Poets, actors, musicians, jugglers, good comedians, bad comedians and comedians who are good'because'they'are'so'bad have been entertaining Athens' Friday night crowds for 16 years thanks to The Front Room's Open Stage Nights and the contemporary folk styling of Bruce Dalzell and his wacky guitar.
Dalzell said the purpose of Open Stage Night is to give people an opportunity to find out if they want to be performers. Instead of battling with a rowdy bar crowd, The Front Room in Baker University Center offers a safe and supportive environment for amateurs, he said.
You can practice for hours and hours in your kitchen
but everything is different on stage; time and space are completely different Dalzell said.
The Front Room is host to the longest-running open mic night in Athens. It began as an effort to bring back business after university alcohol sales were halted.
Dalzell had been playing guitar since the '70s and hosted almost every open mic night in town at one point or another, so he was offered the job as master of ceremony and sound technician.
Because Bruce has been around the Athens music scene for such a long time he understands how people get over performance anxiety and stuff like that
said Tim Hogan, interim associate vice president for student affairs and associate director of Baker. He said Open Stage Night owes its popularity to Dalzell's reputation in the music community and the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere The Front Room provides.
Though many acts have crossed the stage since then, Dalzell said one of the most memorable performances was when two men played the didgeridoo ' a long pipe instrument used by Australian aborigines ' and recited TS Eliot. Another unforgettable act was a former brewmaster's juggling act that ended with his hair catching on fire.
You can pretty much entertain anybody with anything if you can connect with your audience
Dalzell said.
A typical Friday night's audience is 80 percent students, Dalzell said. Families and high schoolers also attend because of the dry atmosphere.
Although he is known for his open mic nights -- Dalzell also hosts the calmer Wednesday night open stage in the Bunches of Grapes Room in Baker University Center -- his whispering voice and therapeutic guitar can also be found on two CDs, a Christmas album, three compilation CDs and a soundtrack for the movie A Forest Returns.
Dalzell's soft-as-wind-chimes music is usually developed while driving, he said. He uses moments of clarity between consciousness and unconsciousness to write songs about getting old and watching his children grow, he said.
His voice is really neat in my opinion. I think he has a really pretty voice. It's kind of soft and nice to listen to; it's very pleasing to the ear
said Victor Rasgaitis, freshman musician who frequents local open mic nights.
When he isn't playing, Dalzell runs a piano-tuning business. Starting musicians shouldn't be afraid of a day job, because it can allow more creative freedom when they're not worried about a paycheck, he said.
Despite his long music career, the folk artist has never thought about giving up music, he said. Once his youngest child is out of the house, he hopes he will have more freedom to take his music on the road.
Bruce Dalzell hosts Open Stage Night in The Front Room in Baker University Center every Friday at 8 p.m. and in the Bunches of Grapes Room every Wednesday at 8 p.m. There is no cover for either.
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Kelly Schwaberow
