professionals, Find Your Muse gives NoDa the artistic inhibitions that Lowry and Company sparked, passing on the axe and harmonica to the acclaimed Guthrie.
The Nexus of The Arts District's music scene and Joe Kuhlmann's Muse are paramount to the thriving Asheville-esque flavor on the corner--it's his continued support of regional bands from Rock Hill to University City Blvd. that distinguishes Charlotte's music scene as a diverse continuum of remarkable talent: a neighborhood filled with artists evolving and creating. Local talent opening for national bands and solo acts passing through is what the uninitiated will find at the corner music room surrounded by galleries, a head shop, coffee stop, pizza palace, deli, and bars...
Musicians Come To Play
Musicians, do not be intimidated. Be prepared to play. The Evening Muse crowd is rarely chatty and is attentive. Silence ensues when a fresh, new sound steps to the mic. The beer and wine is put on pause. Ears perk and heads turn to the chanteuse of the night--a Wednesday night opener--Anna Bullard's poetry to acoustic, jangled strums to meaning of the evening for why Monday is the new Friday.
It's evident to any Charlotte musician or artist playing the rounds--The Evening Muse is a landmark listening room for top acts, indie bands, and local musicians starting off. All levels of musical talent are treated with the same respect, unless you're expecting to play "Last Dance With Mary Jane." There is not much time for common covers, but rare renditions of classic gems seemingly lost in a jukebox are still welcome.
People will be listening for the bridge, so don't be afraid to improvise.
Wesley Cutlip - A full time musician and freelance listener that admires freelance writers. I am a graduate of UNCC with a BA in English and Philosophy.
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