Five Reasons to Check Out Apache Cafe's Wednesday Night Midtown Jam

One of Atlanta's long-standing musical events, Al Smith's Wednesday Midtown Jam session is still going strong. Held at the Apache Café, off 3rd St., the show features Smith's band, which serves as the musical force behind those who have signed up for the open mic list. There are lots of things to do on any given Wednesday night. But in case you've overlooked Apache Café as a viable entertainment option, these five highlights might prompt an outing.

The Ultimate Art Gallery

The evening is as visual as it is musical. Those who have never visited Apache Café will find the exposed brick walls slathered in delicious artwork. Even the current host, Corey Whitehead offers more than the obligatory crowd-pleasing jokes. Whitehead, one of Atlanta's most accomplished artists, brings along some of his own eye-candy-often creating (or adding to) his visual masterpieces right on stage along with the band.

It Is A Cafe After All...

Atlanta is jam packed with glitzy nightspots. Clearly, there are plenty of places where one can grab a tasty bite while getting drunk off bubbly jazz music. Apache Café's tapa-sized plated meals are available on any night of the week. For some reason, dinner and cocktails at Apache's Wednesday Night Jam pay homage to the original "Supper Club" scene.

Umm, Hello?? There are People Singing...

The night is filled with so many bells and whistles (terribly bad pun intended) that you forget that there awaits you-an entire list of the city's hidden performers. These are the church choir members, the shower singers, the local celebrities, the mothers, the UPS guy-the brave. As host Corey reiterates, there is no "boo-ing", but rather an awkward shaking of the hands in the air-to say that you're not quite sure whether you really like the act. But feel free to applaud and cheer loudly, and often. The amount of buried talent floating around the Metro scene would probably astound you.

No Rappers, No Poets, No Tracks...

One thing that you'll hear uttered a few times throughout the evening is "No rappers, no poets"... The poetry scene (in all its eclectic loveliness) can sometimes be pretty intense. For all practical purposes, Al Smith's Wednesday night jam session is a refreshing deviation from the hip-hop scene. But don't be fooled, Smith's rotation of musicians are adept at blending the energy of hip-hop, with the soul of real jazz. Sprinkle in a few unexpected surprises, and you've got the full package.

Date Night Extraordinaire

Apache Cafe draws a motley crew of patrons. But it's refreshing to note that on Wednesday nights, the open mic jam session calls out to couples looking to switch up their date routine. Most will agree that garnering a table requires either of two actions: 1) get there super early or 2) reserve a table in advance (for a small fee...)

SOURCES:

www.apachecafe.info