A seemingly unlikely venue for area singer-songwriters has established itself in downtown Farmington at a nearly eight decades-old movie house.

This songwriters round, part of the Farmington Civic Theater’s Friday Night Live series of concert events, takes place Nov. 9. The songwriters-in-the-round style concert is an opportunity to take in local singer-songwriters in an intimate setting.

Located in the 132-person capacity theater that opened in 1940, the event hosts a monthly live music series. After a successful Nashtown event last spring where songwriters from both Nashville and Detroit performed in a songwriters round, organizers thought they’d capitalize on that success with a fall locals-only songwriters round.

A songwriters round is when four or five songwriters sit in a semi-circle on stage. Each performer tells the story behind the song they’re about to play. The performers alternate following each song.

This event’s performers include Rochelle Clark, Sam Corbin, Mark Jewett, and Amy Petty.

"This is a great way to get to know the songwriters in an intimate setting," says Scott Freeman, General Manager of the Farmington Civic Theater.

"The audience feels like they’re right there with the performers and vice versa."

The Friday Night Live concert series began two and a half years ago as a way to introduce more live music into downtown Farmington. While Freeman says that 98 percent of what the theater does is movies, the concert events are just one more way to draw people to downtown Farmington.

More people downtown benefits everyone, he says, including the bars and restaurants that patrons populate before and after shows.

"I suggest that like most entertainment venues in any community, the theater is a magnet that brings people downtown," Freeman says.

"It’s one of our responsibilities to bring as many people downtown as possible."

Friday Night Live is Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available for $15, online or at the door--though it’s cash-only on site.

"We’ve been cash-only for 78 years," Freeman says. "It’s a hard habit to break."

Farmington Civic Theater is located at 33332 Grand River Ave. in downtown Farmington.

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