Druid City Brewing Co. opens mic to musicians

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CW/ Austin Bigoney

Jared Ferguson, Contributing Writer

Musicians, beginning or experienced, are sometimes hard-pressed finding outlets to showcase their talents, but one Tuscaloosa venue offers a remedy for this issue every Sunday night.

Druid City Brewing Company’s open mic night allows any musician to perform three to four songs, covers and originals, regardless of the individual’s level of skill or experience. The only requirement is they arrive in time to sign up on the roster.

Brantley Charles, one of the performers from this past Sunday, Sept. 16, and a host of the event, discussed the event’s appeal to artists.

“It is a good night to test songs out,” Charles said. “There is also a nice sense of community at the brewery.”

Another performer and the event’s host, Jameson Hubbard, said open mic night can help artists in more ways than one.

“I guess there are many musicians in Tuscaloosa, at college or just living here, so you could say it is like an outlet for people to perform,” Hubbard said. “Not everybody can play a show every week, but this is a place where you can perform without the pressure of doing a show. Anybody can play, whether they are beginners or more experienced.”

Keith Thrash, the second performer on Sunday night, said events like this can be important to individuals with a passion for music such as himself.

“I always wanted to perform, and I played at some points in high school, but I was anxious to get on stage,” Thrash said. “Singing karaoke was important to me because it got me on stage and I became comfortable with performing in front of people, and I found that I could actually sing. I loved certain songs so much that I had to learn how to play them in front of people.”

Information about the event is disseminated throughout the music community. Zayne Lockhart, a junior majoring in vocal performance who also performed at the event, said he was personally invited to open mic night.

“For this particular event, I bought some items from Guitar Gallery when I first got down to Tuscaloosa, and Brantley [Charles] invited me to perform here,” Lockhart said. “I have been coming semi-regularly ever since.”

Lockhart also expressed enthusiasm at the regular turnout for the weekly event in relation to his aspirations as a musician.

“I have been playing guitar ever since I was 8 years old, and I started singing once I was in college,” Lockhart said. “I love coming to this place because it is quite crowded.”

If you’re interested in performing at open mic night, visit Druid City Brewing Company each Sunday night by 6 p.m. Druid City Brewing Company is located at 607 14th St.

Jameson Hubbard serenades the crowd at Druid City Brewing Company’s open mic night on Sunday, Sept. 16. CW/ Austin Bigoney