Photos and text by Jean Metcalfe

Clockwise from upper left:

Marie Augustine sported a headset — and set a precedent — during her appearance on the July 6 songwriter showcase. In her category of "old boyfriends songs," Marie merrily sang the praises of her "Thrifty Nickel Man" and dismissed a former significant other with the feisty "One Dish From Your Smorgasbord Is Gone." From her "philosophy of life" originals, Marie performed "Like Children in the Rain" and "Ode to a Child's Love," cuts on her Like a Child album.

After first declaring "I'm On Fire," D.V. Gilbert backpedaled and bemoaned his "Blue Lonely World." Following the brief wallow, he made a lightning recovery and danced solo onstage, sticking with his resolve that "We won't dance to the juke box, we won't dance to the band, until one of you sweet-talking ladies takes us by the hand." A "Last Call for Alcohol" later, D.V. took the audience on a nice "Holiday Romance," calypso style.

LASC's past and present president Paul Moffett acted as the evening's MC. Shown here emphasizing the Co-op's practice of not charging its members even one thin dime to attend the showcases, he went on to exhort the audience to spend some of their currency on LASC merchandise.

Declaring that he wasn't as liberated as Marie, Bill Ede sang his originals into a stand-mounted mike. From the confident "It Don't Matter If It Don't Matter" and "I Don't Need You to tell Me Who I Am," Bill wavered a bit with "I'm Not Gonna Rock the Boat Till My Ship Comes In," wherein the "bossman" told him to "take this job and love it." After promising that he'd no longer be "Messin' With the Spirits," Bill shifted into a more serious mode with "I've Seen Too Many Good Things Slip Away," "No One Smiles for Me," "First Time I've Played in a While," and the uplifting "Brother's Keeper."

Bill ended the three performers' short reprise set with his popular "1943 Copper Penny."

Special thanks to the following LASC members who contributed to the evening's success: Bryan Hurst, showcase chair and sound man; Beth Moffett, merchandise; Jeff Poole, stage manager; and Jack Roberts, door.