Sunday Night in Stroudsburg
On a recent Sunday evening the people of Stroudsburg and surrounding areas came to the Living Room, a small building owned by the Sherman Theatre, in order to listen to live music and performers such as poets and comedians. The night started with Host Jess Roth and regular poet Carlton Farnbaugh swapping pieces and depicting each other’s work. It was a fun experience for many regulars who have seen both Jesse and Carlton perform their own work.
The fun didn’t stop there, though. “Doctor” Andy Spence stepped onto the carpet at the Living Room’s Open Mic and spoke on natural life, relationships, and society, making the people of Stroudsburg roll in the aisles over his clever satire and portrayal of everyday struggles. The game was up this night with performances from C-Rock, Field of View, SunnyShading and Kes, giving the evening a nice, fun glow of music and performances.
The Featured Act for tonight’s Open Mic was a band from the Wilkes-Barre area called Folk by Default, highlighting guitarist Brian and singer Kayla. Their set was a medley of beautifully done, well-written covers. The band also performed several original pieces. The instrumental was technical and managed to flow very well, while Kayla’s range was incredible and absolutely gorgeous. I spoke to Kayla and Brian after the show and asked them about Folk by Default. Turns out the group was formed by classical singer Kayla, whose singing is clearly influenced by Hayley Williams of Paramore. Folk by Default’s style is described as Pop Punk that evolved from Classic Punk. The show was enjoyable overall.
Another band I found enchanting was Field of View, an alternative Indie Rock full piece band from the Wilkes-Barre area. Field of View joined us for the first time tonight and played original music that was simply hypnotic. Lead singer Josh and guitarist Mike started Field of View in 9th grade and have gone far, working on their debut album and perfecting their performance. The instrumentals were precise and Josh’s vocals were perfect. The music put the listener on a plane of nirvana. The rest of the room seemed to be enjoying their performance as much as I was, as it elicited rave reviews for the instrumental tracks and lyrics.
Besides the features at the Sunday Open Mic, local artists perform almost every week, including SunnyShading, who plays the guitar as well as the ukulele, and writes songs about life and heartbreak. And let’s not overlook Kes, whose acoustic performances are breathtaking as well as just fun to sing along to. His technical talent is complemented by his passion and exhibits a beautiful form of lyrics and instrumental.
This is what one can find every week at the Living Room’s Open Mic on Main Street in Stroudsburg, so be sure to stop in.
