March 19th, 2024. The SPARK w Juels Bland.

There was a lot of DAY to today! Before getting to head to the Spark, I met with representatives from the Sandy Spring Museum and then did a walk through of the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department in preparation for a project coming up for their hundredth anniversary. Then I met with a bank on behalf of FocusMusic and went for a walk! It was a good day even BEFORE running my open mic!

We do this every Tuesday. Signup before 7. I start at 7. 7112 Willow Avenue in Takoma Park, MD. robsopenmics.ilyaimy.com for more information.

Tonight our featured artist is another rob’s Open Mic regular and one of rOM’s most aggressive supporters. This isn’t lip service or just sucking up to the hosts, it’s not even “just” showing up – even though Juels Bland has attended my open mics for over a decade (he starts showing up in the Journal by 2012) and since the beginning of COVID often attends up to three of them a week. He does more than show up, he does more than just play. He supports other performers by performing with them as a formidable lead guitarist, and has even become my go-to guest host, something that, coming from my trust-challenged self, hopefully is seen as the compliment it’s intended as!

But none of that is why he was our feature tonight. Hell, it’s not even just because he’s one of the best local male vocalists with guitar chops that make me glad he’s generally LAST and I don’t have to follow him, or even his recent win of 2023’s Mid-Atlantic Song Contest’s Directors Award! Nope – tonight he’s our featured artist because it’s his BIRTHDAY WEEK and it falls upon us to celebrate him fervently!