The terrace behind Tapping the Vine isn’t much to look at by day – vacant, lit by shadowed daylight, scattered with worn wrought-iron and wicker patio furniture, its view an empty stretch of parking lot off Main Street.
But on occasional evenings, the space is transformed and put to use as Sideshow, an intimate outdoor satellite venue of the neighboring still-under-construction Safety Harbor Art and Music Center.
A perimeter of curtains is erected to enclose the area that surrounds the terrace beneath the spreading branches of a mossy oak, its vibrant panels of gauzy fabric fluttering gently in the breeze around rows of seats partially covered by a few retractable tents. Criss-crossing strings of bare glowing bulbs hang overhead, the black iron scrollwork rail circling the stage is festooned with strings of white Christmas lights, hand-pieced music-themed wall hangings are draped behind the standing room stage, the fans overhead cast hues of red, blue, green and orange onto the performers, and a set of stairs leading to the building’s second storey make for a different sort of viewing spot.
Sideshow has featured performances by locals ranging from Americana rock songstress Rebekah Pulley to newgrassy ensemble Under the Willow, but also plays host to nationally-touring acts like American Idol season 8 winner and pop-rock singer-songwriter Kris Allen, NYC groove rock outfit Black Taxi, and, less than two weeks ago, Connecticut gypsy folk-jazz quartet Caravan of Thieves, its members taking up brief residence in the town – and brought to a City Commission meeting to punctuate SHAMc’s progress update – while playing dates around Central Florida tgat culminated in a Thursday evening Sideshow set that drew a rather impressive crowd of more than a hundred.
“We have a guest house that that we let certain artists we bring to town use as a homebase,” Todd Ramquist explained. It’s also a retreat of sorts where past SHAMc-associated acts have stayed to get away from the regular grind and enjoy some rest and inspiration in the scenic waterside town. Once SHAMc opens, the house will become part of the center and artists will be able to stay there in addition to Casa Loco; overflow lodging in town is also available with SHAMc board member Heather Richardson. “These are a big bonus in making it lucrative for artists to come to Florida, and to Safety Harbor. It cuts costs, makes them more motivated to venture south.”
Most are completely unfamiliar with Safety Harbor before their arrival, but discover its appeal soon enough. “It’s a really good chill place to hang out, we have bikes they can use to ride around downtown, we have a pontoon boat we take them out on.” Banjo-wielding roots singer-songwriter Shannon Whitworth, wife to Steep Canyon Rangers’ Woody Platt, enjoyed a particularly memorable pontoon ride. “She put her feet out in front of the boat and dolphins were actually hitting them as we were cruising along.”
Experiences like these paired with welcoming hosts and lovely environs have drawn repeat performers. “They become part of our SHAMc family and are super loyal to us; when they come back to Florida, they hit us up. We’ve developed some strong relationships.”
Whether Sideshow will to exist after SHAMc opens remains to be seen. “We’ll determine that once SHAMc gets going,” Ramquist explained. “We probably won’t need it but it’s an inexpensive place to keep and has a cool vibe. And we like having something right off Main Street.”
Local alt folk songstress Jun performs at Sideshow Fri., April 17, 8-10 p.m., as part of Safety Harbor’s Third Friday Festivities; Nashville-by-way-of-London pop singer-songwriter Callaghan lands at Sideshow Thurs., April 30, 7:30 p.m.