The legendary open-mic jam session Chewstick Neo-Griot Lounge is about to celebrate its third anniversary in true artistic form tomorrow night.

Chewstick International meets at Champions every other Sunday, but this will be a little different. Chewstick members Gavin (Sundjata) Smith, Zeudi Hinds, Milton Repose and Owen Millett spoke to The Royal Gazette about the anniversary plans, the band and the year ahead.

This will be a busy weekend for the Chewstick band, as tonight they are playing at the Volcanic New Year's Eve Bash at BAA (Bermuda Athletic Association). “It is good for us and for Volcanic, it is his (Jon Legere's) second event as Volcanic, although he has been doing stuff for years,” he said.

“Jon has been a very good friend of Chewstick for a very long time and he has always supported us. In fact one of his events was our first real gig and it jump-started the band into reality, I guess. We have all been playing together for three years now, and some of us have been together since we were about 15.

“Zeudi has been singing with us since the band started about two months ago. We have been jamming together for two or three years, but we have only just started practising and working on our music as our arts.”

Chewstick's band director Milton Repose said people can expect original local music from the band.

“It is something that probably really hasn't been focused on with local musicians in this format,” said Mr. Repose.

“There has been a lot of original music with solo artists, but not with a band. I think it is going to shine, especially with the four or five lead people in the front and you will see that right from the get-go. I think what is important about this band is that everything is original, although we are going to do one cover.”

Mr. Smith added that the band has evolved with eight or nine guys.

“Mega Nine, Zeudi Hinds on back-up vocals, myself on male vocals, we all kind of came together and we all have original music,” he said.

“We have been bringing the best of our own material and bringing that to the table and it has evolved into what has become our sound. It's quite progressive and is very exciting.”

Ms Hinds added: “We always hear that there is no local live entertainment in Bermuda, but I don't know if people are looking in the right direction or if they are not throwing enough support behind the people that are out there.

“You can talk up the game, but if there is nothing to put it into action, and Chewstick has been putting it into action no matter what your genre is.

“Whether you have a haiku or a fully developed piece - it gives you a safe place to come and hone your skills and put forth your art and I don't know who else is doing that.

“I might sound a little bit biased, but I think there should be a little kudos put this way, because we are trying to say that we acknowledge that there is talent here and we are trying to support it.”

Chewstick has never had any financial support, said Mr. Smith. “I think in some cases they don't know where to put us, because if you are doing a show at City Hall or a soccer tournament it is an easy no-brainer.

“But for something that is bona fide new and cutting edge people don't necessarily know how to support us. But we are working on that because we are the best thing going on in

Bermuda - period - and that's being humble.”

Lounge manager Mr. Millett said the plan was to step up the performances of the band as a whole to show others that they can step up their game as well.

“I view it like when you are playing any sport and if you have someone that is a little better than you that you can step up your game as well.

“So, I feel that with the band practising as much as we do, we are generally elevating the night, so it will make people want to go home and practise and work on their craft as well.

“So hopefully within the year to come, we just get better and better and others the same. It has been growth from day one and it will only be right if that continues to happen.”

The anniversary is going to be on New Year's Day, it will have the regular vibe with some celebration, said Ms Hinds, who added that no one has to work the next day, so come on and hang out.

“In the past, each time that we have had the anniversary, the college kids have already gone back, because it is on the fourth and we always celebrate it on the Sunday closest to that,” Mr. Smith said.

“But this time everyone has a holiday and you can sleep in all day and there is nothing else going on. During the anniversary celebrations, performers will include many of the regulars and we are hoping to put some pressure on some of the bigger names.

“We are hoping that they come through. We have been having trouble getting everyone on the mic early, but after that we are going to go into party mode.

“Champions is a great place although it has had a bad rep, but we have never had any instances or any trouble there, and they really let people free up.

“When we were looking for a place to hold the event, they were the only ones who allowed us to be open. You will see white, black, back-of-town, everyone will be there and if you aren't doing anything else over the holiday season you should come and hang out with us it is going to be special.

“I am dubbing 2006 The Year of Chew, because all of this time we have been in recognisance, researching, refinement and learning - what our people are actually doing - not what we think they are doing.”

But this is not all that is in store for Chewstick's fans, said Ms Hinds throughout the year, they will continue to celebrate.

“We are going to try and put ourselves on the map because people know the name and when you say Chewsticks, people say, ‘oh Chewsticks',” she said.

“So, people know the name, but to really sort of showcase a lot of the things that happen there. People often think it is just poetry.”

But said Mr. Smith: “This is why we call it the Neo Griot Lounge.

“Neo being the European for New and Griot being the African story teller or keeper of the history. But the new griots are telling their stories in multiple forms of media and that is why we don't call ourselves a poetry club.

“For myself, poetry is great, but I am not a poet, I am a singer songwriter and I need a place. We all came out of the Flo Sunday, that is where we grew up, but we weren't poets and it was always a little bit limiting.

“So, when we came together to form Chewstick it was with the mindset that it was for anyone any sort of talent to get exposure. We are also planning an event at the Bermuda Society of Arts, because the visual artists never really get in on Sundays and we are looking to remedy that. It is about going forward.”

Mr. Repose said: “It is just not poetry and it reflects in the people who come, there are some who just come to hear the band. We have everybody up there and if that is not the most cosmopolitan event on the Island, no where is.

“Bermudians work together said Mr. Smith, “But they don't play together.”

The anniversary celebration will include the open-mic night, with a few surprise guests, big band tunes, and ending with DJs playing into the wee hours all for just $10, or free before 8 p.m.

Chewstick Neo-Griot Lounge is held every other Sunday at Champions on Reid Street 8 p.m. - 12 a.m. Free before 8 p.m. and $5 cover charge from 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.