On Tuesday evening, June 10 the Daily Grind was a packed house. And coffee and tea were only half the reason that people crowded in, young and old alike.

Jeanie Patterson, owner of the Daily Grind in West Village on Virginia 419, wanted to do something new and different and decided that teenagers don’t have a lot of options during the evenings in SWoCo.

So, she decided to begin an Open Mic Night for Teens.

“I was so pleased, I had no idea really what to expect because I had never done it or been to one,” Patterson said. “But I was really pleased at the turnout and the enthusiasm of the kids and the encouragement of each other and support.”

Six groups and individual musicians and one poetry reader took the initiative to get in front of a group of people and show them what they had.

One of those musicians, not only played the guitar and keyboard, but she sang original songs she had written.

Meet Justina Shandler, a 9th grader at Hidden Valley High School. Shandler was the first to participate in the open mic night, and there wasn’t an unhappy face in the room.

With support for her friends and others, Shandler played four songs on the keyboard and two on the guitar.

“I love the experience of playing in front of people. I’m used to playing at home where people
don’t clap for you. Hearing people clap is like…wow,” Shandler said. “I love it so much.”

Shandler, who claims to be self conscious, just began playing at open mic nights in SWoCo a couple months ago.

“I only invited my friends, but then they invited all of their friends,” Shandler laughs. “It makes me feel great.”

What inspires a 9th-grader to write songs, you may wonder. Shandler says its, people and usually her friends.

“When I’m happy I don’t write songs, but when I’m upset, I write songs. There is a joke in my family, among my parents, when we get into a fight or something they say, “Go write a song!’,” Shandler laughed. “But I do most of my song writing in the shower.”

Shandler’s future plans are to continue writing songs, and hopefully become a famous singer and songwriter one day.

“I really want to make it big when I grow up. But if that doesn’t work out, maybe I’ll be a lawyer or a doctor.”

Another brave singer, just happened to also be an employee of the Daily Grind. Meet Leslie Swing, a 2002 graduate of Cave Spring High School and a 2007 graduate of Roanoke College, where she was a music major and studied vocal performance and music education. She also helped Patterson get the word out about the open mic night.

“I came up with a Facebook group where we posted information,” Swing said. “It has turned out really good, we have a lot of people here, which is really great.”

Swing sang acapela, “Amazing Grace”. Swing is a small girl, but she has a big voice. She sings with her church and her favorite music to sing is broadway music. She even sings at weddings and hopes to teach music one day after she gets her teaching license.

Swing helped prepare for the night for about a month before the event.

“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be,” Swing said.

The open mic night was held from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 at the Daily Grind. Patterson said it went so well she intends to hold it every Tuesday night until further notice.

To get involved or play at the open mic night, call the Daily Grind at 774-2007.

“I think it made them (the teenagers) all feel comfortable. Even though they are young, they felt comfortable enough to give it a shot because they felt encouraged by their peers,” Patterson said.

First photo: Justina Shandler, a 9th-grader at Hidden Valley High School plays the keyboard during Open Mic Night at the Daily Grind.

Fourth photo: The supporters of the open mic night at the Daily Grind.

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