Matt C.
Yelp
Wow, talk about a hell of a venue. It's completely hidden from the outside world, literally and metaphorically. Blue Jay Listening Room is a must for any live music aficionado.
I've been meaning to come here for a while now. We jumped at the opportunity to attend an acoustic show last Saturday night. Local artists Pamela Elaine, my buddy Rick Kennedy from Strangerwolf, and Tampa artist Kelly White graced the stage for a singer/songwriter spotlight.
All three musicians were on stage sitting on barstools. One would play a song, then pass it off to the following artist, and so on. Pretty neat concept to shake things up and keep things interesting. I believe they call this Nashville style, but I could be completely mistaken.
What I enjoyed the most about the night? I grew up listening to cassettes and CD's of my favorite band's MTV Unplugged recordings. This was the closest thing to mirror that experience. The artists spoke about the inspiration of each song they were about to perform. It was intimate, at times melancholy, and utterly enlightening to be inside the artist's vulnerable state of mind.
On top of all that, the space is immaculately well-maintained. Extremely eclectic room filled with unique sofas, chairs, bar with beer & wine, and spotless bathrooms. I'd say 60 seats in the entire venue, but you can easily double that number if it were a standing room only show. It felt as if the artist was merely performing to me, with no one else in close proximity.
I can't believe it took me this long to come here. I hope to attend more shows in the future at this one-of-a-kind venue in Jacksonville. Located right above Casa Maria, you'd probably never know it was there. Can't recommend the space enough!