Singer/Songwriter Joel Uram

Saturday night, right nearby in Greater Downtown Long Beach, our favorite barista (and recent father of twin boys) will put on yet another hat. Joel Uram has won first place in the Peninsula Art Center’s 2015 Songwriting Contest and will be performing as the featured musician of the evening! Who knew that the personable young man at the coffee controls at Adelaide’s in Ocean Park is also a singer/songwriter!

As a matter of fact, Joel is a member of Symmetry/Symmetry, a rock band out of Salem, Oregon that formed back in 2008. He plays guitar and keyboard, is a lead singer, and has written much of the group’s music. He continues to play regularly with them even though he and his wife Katie now live here on the Peninsula with full-time responsibilities as owners of Adelaide’s Coffee and Books and twenty-four/seven duties as parents of four-month-old boys, Hank and Louie.

Peninsula Arts Center – The Venue

Joel admits that his solo acoustic performance on Saturday will be a bit of a departur for him — more in the folk music genre — but told me a few weeks ago that he is looking forward to it. As are we! As we understand it, he will have one set all to himself and will sing “What If I Was Dying” (his winning song) plus a number of others that he has written.

In addition to Joel, the five runners-up will also have an opportunity to sing their winning songs (and perhaps a few more.) The roster includes Sam Mundell – Pardon Me”; Judy Eron – “Black Cowboy Hat”; Chuck Whittey – “Dancin’ Dark Eyes”; and Virginia Spurkland – “Promises Fulfilled.”

Poster

Besides Joel, of all these talented musicians we know only Judy Eron – one of the ‘Js’ of Double J and the Boys. And, of all of them including Joel, Judy’s songs are the only ones we are familiar with – and we love them! I hope she is given time to play a couple of our favorites, especially “Social Security.” I think of it as typical of Judy’s slice-of-life lyrics combined with a catchy tune and a healthy dollop of humor.

The show begins at 7:00 p.m. and reservations are suggested – it’s a small venue. See