Aspiring Gainesville artists and poets kicked off Mellow Soul Tuesdays’ first open mic night at Rockeys Dueling Piano Bar this week.
The event, which featured singing, spoken word poetry, monologues, musicians and a live artist who created pieces on stage throughout the evening, was inspired by founder Ashley Wallace’s vision to revitalize the arts scene in downtown Gainesville. About 50 people attended.
“We’re just trying to bring some culture out — just give local artists or poets a platform to perform again,” said Wallace, a 26-year-old donor scheduler at LifeSouth Community Blood Center.
Wallace reached out to smooth jazz and rhythm and blues singer Phillip “Jazz Dad” Thomas to be the spotlight performer during the evening’s solo sessions.
Thomas is a Gainesville local who has performed throughout the U.S. and said he discovered his passion for singing at age 4 in Gainesville’s Church of God By Faith choir.
He said he wanted to perform at the event “to inspire the upcoming artists to be able to take the stage and get rid of stage fright and push their talent past Gainesville.”
One of those upcoming artists, Nehemiah Nash, opened the event with a spoken word poem he wrote called “Instagram.”
Wallace reached out to Nash, an 18-year-old business administration and philosophy freshman at Santa Fe College, to help bring Mellow Soul Tuesdays together when she learned about the Poetry, Entertainment, Arts, Comedians and Emceeing, or PEACE, club he created.
Nash said he was also looking to create poetry- and arts-centered events to encourage local talent when Wallace reached out to him.
He said they chose Rockeys as the venue after months of searching for an establishment that would fit the mood they hoped to create.
Andrew Poe, general manager of Rockeys and a UF alumnus, said it’s a privilege to be a part of bringing Mellow Soul Tuesdays to the bar, and he’ll look forward to the event’s progress as it establishes itself in the community.
“We’re taking part in a bigger thing that’s giving people the opportunity to express their passions in front of others and keeping the arts alive,” he said. “I see great things for the future.”
[A version of this story ran on page 7 on 11/20/2014]
