Vital Signs

Downtown venue bringing music into its mix

In downtown Lawrence there are places to buy books, places to get a cup of coffee, places to listen to music, and places to admire and purchase art.

What Signs of Life has done is eliminate the extra walk.

Kyle Morelan, a singer from Manhattan, is framed by the window of Signs of Life, 722 Mass., during a recent Friday performance.

Known for more than a year as a spot to get a good cup of coffee, browse a wide selection of Christian-themed and other books, or view what artists from Lawrence and across the country have to offer, Signs of Life lately has added a steady stream of live music to the mix.

“We just wanted to be a place where people could hang out, and music just sort of fit in with that theme,” store owner Clay Belcher says.

Focusing primarily on bluegrass, jazz and Americana, Signs of Life presents a venue for the casual music fan unlike any other in Lawrence. During a live show, the bookstore and coffee shop remain open for business, with 15 to 20 seats set up specifically for the concert audience, allowing customers to enjoy the tunes while they shop.

Lawrence singer-songwriter Eric Hurst will appears Friday night at 8:30.

“I think it’s just such a casual, laid-back atmosphere,” says manager John McClain. “A lot of people hang out up front and thumb through the art or history books while they’re listening to music, which is cool.

“It’s a place that college students can come, but also a family environment.”

Signs of Life patrons line up to get coffee. The downtown shop functions as a coffee house, art gallery, bookstore and live music venue.

Harmonizing with artists
In creating that family-friendly atmosphere, Belcher strives to radiate a positive vibe throughout all aspects of his store, and music is no exception.

“There’s so much in the arts and literature that’s negative that we really wanted to be uplifting,” he says.

So when McClain — who handles the purchasing of music for store sales and the booking of live acts — is sorting through demos, any band he selects needs to meet certain criteria.

“I look for people who sing about things that deal with deeper issues in life, not just a teenager coming in and singing about his girlfriend,” he says. “We want musicians that are a little more contemplative because that’s how our books and our artwork are directed. And we want the music to reflect that, too.”

Though a large portion of the bookstore’s product is Christian-themed, McClain says this is certainly not a key factor in his decision-making process.

“We’re looking for quality,” he adds. “We support artists who are Christian that are trying to be culturally relevant while singing about aspects of faith. But we don’t limit our selections based on their religious affiliation.

So far, the music that has made the cut has included everything from jazz and acoustic pop to string quartets and the Americana Music Bluegrass Jam, which is held every Thursday night.

This variety of styles, teamed with the store’s prime downtown location and pleasing aesthetics, has led to solid response from the community.

“Turnout has been good, and I think a lot of that has to do with the quality of the music,” says McClain, who cites average attendance at around 30 people.

Advertising has been limited to customer mailings and in-store flyers, but perhaps the most effective promotion is the fact that performers set up in front of the large window that spans the venue’s facade. Passerby walking down Mass. Street often will just stumble upon a show.

“I think the jazz trios and quartets probably draw the most because it’s music that is very easy to listen and relate to. So those draw a little more than a standard acoustic show,” McClain says.

“Sometimes it just takes a while to get the word out.”

John McClain, manager of Signs of Life, poses in the gallery section of the coffee shop/bookstore. The venue showcases a variety of art.

Expanding the concept
At this point, Signs of Life has regular concerts two nights a week, which fits in with what they want for that aspect of the store, McClain says.

“Thursday and Friday nights there should be live music here every week throughout the month,” he says. “We’re wanting the live music to become a bigger part (of the store) because, basically, we want people to come here to hang out. We think we’ve got a pretty cool setup here.”

Belcher adds, “I think people make it in for the music and they might not buy something right then, but they’ve been exposed to the store and will probably come back later.”

Though mostly focusing on smaller shows, Signs of Life has been home to a couple of larger-capacity concerts. Recently, the Christian-rooted band The Flynns performed at the store, drawing a crowd of more than 100 people.

Eric Hurstgoodbye, welcome, thankyou (2003)

“About two or three times a year we have what I would consider a ‘concert,’ where there’ll be 100-plus people here to see a show, with a full speaker system, drums and electric guitars,” McClain says. “The rest of the time, the vision for the music is for it to be kind of a backdrop for the rest of the store.”

Ultimately, Belcher feels that live music’s role as part of Signs of Life’s numerous offerings will keep people coming back.

“We’ve gotten a lot of feedback with people saying that they like the concept,” he says. “The hope is that the various aspects of the store will all benefit each other, and people will enjoy the real variety that we offer here.”