Music, pizza, fun! James Kolsby played a smooth set of covers, including the Jackson Browne classic “These Days”. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER KELLEY[/caption]

Every third Thursday of the month something special occurs in Rollinsville. After the sun sets people gather into Gold Dirt Distillery in anticipation of this unique occurrence. Some come prepared, armed with the necessary skills and confidence. Others come with their nerves driving them, and they order a strong drink to settle in.

This monthly event is Open Mic Night; an evening of local talent with just a touch of random chaos. And though many gather without knowing what to expect, and though some who go before the mic might be anxious, there is still a welcoming air at Gold Dirt, a warmth provided by the people, the pizza, and the gin.

On Thursday, January 19, 2023, Gold Dirt Distillery’s Open Mic Night began relatively promptly at 6:30 p.m., with more and more flowing in from the cold as the night progressed. Live musicians with their own different styles took the mic, with the sounds of their talent echoing across the snow drifts outside, beckoning more people in.

Once inside they’re instantly hit with the smell of pizza being cooked in an authentic stone, open-flame oven. Cole Johnson, the owner of Toss, and his crew, Megan Berntson and John Novack, perfectly navigated the tight but comfortable space of Gold Dirt, serving pizzas quickly from one side of the distillery to the other.

This reporter ordered a pepperoni and bacon combo topped with a conservative amount of spicy honey, named the Wilbur. The honey complimented the salty pork with just enough sweetness and heat to intrigue the taste buds into wanting another and another bite.

Honey became an unintentional theme with the ordering of a Bee’s Knees, one of Gold Dirt Distillery owner Judd Kaufman’s creative cocktails born from his signature honey gin, accented with lemon and orange.

Johnson, in between serving pizzas and chatting with customers, also acted as MC for the Open Mic event, introducing each act and even getting into the action himself by playing guitar and leading the crowd into a rousing sing-along of Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So”.

Also stepping up to the hot seat was Joe Cameron, who strummed his acoustic guitar and crooned to the crowd, much in the style of Skip Spence or Elliott Smith. Cameron also provided slide guitar accompaniment to local singer/songwriter James Kolsby (@vodkapesto on Instagram) during some of his set. Kolsby provided the crowd with lofty versions of Jackson Browne’s “These Days” and RJD2’s “Making Days Longer”.

Micki Balder played her colorful and imaginative brand of folk music, evoking a 1960s style much in the spirit of The Roches. And Emmit Scully plugged in his electric blues guitar and played Mark Knopfler, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and ZZ Top, accompanied by Victoria Smith on vocals. The couple turned heads with their rendition of Chris Issak’s “Wicked Game”.

Erin Seimetz delivered a hilarious stand-up set, surprising the audience and earning deep laughs with her insights on the dating scene and on growing up in Florida.

Every performer steeled themselves to go before a crowd, to take the mic for seven to fifteen minutes and showcase their hobbies, their passions. For some, Gold Dirt’s cocktails helped them to achieve their goals; for others the cocktails were an added benefit, especially when considering that performers get 15% off their drinks.

But regardless of the nerves or bravado involved with performing, the crowd at Gold Dirt Distillery was open and willing to happily accept all that the performers had to give. And the great staff at Gold Dirt and Toss were more than willing to facilitate and fuel the good vibes.