On Saturday afternoon we were thrilled to once again team up with VSA Texas and Pen2Paper for a suitably merry installment of The Lion & The Pirate Unplugged. Our December open mic got off to a sweet start with a bounty of Christmas cookies and a reading from newcomer Kevin Thornton, who shared an intriguing novel excerpt with us.

Next up we had a wonderful performance from another talented first-timer, Carrington MacDuffie, who played a song of her own devising on her “little guitar” and had us all spellbound with her beautiful voice.

Carrington was a tough act to follow, but familiar faces Shaniqua Esparza and Christopher “Bear” Beam were up for the challenge! Shaniqua recounted a childhood Christmas memory, and Bear shared some of his moving hymns to Kwan Yin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy and compassion.

Logan Perkes, winner of the 2012 Pen2Paper creative writing contest, read two brilliant poems.

And last but certainly not least, the Bingham Creek Sisters (Cathy Welch [Hull] and Joyce T. Snodgrass) shared a couple of their Austin-themed Yuletide songs, including an ode to Mexican food that was hilariously titled (with apologies to the Eagles) “Too-Full, Queasy Feeling”!

Thanks to everyone for making it such a festive afternoon of open mic magic. We’ll look forward to hearing more from y’all in 2015!