The last open mic session closed with Terry McCarthy and his nephew, Kevin, on stage as Takeo Sugihara (center) thanked the crowd.
Saturday at the Montclair Public Library, many of the performers who performed at Takeo Sugihara’s Tuesday night open mic series came out to bid Takeo and the program a fond farewell.
Sugihara’s Tuesday Night Open Mic was a springboard for virtually every open mic musician.
Sugihara said in a press release that the final concert was not just a goodbye “but a new beginning,” as Terra Tea, in the Isabel Rose Cafe, takes over to host the library’s musical scene. And he extolled the cultural riches of the community.
Over the years Montclair has become an oasis of music, art, and intellectual pursuit. The culture of our community celebrates in its diversity and rich past and has fostered the growth of some great institutions such as Montclair State University, the Montclair Art Museum and of course the Montclair Public Library. Complemented by the beautiful trappings and the connection to Hoboken and New York City and their vast cultural offerings have made it a truly great place to live. This culture is reflected in the library’s programs, collection and its mission. The Tuesday Night Open Mic has sought to capture at least a snapshot of what is going on musically in Montclair at this moment in time and at the same time rejoice and be a part of the musical phenomenon as well.
Great that Rose Cafe will take over.