Open Mic Saga Continues Across Town

We've lost another one.

As if the venue count wasn't dwindling already, the kids now have to drive a little further down the Prince William Parkway. With Galveston Court's Tropical Smoothie Café in the outer rim of Woodbridge no longer hosting open mic nights, the movement has shifted to Simply Sweet, a different brand of café off Main in Old Town Manassas.

The first shows were initiated by musician Lauren Graham, who heard the call of others with no outlet.

"I hadn't heard of many open mic nights up in Woodbridge so I decided to open one up outside of Tropical Smoothie Café," Graham recalled. "I came up the first Saturday of every month from Stafford and would set everything up and have local kids come and showcase their music."

It worked. Kids rehearsing melodies for hours in their bedrooms finally had an opportunity to release.

"There are so many kids these days that play music and sing," Graham said. "I think it's great for kids to do. The people there are always really nice. I loved every single person I met there."

But the torch must be passed on. With Graham moving  forward, there is an undeniable void.

For reasons unknown, the adolescence nomads have decided to relocate to the other side of town. Serving a variety of hot and cold coffee drinks and Chai teas, fruit smoothies, and a selection of muffins and pastries, Simply Sweet also features sandwiches, assorted candies, soft drinks, and ice cream.

"It's a small place but the people that show up are a good audience," fellow musician Jamie Adams said.

Adams, an open-mic veteran couldn't turn down the offer to play the new store. Tallahassee native and owner Matt Brower hoped to host a new groove with a family feel. For the rest of the in-betweens, a new atmosphere meant a new mindset.

"It's really calm," Adams said.

Sign-up is easy, with a sheet located right at the register. But the butterflies don't start until you strum your first chord.

"My first performance was awkward," Adams said. "It was a new crowd of people and an entirely new atmosphere, but after we played the first song everything felt right at home. It's very easy going and relaxed."

Without pioneers like Graham and substance like Adams, another Woodbridge open-mic night for a younger crowd may never happen again. It is up to the next generation to coordinate the pipeline, because the material is so clearly there.

"I definitely think that Woodbridge has a lot of talent," said Adams.

Now we're just waiting for someone to make a move. Hopefully closer to our side of town.