OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABloombars’ entire feel could be summed up by the two people, both in their mid-twenties, of different ethnicities, standing together playing the guitar on the sidewalk out front. It was an impressive scene to see, even before I entered the small room that comprises the venue, which had people milling about observing the art hanging on the walls.
I was there to see the Makepeace Brothers, and get my first taste of what Bloombars was all about. Inside, upbeat Afro-Caribbean music almost seemed to marry with the stage, which appeared to me as an African jungle scene with a touch of exposed brick, as though DC was trying to break through.
There were three acts on Saturday night – impromptu performances by dedicated and inspired individuals who all left their mark that night in the shape of good vibes and camaraderie amongst the patrons, who were spilling out onto the sidewalk before the second set was through. Individuals (including myself) in the first few rows were sitting, whereas most others were standing.
The owner of Bloombars, John Chambers, came up to me and introduced himself – it was something I then watched him do with a few of the other patrons he had not met. It really impressed me to see how many of the people at the venue he already knew, though – probably because he made it a point to meet everyone who had come through, making mental notes of faces and names. It’s a characteristic I hope to enjoy someday. Continues after the jump. (more…)
