An Evening of Good Live Music

In a dark school auditorium, where the thick tan stage curtains once hung behind chorus concerts and theater plays, dimmed spotlights illuminate a dark-haired woman gently strumming her Martin guitar. She stands among the pink and white roses, small green plants, and leafy burgundy vines that line the stage, singing softly about an elderly lady in a red hat.

Thirty-some people relax in rows of folding chairs, listening while the woman closes her eyes and sings the chorus. As the sky darkens, candles glow along the high window sills and shadowy figurines of carousel horses sit nestled amid folds of sheer white fabric. Sharon Goldman finishes her song with a slow strum, and smiles as the audience of ’s open mic night applauds her and waits eagerly for the next act.

This past Saturday was the non-profit organization’s monthly open mic night, which featured New Jersey-based folk/pop artist Goldman. She played a 20-minute set of original songs about halfway through the night at the Upper Milford Municipal Center.

But Goldman wasn’t the only talented musician on the stage. Krista Van Braden, who recently released an EP, kicked off the show with her navy blue guitar and angelic vocals, singing about her love for God and being a musician. A middle-aged man named Walt Schilling followed. After playing music for 30 years, he recently got back into songwriting and decided to try a couple of his Neil Young-influenced songs on the audience.

With a guitar and harmonica, Steve Walker had the audience laughing with a “sing-along” styled song about his widely unknown hometown of Barto, Pennsylvania, and another original about the Bethlehem Parking Authority and its frequently ticketed parking meters.

The common folk style of music took a bluesy turn when Jay Lapp and Josh Kanusky (the drummer for LLM’s next concert: Angel Band) took the stage. While Kanusky tapped a cajón (box) drum, Lapp sang two soulful numbers with a smooth voice and a guitar. Lapp’s father John also performed. After grabbing his guitar and pulling up a chair, he introduced himself by saying, “I sound exactly like Jay, only I can’t sing or play.” Lapp brought some classic country style to the stage by playing Johnny Cash.

A handful of other acts also showcased family talent. The Zepp family, complete with a fiddle, guitar, mandolin and acoustic bass, energetically played bluegrass tunes including “Keep on the Sunny Side” by The Carter Family. And the Druckenmillers, a mother-father-son act with two fiddles and a guitar, had the audience clapping with two upbeat “old-time” tunes.

A few musicians, such as Dustin Miller, stepped outside the folk genre. Miller sang a couple of his punk rock-influenced love songs, belting out the vocals and ripping power chords on his bright blue acoustic guitar. And Peter Scapegrace, who won Best Acoustic Song at the 2010 Lehigh Valley Music Awards and who is opening for Stacey Earle and Mark Stewart at LLM’s June concert, sang boldly to a jazzy original titled “Cinematic Love Affair” that had fingers snapping.

With only a $3 cover charge and dollar refreshments served until 10 p.m., music lovers can enjoy a variety of live music and a Saturday night out at LLM’s next open mic night on June 4.