July Stage Left Open Mic Features Suzy Schwartz

Please note: The July Open Mic is on SATURDAY evening instead of our regular Friday evening.

Our July Stage Left Open Mic features Suzy Schwartz, Saturday, July 15, 2023, 7:00 pm / CDT (doors open at 6:30 pm).

Save the date, Saturday, July 15, 2023, 7:00 pm/CDT (doors open 6:30 pm). Please join us at Stage Left Cafe, 125 Van Buren St., Woodstock, on the historic Woodstock Square. It’s so good to be back on Fridays! Great crowds, wonderful music.

These monthly events offer a delightful evening of music and friendship. We hope to see you — performing or enjoying the performances.

July Stage Left Open Mic Features Suzy Schwartz

Suzy Schwartz is a rhythm guitarist and vocalist, well-known to our community.

Her early years in school, church, and community choirs helped launch her music business which began with the band “Sapphire Song.” Suzy also plays from time to time in a band called “The 5-Star Divas” with a group of fellow nurses at the hospital where she works as a nurse.  They performed cafeteria concerts for the staff for Nurses Week and Christmas and did Christmas caroling for the patients on the units. 

From 2003-2012, she tremendously enjoyed collaborating with Sandie Stemple in a locally popular duet known as “Just Duet.”  They still rally together to sing “The Star Spangled Banner” for various events around the county.

Suzy’s current music projects and activities

Currently, Suzy has many musical options, playing solo for various venues like wineries, distilleries, French markets, bars, restaurants, weddings, funerals, and also with a group of interchangeable musicians known as “The Joey Sunset Project,” fronted by her dear friend, Jim Duncan. 

Suzy occasionally plays in a duet called, “IRIS,” which stands for “I’m Rick I’m Suzy.” Rick Cartwright is the ‘one man band’ on keyboard, and Suzy plays guitar and sings most of the leads. Sometimes they add amazing lead guitarist, John Rogutich, and drummer, Kirk Gustafson, to the mix for extra fun and are known as “Suzy and the Q’s”! This is a crazy-good band and we play many 80’s classic rock type music and some current music as well. A great party band! 

Recently Suzy joined a brand new band called “Creepy Uncle Jack” which consists of Jack Berman (formerly of the Minks), Tom Amidon (also formerly of the Minks) on bass and Tim Essington on drums.  There is really nothing creepy about Jack, but he is a wonderful rock and roll guitarist, and this band is meant to party with tunes by Tom Petty, Social Distortion, The Rolling Stones, Joan Jett, The Romantics, Elle King, Bonnie Raitt, Beatles, Nick Lowe, etc. You get the idea. 

Suzy is excited to finally offer her very first professional CD recorded at Starbell Hatchery Studio in Harvard, Illinois, with John Hegner, who was amazing to work with! Called “My Rainbow,” it is available on Suzy’s website.

Find out more about Suzy Schwartz

• Suzy’s website: https://suzymusic.net/
• Music sample from Woodstock Sessions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQfzeXTfchw

Don’t miss Suzy Schwartz, Stage Left Cafe, 125 Van Buren St., Woodstock, Friday, July 14, 2023, 7:00 pm / CDT (doors open at 6:30 pm).

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Want to perform? Sign up now – here’s how:

Stage Left Open Mics get better and better since we came back to Friday evenings. Spots fill quickly, so sign up early — two songs or ten minutes, whichever comes first.

If you’d like to perform and haven’t already completed your one-time informational form, please visit this page (or use the button below). Once you submit the form, then return to that page any time to request a performance spot in any of our venues.

You can also contact the event organizer directly, for Stage Left Open Mics, Keith Johnson, keith@offsquaremusic.org.

What is the Stage Left Open Mic?

These Open Mics, brought to you by Off Square Music, are monthly events on 2nd Fridays in Woodstock. Performers — musicians, singers, poets, and others — come together to connect with a live audience in a wonderful, family-friendly environment.

Whether you’re just starting out as a performer or are a seasoned veteran, our audience provides a supportive atmosphere. Stage Left, part of the Woodstock Opera House, adds to that ambiance with an exceptional performance space and sound system.

Off Square Music requests a $5.00/pp suggested donation to support our many music activities, including these Stage Left Open Mic nights.

Important note to all performers and attendees

Masks are currently optional, and we do not require proof of vaccination. Please be thoughtful of your neighbors.

Want to Know More about Off Square Music?

The best way to know what’s going on in local music is to visit the Off Square Music website Calendar regularly. Here are other ways to keep up with us:

• Visit our website frequently
• Sign up for our mailing list, right column of every page of our site, and
• Check out Off Square Music on Facebook (@offsquaremusic.org), Twitter (@OffSquareMusic) and Instagram (offsquaremusic).
• Visit our growing music library on YouTube.

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