Lose those winter blues with 'Toast & Jam'

"Toast & Jam," now in its 12th year, begins on Monday, Feb. 14, (Valentine's Day) from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Brickyard Pub & BBQ, 432 Center St., Lewiston.

This jazz-jammin', blues-rockin', poetry-reading coffeehouse event continues on Mondays until March 21.

Singer-songwriter Dale Campbell hosts the six-week series of open mic entertainment, which is open to all singers, musicians, poets, actors, dancers, comics and performance artists.

Campbell's calling card boasts a long history of open mics, and he can be heard regularly on WJJL with "Just Me and the Dog" and "Dale Campbell - All About Town."

Performers sign up as they arrive, and play on a first-come, first-served basis. Most of the people who perform at open mics are not professionals. They do it for the love of it, and part of the fun for the audience is never knowing what to expect, Campbell said. "It's a great atmosphere," he said. "By the end of the night, it feels like a sing-along at a friend's house.  Some performers are really good, others are just there to have fun."

Vic's Woodshed Music and Lewiston Music have donated a guitar to raffle. The winner will be drawn at the "Toast & Jam" finale on March 21.

Highlights from "Toast & Jam" are featured throughout the year on Lockport Community Television, so performers are invited to take advantage of this unique opportunity to enjoy a moment in the spotlight.

"Toast & Jam" is presented by Lewiston Council on the Arts and sponsored by the Brickyard, LCTV, Cataract Printing, Lewiston Music and Vic's Woodshed Music.