Vincent Dalessio
The boys over at Neighborhood Jams did it again, but this month they took it to the next level. Brothers Trevor and Travis Hall’s names have become synonymous with local “house shows,” pop-up concerts hosted at makeshift venues in people’s homes and backyards, but their venues are maturing alongside the music talent they support.
If you’re not familiar with Neighborhood Jams, you can bring yourself up to speed HERE (interview, photos and story by Lily Snowden). In short, Neighborhood Jams, created by Trevor and Travis Hall, is a grassroots approach to supporting local musicians. They provide not only a stage for budding local musicians but also a community.
Last month, rather than hosting a show in their regular habitat, like backyards or the Kona Skatepark stage, Trevor and Travis decided to take a huge leap and host a show at a true music venue, Murray Hill Theatre. The theater has a capacity of almost 600, a large stage and production quality lights adding a professional feel to the usually low-budget but high-attendance shows they have hosted in the past.
Now, I’d never stepped foot inside this theater, largely scared away by the Christian ownership and huge signs marketing the church that works out of the theater on days when they’re not hosting live music, plays, comedy or dance nights. Due to the religious affiliation of the venue, there are strict rules against alcohol, swearing on stage and vaping that didn’t sit well with me, but after chugging a Riverside special (four-pack of PBR tall boys) from Vagabond Coffee next door, I loosened up. As the night progressed, I realized that having a space open to all ages could be the most positive thing for our local music scene, introducing talented artists to the next generation of music lovers.
The show boasted a lineup of local heavy hitters like Liza Attic, Cinema Stereo and Twin Suns with headliner Gentlemen’s Crow of St. Augustine finishing up their tour with one final show with the Neighborhood Jams crew. The space inside Murray Hill Theatre is huge, but the sound and people dancing filled the space to the fullest extent. I even witnessed the most impressive nap of all time (only a true superhero has the capability of sleeping through a full Gentlemen’s Crow set).
Check out Neighborhood Jams on Instagram (@Neighborhood.jams) for updates on upcoming shows.
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