Sunday, Sep. 27, 2009

Cusseta residential property offers comfortable stop, stage for traveling musicians

Cusseta property is a stage for traveling artists

Cusseta residential property offers comfortable stop for traveling musicians

By SONYA SORICH

ssorich@ledger-enquirer.com

Marsha Short can literally find quality entertainment in her own backyard.

That’s because Short’s Cusseta property includes Bunkhouse Blues, a stage that since 2007 has hosted performances by traveling musicians.

Short and husband Stan Edwards built the space after a friend in North Carolina introduced them to house concerts — an alternative for artists looking to perform somewhere other than a traditional nightclub.

The shows boast a laid-back atmosphere and a potluck spread with home-cooked meals. Not to mention bathrooms that are presumably much cleaner than what you’d see at your favorite bar.

Ideal venue

Bunkhouse Blues is anything but your average house party.

“It’s a quaint little acoustic setting,” Short said. “It’s not really set up for loud bands because we are in a residential area.”

Across the nation, house concerts are held in spaces like backyards, living rooms and guest bedrooms. Musicians research participating venues online.

At the Cusseta property, a stage anchors the concert space. Guests stake out spots nearby, surrounded by greenery and a glistening pond.

Fans bring their own beverages and hang around for a late-night jam session after the main event.

Musicians perform under the stars — and then fall asleep in the bedroom that’s adjacent to the stage.

Not bad, huh?

Texas-based musician Amanda Pearcy won’t complain.

She and her husband, known on stage as Cowboy Johnson, will perform Saturday at Bunkhouse Blues.

“To me, this is the ideal venue,” said Pearcy, who describes her musical style as a mix of Americana and country. “There’s more of a sense of community.”

Some musicians use house concerts as stopping points when they’re traveling between gigs in big cities.

But for Pearcy, big commercial hot spots take second place to venues like Bunkhouse Blues.

House concerts are more likely to attract serious music fans — the concert goers who will consciously pay attention to your lyrics and want to know the story behind your songs, Pearcy explained.

“The people there are really there to listen. It just feels better all the way around,” she said.

Something different

Artists aren’t the only ones who benefit from the setup.

Bunkhouse Blues concerts — which focus primarily on folk and bluegrass genres — can broaden local music lovers’ horizons, introducing them to new songwriters from across the nation.

“The purpose of the venue No. 1 is to showcase the musical songwriting talent that is out there,” Short said. “The talent is just phenomenal.”

Short and her husband are longtime musicians who often participate in the jam sessions at Bunkhouse Blues.

At the very least, the shows offer a way to vary your nightlife calendar.

“It’s something different,” Short said. “It’s not something that you hear around town all the time.”

Meanwhile, the featured artists walk away with new fans, new friends and the possibility of a home-cooked wakeup call.

“We might even get breakfast the next morning,” Pearcy said.

Sonya Sorich, feature writer, can be reached at 706-571-8516.