The Steynberg Gallery knows how to set an intimate mood: a single silhouette in front of a sequined red backdrop, a dusting of dim lighting and a window looking out to an early evening sky.
This was the scene at “Songwriters at Play,” a showcase of singer-songwriters hosted by Steve Key that features local and touring professional musicians.
Peter Steynberg, owner of the Steynberg Gallery, was impressed by the caliber of the performers.
“The quality of the music and the talent was incredible,” Steynberg said. “People are missing out if they don’t come.”
The musicians let their virtuoso guitar playing do the talking as their fingers danced across their guitar strings. Their songs were honest — just chords with real voices singing real melodies. But the heart and the energy with which they were sung captivated the audience and even made them sing along.
Singing with soul, the first performer to make his way to the stage was San Francisco-based singer-songwriter Chi McClean. McClean describes his style as “acoustic rock songs marked by a haunting Southern style.”
Following McClean was local folk rock band Honeyguide, featuring Shannon Savage on vocals and Benedict Erchul on bass. Honeyguide said they were thankful to be there and had the audience tapping their feet and nodding their heads.
“It’s a pleasure to be here surrounded by so much talent,” Savage said.
The night continued, filled with songs with tough questions and vivid ideas as Tom Hepner from Gilroy, Jody Mulgrew from Morro Bay and Kyle Williams from Chico each performed.
Mulgrew addressed the audience with humor in-between ballads.
“There’s so much love, I’m going to start drinking,” Mulgrew said. “I always get a cookie before I get out of here … mmm beer and cookies.”
More than an hour into the night, featured act Catherine Feeny took the stage. Feeny has had critical success with her most popular song, “Mr. Blue.” The song was picked up for the film “Running with Scissors,” featured in “The O.C.,” and reached the top of the charts on Britain’s most listened-to radio station, BBC Radio 2.
Feeny wore plaid socks that perfectly matched the colors in her shirt and sang dreamy, meandering ballads about her life that soothed the audience.
“Goodbye ocean, goodbye England/I hope tomorrow treats you well/It’s not your fault/It’s probably me, but I’m getting out if I still can,” she sang.
The audience listened intently — barely a murmur could be heard in the room. At one point, Feeny asked the crowd if they could move up to the front to make her feel better as well as sing along.
Key described his experience hearing Feeny for the first time.
“She was just great, one of those performers who starts singing in a noisy bar and everyone just shuts up. It’s magic when that happens now,” Key said.
Key, a local singer-songwriter and host of Songwriters At Play!, created the series three years ago. He has had 30 years of experience participating at open mic nights in college, hootenannies in New York in the late ’80s, writers’ nights in Nashville in the ’90s and hosting showcases on the Central Coast since 2007, he said.
“The most fun I have now is discovering talent locally as well as online,” Key said.
He continues to host weekly songwriter showcases in three locations, and twice-monthly in Solvang, he said. Last year, he booked more than 1,000 musicians.
His main motivation is keeping busy and staying close to music, he said.
“I can feel when I talk about music I’m passionate about it, I’m interested,” Key said. “I’ve tried other jobs, and I’ve had difficulty just showing up. I don’t really care all that much about someone else’s business.”
Also passionate about the local music scene is audience member Prism King. King attends and videotapes most of Key’s events and puts them on his YouTube channel he describes as “community service.”
“It’s rewarding in providing something,” King said. “I want more people to be aware of the channel so they can see the great local talent.”
Video: Live at Songwriters at Play