Attention Musicians! If homework is light, make your way to the Great Barn Taphouse in Warrington!
The Great Barn hosts a musical open mic every other Thursday that features a variety of acts, from guitar soloists, to harmonica players, aspiring songwriters, dancers, piano players and much more!
Every other Thursday, you can catch a musical vibe while dining down on some of their classic menu items such as their chicken caesar salad, wings, and shrimp, as well as some of your favorite drinks and various alcoholic options.
Bucks County Resident and Singer David Bjornsgaard began running the open mic performances when the opportunity presented itself, saying, “The Great Barn taphouse had an open mic, and the person running it, walked away from it. I went to the owners and offered to be the host. We made an agreement and I started doing it.”
Why did he do it?
“I think it pulls musicians together. It gives us a commonality, a kind of brotherhood. Entertainment and music has been in my blood. Since I was a young boy, my mother and father were in the theater, and after that fateful night watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show, it’s always been about music. The open mic gives people their chance to be in the spotlight, even if it’s just for a moment.”
Performers went back on the stage in Feb of 2022 after a two-year hold due to the Coronavirus Pandemic that shut down concerts, venues and gatherings. Musicians from all around Bucks County come to perform, but some have even written their own songs.
One of those performers is Steven B. Giller, who notes, “Everybody plays open mics. Everyone supports one another. If they are doing open mics, chances are they are doing a lot of other cool stuff with music as well.”
“That’s just all going to triple down to all the great things they do musically. If your venue is doing an open mic, you know it’s going to work out, because you connect with musicians of all skill levels and evolve different milestones and phases. You’re in it the second you show up.”
Giller added, “Being able to expand my creative passions onto a public spear and doing it consistently in a place where all are welcomed and all are encouraged to perform. I’ve never been to an open mic and someone says ‘oh no we have too many people signed up.’ There is no such thing as too many people at an open mic.”
Another performer is Tom Heins, who like many others, has had a passion for making music going back to their childhood, “I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 years old, but I’ve been playing by myself for so long. I wanted to see if I could perform with other people, so I started going and watching. I felt I could do it and I did it. It was very scary, but I felt I could do it and I did it!”
Heins noted, “At some level, I get something out of performing. I hope the crowd gets something out of what I perform as well. It’s a chance to do what I like to do in front of people. It’s fun! You have to be willing to see the highs and lows. It’s a challenge to come out and see what each performer can bring, it’s always interesting to see.”
Whether you’re looking to showcase your love for music, or simply looking for some solid food and entertainment, make sure to visit the Great Barn Taphouse in Warrington!