Jake Schoellkopf/Associated Press

Lynda Garcia of the band Bruce and Friends plays bass during a Saturday-evening performance of bluegrass and gospel music at Solid Grounds, a coffeehouse in the basement of Albuquerque's St. Stephen's United Methodist Church. Solid Grounds is part of St. Stephen's outreach ministry, but don't go expecting to hear hymns. The music at the coffeehouse ranges from pop and folk to country and jump jive.

Jake Schoellkopf/Associated Press

Vern Perry (right) tends to his cup of tea at Solid Grounds. Admission and refreshments are free at the coffeehouse. All the audience is expected to pay is some attention to a 10- to 15-minute inspirational message during intermission.

More Music

• Cowboy Junkies revisit, re-record 'The Trinity Session'
• Review: 3D effects flesh out U2
• CD reviews: Jet Lag Gemini; RTX; Metro Station; We the Kings

MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES

• ABQTrib.com to remain available
  08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008
• Congressman is indicted
  08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Series of attacks target Green Zone
  08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Iran is defying U.N., agency says
  08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008
• Waterboarding approval probed
  08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008

TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*

• Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
• Is Rome Burning?
• Ominous Skies
• The Road to Invalidation
• Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

SHARE THIS STORY [?]

Fans and volunteers say there's something special about Solid Grounds Coffeehouse.

When a blackout shut down most places in the Albuquerque area on a Saturday in March 2000, Solid Grounds didn't lose electrical power.

Its weekly evening of free entertainment - featuring the inspirational music of Cindy de la Fe that particular night - went on as usual.

In fact, Roger Coble, Solid Grounds' former music director, recalled that evening as one of the best ever at the coffeehouse, which is in the basement of Albuquerque's St. Stephen's United Methodist Church, 4601 Juan Tabo Blvd. N.E.

"We believed there was a divine intervention," Coble says.

Solid Grounds Coffeehouse opened on Dec. 7, 1998, as part of St. Stephen's outreach ministry.

On most Saturday nights since then, local and touring musicians have performed every imaginable style of music for Solid Grounds audiences that tune in on the entertainment while savoring coffee, cocoa and snacks.

Admission, refreshments and child care are free. The only thing audience members are expected to pay is attention to a 10- to 15-minute inspirational message delivered during intermission by Roselie Johnston, Solid Grounds director since September 2005.

"I like to call it my encouraging monologue for the week," Johnston says. "Part of the original mission of Solid Grounds was to give friendly devotional messages about traditions, beliefs or things that affect all of us."

But Saturday evenings at Solid Grounds are not prayer meetings. Many of the people who frequent the coffeehouse are not members of St. Stephen's congregation.

Coble says Solid Grounds fills a niche for people who may not have a church or another place where they feel comfortable.

"They only have to show up," he says.

Solid Grounds also fills a niche for people who just want to enjoy the music.

Robert Teegarden, 68, who loves jazz and plays the trumpet, bases his visits to the coffeehouse on the style of music being played on a particular Saturday.

"Good talent and fun music," he says. "It is something you don't expect a church group to do."

Heather Wade, who has been going to Solid Grounds most weeks since it opened, says the coffeehouse has put Albuquerque on the map for out-of-town artists traveling across the country.

Johnston, who serves as the coffeehouse's booking agent, says word-of-mouth referrals often send performers her way.

She says outstanding folk, bluegrass, gospel and country artists from Albuquerque, as well as from other cities, have performed at Solid Grounds through the years.

Earlier this summer, Albuquerque's Bruce and Friends Band made its debut at Solid Grounds, playing bluegrass and gospel music for an audience of 128.

Donna Lane, a Solid Grounds volunteer, says diversity is a key to the coffeehouse's popularity.

"They have rock, Celtic music, open mike nights and dinner theater specials," she says.

Johnston says the venue has "a reputation of being a nice place for the family, a place that focuses on hospitality."

"People love the atmosphere, the way they are treated, and the music," she says.

The feeling at Solid Grounds is informal and friendly. You can sit wherever you want, with people you don't know, and feel welcome.

The most popular drink is the "Methodist mocha," a coffee concoction made with chocolate, half and half, whipped cream, cherry and a drizzle of chocolate sauce on top.

Besides playing a couple of times a year at Solid Grounds, Albuquerque folk singer-songwriter Daniel Boling also volunteers at the coffeehouse and attends shows there regularly with his family.

He says the coffeehouse is not only a great place for family and for music lovers but also for musicians. Solid Grounds, he says, is his favorite local venue for performing his music.

"The reason is that people come here to pay attention to the music," he says. "It is when people are listening that they get the story."