Less than a year old, Midnight Mug has created a reason other than studying to go to the library. In an effort to bring more art to campus, Midnight Mug opens its doors every Thursday to aspiring local musicians such as Spencer Bates.
Bates’ performance there last week was one of the best of the semester. His mellow piano and thoughtful lyrics lent the library coffee shop the welcoming atmosphere necessary to compel midterm stressed students to stick around for a few songs.
With his refreshingly mature Elton John- inspired sound, Bates’ dedication to the music was apparent throughout his four-hour set. Mixed into a set of original tracks were occasional Ben Folds, Coldplay and Oasis covers.
Although Bates’ passion for creating music is longstanding, his music career is just now on the rise. His interest in singing peaked when, as a student at Northwestern, he began to teach himself piano. Bates described the learning process as “trial and error to see what sounded good together.”
Cultivating his musical career, however, did not come as easily as his musical talent. A Chevy Chase, Md., native, Bates had been playing and composing for several years, but he still had yet to perform live. In fact, his first album, released in February 2002, came out long before any serious pursuit of live gigs. “There was a big wall between live shows and me,” Bates said. “I was hesitant to try. It was a daunting task. But what I like about music is the immediate connections with people.”
Last Thursday night it was apparent that his stagefright has been overcome. With a substantial fan base already established at Georgetown, Midnight Mug became increasingly crowded as his set of 40-plus songs progressed. Bates proved himself to be an artist of substance with lyrics that spoke directly to the 20-something crowd caught in the transition between college and the real world. The serious themes of his tunes, however, did not dampen or sedate the mood of the evening. A medley of upbeat covers strategically placed after a string of slower-paced ballads revved the audience up.
Perhaps the most promising aspect of the evening was the humor that pervaded the show. Bates would often interrupt himself to converse with the crowd or mask a musical mistake with a joke, bringing the event to a personal, intimate level.
According to Mara Hovancsek (CAS ‘06), the director of programming for Midnight Mug, the goal of these weekly performances is “to get different students and different influences into the venue.”
These Thursday performances are also open to Georgetown students. Jack Somers will be performing this week (CAS ‘04). Performances by more experienced professionals are also planned. On November 6, the cafe will welcome Michael Jamtz, who has opened for B.B. King and Jack Johnson. Other weekly events are in the works as well, including improv comedy on Sundays, Tuesday jazz and Wednesday poetry readings.
To learn more about Bates and to listen to his music, visit spencerbates.com. Bates performs every week at the Thymes Square Caf? in Bethesda, Md. and every Friday at Firestone’s in Frederick, Md.
