A once bustling music scene in Downtown has taken a lot of blows in the last year and a half. A global pandemic that hurt everyone, musicians moving out of a state, and the passing of a beloved member. But through all this, the music has found a way to survive, to entertain, and to hopefully thrive again in the future.
We sat down with musical mainstay, Jerry Schutjer, to get The State of the Downtown Music Scene!
Harold: Let’s get an introduction going. Who are you? What do you play? What do you call your musical act?
My name is Jerry Schutjer and I’m a singer-songwriter. On stage I play guitar and sing. I play a variety of covers and originals across several genres, so I just describe my act as “alternative folk-rock”. I sometimes perform as J. McShooter (it’s easier to spell than my name), but I’m dabbling with the idea of other stage names. About 8 years ago I started attending the Open Mic at Jekyll and Hyde’s (RIP). From there I was encouraged to perform more around town and I met a lot of amazing people who kept hyping me up and kept me going
Harold: Oh god, Jekyll and Hyde’s was THE place for music when I was younger. I remember heading there every weekend. It was the place my wife and I would go to dance while we were dating. Now gone. Things change. How has the music scene changed from when you first got started?
The pandemic really changed things, but even before then, I was starting to see more DJ acts or solo acts being booked rather than full live bands. Also, bands were playing less original music and more covers. Live music was starting to feel more like background noise than an interactive experience. Post-pandemic things are starting to look a little better as folks want the whole live music experience again, we’re just not quite there yet. But the pandemic coupled with losing Erok decimated the scene for a long time. Fortunately, as things start to resemble “normalcy”, others have stepped up to host Open Mics and help bring live back into the local scene, but it’s not nearly as booming as it once was. We used to have waiting lists for Open Mics at RPM and The Alamo. Now, it’s not uncommon to see hosts struggling to fill up the time with acts. I have faith it’ll come back though. I think folks are still trying to get used to this new post-pandemic world and are coming back out again cautiously.
Harold: Can you talk a little more about Erok?
I can talk about him for hours! I loved him so incredibly much. Personally, he was like a brother to me. He was a mentor, a business partner, a fan of my music, one of my own musical heroes, he was a rockstar to me. But for the community, he was an absolute legend. He lived to entertain the community. Whether he was playing his own shows, DJing, hosting karaoke or Trivia, whatever, he strived to make sure everyone was having a good time. He made everyone feel special and he was so instrumental in nurturing the local music scene by encouraging young and inexperienced artists to keep playing and providing opportunities for us all to get stage time. He is sorely missed and will continue to be missed for a long time coming. He is absolutely the top reason why I am still playing music today.
Harold: What are some of the other standout acts you’ve witnessed in Newnan?
Anything Melody Kiser does is amazing. She sometimes performs solo or with her group, Hey Dreamer. Sweet Grass Sally puts on an amazing show. James Tyler Wallace is great and has so much talent in such a young body. I want to be him when I get older.
Harold: I have no musical talent in my body, hence why I’ve released half a dozen rap albums! Is it all fun and friendly or is there ever a sense of competition among the musicians?
It’s generally very fun and friendly. Some of my best friends are the ones I have to “compete” with to get stage time, but I love seeing them succeed and they’re often the first ones at my own shows. There’s also plenty of opportunities for impromptu jam sessions and collaborations. Overall, we just support each other. We’re all here to provide entertainment for the community.
Harold: What was the best experience you’ve had on a local stage? How about the worst?
Some of my best experiences are at Open Mics. Sure, it may be a really short set and the crowd may be just the other folks performing, but sometimes I know everyone. One time, there were about 8 of us in the whole place and one of the other guys started singing along with my songs and got everybody to join in and it was one of the best times I was ever on stage. Conversely, my worst gig is one where the place was packed, I was getting paid good money, the set was three hours long, but I didn’t feel any of the energy. About 30 minutes in, I was ready to just walk off stage and tell the bar to keep their money, but I didn’t. I really play for the crowd, but it’s hard when all I see is just the back of their heads.
Harold: I think we all know how to pack The Alamo, but who else hosts local musicians?
The Cellar (and The Bays at The Cellar), RPM, and Brickhouse host music regularly. Sometimes The Mad Mexican and Vinylite sometimes have musicians perform, and whenever the City of Newnan hosts an event, they usually do really well with booking bands. But – The Alamo is definitely my favorite venue to watch music and perform!
Harold: What’s next, for you and the entire music scene in Newnan?
Oh I have no idea, but I’m sure it’s going to be amazing. I’m not comfortable to really get back into the scene just yet – the pandemic looks like it’s becoming a viable threat again – but I want to help continue Erok’s legacy by being a supporter of the local scene and encouraging the next generation of Newnan musicians to shine. I would love for there to be an opportunity to see live music every night of the week at every available venue all across town.
Newnan Time with Harold 