Zebu Forno Rings in 2011 With Full January Music Schedule

Zebu Forno may be a favorite morning meet-up spot for Freehold coffee lovers, but it's also fast becoming home to Western Monmouth County's burgeoning independent music scene.

"We focus on local musicians. We have a lot of young bands just starting out, and it's a good opportunity for their first show," said John Cannon, a part-time employee at Zebu Forno. Since July 2009, Cannon and fellow baristas Nicole Calascibetta and Joe DiCamillo have organized the performance schedule and open mic nights.

"We're working to make (Zebu Forno) a center for Freehold culture," Cannon said. "This is something the part-time staff does just because we want to do it, because music is important to us. We want to build a music community."

The musical performances run the gamut from acoustic singer-songwriters to alternative rock and punk bands. In addition, comedians and poets have been known to take the stage on open mic nights, which are Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

"We've had 12-year-olds up to 28-year-olds play," Cannon noted. "The shows here have a really good vibe. People are really excited about them."

Zebu Forno serves its full menu of specialty coffees, pizzas and baked goods during the events.

Bands or musicians interested in playing at one of Zebu Forno's weekend shows can contact Cannon, Calascibetta and DiCamillo at zebufornofreehold@gmail.com. Sign-ups for open mic nights should be made at the store.

January 2011 Music Schedule

(Note: More bands may be added to the roster for the events listed below.)

• Sun., Jan. 2 at 6 p.m.: Escape Directors, Waterbury and Reverse Order
• Fri., Jan. 7 at 6 p.m.: Cities & Years, The Mixtape and For Our Lifetime
• Sat., Jan. 8 at 6 p.m.: Third Wave Records Acoustic Showcase
• Sun., Jan. 9 at 6 p.m.: Regina Conroy with Zach Moyle and Brittany Hadley with Mike Bons
• Sat., Jan. 15 at 6 p.m.: Brooke Girard and Viv Peyret
• Fri., Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.: Aquarian Weekly Showcase featuring The New Royalty, Mikey Mo and A Subtle Monument
• Sun., Jan. 23 at 6 p.m.: Running on Empty