Songwriters At Play!: Blog

Tonight! Thursday Feb. 16 The Porch, Santa Margarita: Lost Hills, plus Dan Daniel, Shannon Savage, BanjerDan, Diane Arkenstone, Steve Kindel. 6:30pm, Free!Saturday Feb. 18 Laetitia Winery, Arroyo Grande: Owen Plant, Phoebe Light, Billy Estrada & Tony Kirkorian of Spoonfed Lightning, plus Victor & Penny, Rob Kimball. 1-4pm, Free!Sunday Feb. 19 Sculpterra Winery, Paso Robles: Prey 4 Phyre, plus Amy Arani, Matt Suarez. 1-4pm, Free!Monday Feb. 20 Concert at The SPOT, Arroyo Grande: Tim Pacheco, plus The Belmores, Richard Berman 7pm, $10.Tuesday Feb. 21 Kreuzberg, SLO: Richard Berman, plus Young Ireland, Stephanie Austin, Gary Garrett, Gustavo Bustos, Tim Jackson, Katie Edmiston. 6:30pm, Free!MORE DETAILS: http://www.songwritersatplay.comBIG FUN IN A SMALL TOWN: The Porch in Santa Margarita is our longest-running weekly showcase. It feels like a gathering of family and friends. This week we feature Kern River troubadour Lost Hills -- a modern-day Woody Guthrie who sings of working [...]

Join us this Sunday afternoon at Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles as we celebrate ONE YEAR of Songwriters At Play at this beautiful venue. Forecast is sunny and 70, so we plan to be out in the sculpture garden. Bring a picnic! More details below, and four more venues too...SHOWS THIS WEEK: --Sunday Jan. 8 Sculpterra Winery, Paso Robles: Janet Robin, plus Diane Arkenstone, Gary Garrett, Steve Key, more. 1-4pm, Free!--Monday Jan. 9 Concert at The SPOT, Arroyo Grande: Tribute to Bonnie Raitt featuring Chick Tuesday, The BlueSouls, Kelly Wildowsky & Michele Casteel, Melody Klemin, Tiana Star, Steve Key, Gary Garrett. 7pm, $10.--Tuesday Jan. 10 Kreuzberg, SLO: Ranchers For Peace, plus Ted Waterhouse, Gary Garrett, Jody Belsher, Peter Yelda, St. Vincent Folk, Casey Chadwell. 6:30pm, Free!--Thursday Jan. 12 The Porch, Santa Margarita: Sandii Castleberry, plus Alexis Nelson, Jennifer Martin, Jayson Jones, Caitlyn Vassaur. 6:30pm, Free!--Saturday Jan. 14 Laetitia Winery, Arroyo Grande: Dorian [...]

I am glad you wrote.  It's been awhile since you've played a showcase.  Many times you've been there -- sometimes as a featured act, but more often playing four songs in an unpaid guest set.  I keep asking you to come back -- I leave voice mails, send e-mails, but no reply.  I even invite you in person, and you're so friendly and positive, as months go by since your last Songwriters At Play booking.Now I get your brutally honest reply.  Bottom line: you say our showcases are not worth your time.  Seems like it's the same crowd, same lack of response to your music.  And it's not just us -- you say you're going through a rough time musically, trying to re-invent yourself and having a difficult time doing it.  You say, "I don't feel the desire to play shows until I am proud of the songs and music I can offer."You're not alone.  I hear lots of stories, people who played music when they were younger, then stopped for years to put the emphasis on family [...]

LIVE SHOWS THIS WEEK: --Tonight! Oct. 27 The Porch, Santa Margarita: Seattle Jean Mann, plus Shannon Savage & Debra Windsong, Eugene Christopher, Connley Simpson. 6:30pm, Free!--Sunday Oct. 30 Sculpterra Winery, Paso Robles: Guitarist Martin Paris, plus Flo Paris, Dorian Michael, Craig Louis Dingman, John M., Jo Elless, Steve Kindel. 1-4pm, Free!--Tuesday Nov. 1 Kreuzberg, SLO: Dirk Hamilton (former ABC/Elektra recording artist), plus Nashville's Adrea LaRoche, Just People, Emma Clopton-Place, James Mattheis. 6:30pm, Free!
TUNE IN! Songwriters At Play highlights are set to air on The Krush 92.5FM Mondays 6-7pm beginning Nov. 7. First show features Katie Boeck, Aireene Espiritu, Kat Devlin, Steve Key. Recorded by Cliff Stepp at The Spot in Arroyo Grande 8-29-11.
FUN IN THE SUN! Sculpterra Sunday afternoon showcases have moved outdoors, and the last two have been magical. This week's lineup is packed with great talent, so Cliff is coming out to record it for our new radio show. Join us [...]