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Bellingham Songwriters, On Stage and On the Airwaves.

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Bellingham has long boasted a wealth of musicians in all sorts of styles, there's "something for everyone" as the saying goes. The Monday Songwriters' Showcase Open Mic brings together these diverse fans and musicians for a two hour evening all ages show, 8-10pm, of original music in a relaxed listening atmosphere.      An open mic in itself is nothing new, you'll find most venues offer one or more of these shows as a way to gather in business on their off nights. The Songwriters Showcase Open Mic is unique because it includes only original music by the songwriters themselves performed in a theatrical setting, rather than a commercial  presentation. Each week the show's location, Bay Street Village Lobby by Blue Horse Gallery, is transformed by volunteers with backdrops, rug and comfortable padded chairs into an airy theatre with clear, crisp acoustics.      While a local solo musician performs their original rock, folk, jazz, blues or country tunes, you may notice an array of sound equipment on stage right. That's because the entire show is being recorded. Another unique aspect of this open mic is, that after mixing and editing, selected recordings from the Songwriters Showcase are aired on "Northwest Soundscapes" on KMRE 102.3fm. The fairly new Bellingham radio station is the "Voice of the American Museum of Radio & Electricity", located in Bellingham. Marcia Guderian, who created and hosts the Monday Songwriters Showcase is also the radio host for Northern Soundscapes". The radio show airs every Sunday from 8-10pm, the first hour has selections from local recording artists, the second hour (9-10pm) focuses on the live recordings from the Songwriters Showcase.

MONDAY: Songwriters Showcase Open Mic 8-10pm (except holiday weekends) Bay Street Village at Blues Horse Gallery, Bellingham SUNDAY: Northwest Soundscapes on air 8-10pm on KMRE 102.3 fm (second hour of show programming dedicated to live recordings from Monday Songwriter Showcase Open Mic)

Warming up for his turn onstage Monday at the Songwriters Showcase Open Mic, "Slumpter" Jason Comstock sits just outside the doors of Bay Street Village, Holly and Bay in downtown Bellingham.

Since the show began in mid-May of 2005 Bellingham audiences have been giving the event their approval. The listening atmosphere reminds one of the infamous Victory Music open mikes, very respectful of the writers. But it's not all serious by any means. Local Songwriter Ron Hardesty has lot's of rollicking humor in his original country tunes, and even more in his off-the-cuff song introductions. Doug Allison brought some highly entertaining and irreverant political humor into his compositions, harkening back to the 1960's coffee shop scene he was born at least twenty years too late to have been part of. Funk and blues songwriter Jade Wailer brought in his electric keyboard to share three of his uptempo originals from his CD.       Both seasoned and new songwriters have taken their turn on the Songwriters Showcase stage. If you've got two or three originals you should come down and participate also. Sets are often longer than that, it just depends on how long your songs are and how many musicians are there. It's a great weekly event to network with other songwriters, get some confidence  performing your original music, pick up information about the local Bellingham music association (BIMA) and the American Museum of Radio and Electricity.      Just leave those cover tunes in your pocket, there are plenty of other rooms to play those. The Songwriters Showcase is an original, and what a pleasure it is to hear an original artist on stage or on KMRE 102.3 fm.

Whatcom County songwriter Ron Hardesty contributes his homegrown country music to the stage at one Monday's Songwriters Showcase Open Mic in downtown Bellingham. His light hearted humor kept the audience in stitches. As the banner above the stage indicates, the original Bellingham show is co-produced by Marcia Guderian of Entendre Music, The American Museum of Radio and Electricity, KMRE 102.3fm and BIMA (Bellingham Independent Music Association.) The music stand in the background gets used when songwriters have a brand new unmemorized tune to share, or to help songwriters who are unused to performing their music alone in public.

Paul Turnberg (on the left) takes a moment to relax before his set of original music at the Songwriters Showcase. The audience inside is listening to the amplified  music on stage and perhaps enjoying a cup of coffee or pastry available at a courtesy table.

Eddie Craig (on the right) was all smiles as the soundman dialed him in on stage just before his open mic set.. Craig brought in some well crafted original songs that have rarely been performed in public, a real treat for the audience that night.

Doug Allison kept a rapid tempo rolling and toes tapping during his original set at the Songwriters Showcase Open Mic at Bay Street Village, on Holly and Bay in downtown Bellingham. He has played at the weekly event several times and was able to satisfy some audience requests for  specific songs he has written.

Entendre recording artist Marcia Guderian hosts the Songwriters Showcase every Monday in Bellingham. Her own original songs cover a number of genres. Guderian actually began the Songwriters Showcase back in 1989 with David Jennings. The show moved several times over the years, releasing "Best of Songwriters Showcase", producing two song contests, producing a number of Songwriters Concerts in addition to the weekly show. In 1991 Marcia Guderian and David Jennings received the Mayors Arts Award for their strident efforts promoting and nurturing local songwriters. The weekly Songwriters Showcase began again, after a 10 years rest, in May of 2005 with the addition of a Sunday night radio broadcast on KMRE 102.3 fm.

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