By Jordyn Taylor
On a humble stage decorated with strings of multicolored lights, songwriters from all over the DMV came to perform some of their work for the DMV Makes Music Showcase at Tight Five Pub on Apr. 11.
The showcase featured 12 local artists of all ages, including D. Davis, Jack Richards, Ben Ryan, Aura Grey, Drew Sorrells, and more. Throughout the night, audience members enjoyed the sounds of country, bluegrass, rock, folk, and even pop.
Alex Callsen, the event organizer, was a one-man machine for the night as he worked the small soundboard, handled the live sound equipment, and occasionally captured footage on his phone for social media use.
“I just figured there’s not many songwriter showcases in D.C. and definitely not many in that like Nashville style where people kind of trade-off songs. We’re kind of a stepping stone between the open mics and people getting their own gigs and organizing their own bills. There’s a lot of development that happens,” Callsen explained.
The free showcase is part of a series of events by the same name started by Callsen in 2021. Callsen is an artist himself, having experienced the struggle of finding gigs and staying booked throughout the year.
After living in Nashville for two years, he saw the need for open mics that brought the same exciting experience that rivals an open mic in “Music City” while giving novice artists a professional introduction to the area’s live performance opportunities at different venues.
Since then, the showcase has hosted over 200 artists and graced the spaces of five different venues in the DMV, eventually finding a home at the Tight Five Pub. The community of songwriters recently celebrated its 50th showcase on Mar. 21.
The Tight Five Pub is a sports bar located in Adams Morgan, affectionately known as AdMo. The pub is active in the nightlife scene on 18th Street, and hosts live music events weekly. (Jordyn Taylor/HU News Service)
Performers take turns playing their original compositions in pairs, designed to mimic open mics and gigs in Nashville. They are also lightly compensated for their performances, which differs from other similar events in the area.
Christian Brown, a singer-songwriter in the psychedelic folk genre, is a repeat performer at these showcases and urges other songwriters to try live performing.
“I’ve been playing in the area for about two years now and played in open mics and some venues here and there. It’s just an open and receptive community with Sash and all the people that come to watch. A lot of people pick up the music hobby when life calms down, so I am certifying that this is the place to be”, Brown said before taking the stage.
Acoustic guitars, pianos, and harmonicas could be heard coming from the open door of the Tight Five Pub, located on popular 18th Street.
Isabel Floyd, a visiting architecture teacher from North Carolina, had only intended to pop into the pub for a split second while exploring the town on her ‘bridal shower extravaganza’ trip but actually stayed until the very last performer.
“I was going to leave until I heard my name in a song coincidentally…It was a pleasant time listening to everyone’s story and to see all the different instruments played tonight. I would come back if I had the time and money to get back to DC.”, Floyd expressed.
As the weather warms into spring, the showcase will host more outdoor events and mixers in the coming months. To keep up to date with the showcase, please visit their Instagram (@thedmvmakesmusic).
