“The Star Keeper is a venue dedicated entirely to the support and fostering of original music in a cover music town,” musician Mike Sales told us between sets. Every Thursday evening, the Star Keeper Café hosts a featured artist, and this week, that artist was none other than our favorite sandal wearing, “beachified” crooner, Mike Sales. “They make their restaurant available to an open mic every week and book artists for a weekly showcases,” he continued. “And, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the food, the service and the ambiance of the café are so impeccable that the artist can invite fans with total confidence they’ll be treated well.”
This particular Thursday evening was an important one for Sales. After years of making a name for himself as a party-starting cover singer, he’s now transitioning from covers to originals, and – like many others before him – the Star Keeper is the perfect launching pad.
About the Star Keeper Cafe
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If you haven’t been to the Star Keeper Café in downtown Sarasota, it’s probably because you simply haven’t discovered it. Tucked away between Ringling and Main, the tiny, one-way Bamboo Lane leads to the Old Florida home where the restaurant lives. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., diners can enjoy a twist on comfort foods like grandma used to make that are “just a little bit Southern.” During Open Mic Night on Mondays, live entertainment Thursdays and 4th Saturday Artist Showcases (featuring three songwriters in a round performing and talking about their original works), the café offers a few light bites. (We don’t want to sway your decision any; but the Burger Slammer and the Roasted Potatoes with roasted peppers and onions, provolone and bacon reign supreme). Live entertainment takes place in the cozy outdoor patio, where native Florida foliage surrounds a smattering of tables and café chairs.
Mike Sales’ Original Showcase
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Mike Sales opened the show with a personal favorite, Beat of a Heart, a jumpy, toe-tapping, feel-good tune that reminds everyone that the workday is over and it’s time to relax. A consummate storyteller, the audience got tales from “Mike’s World” where Sales confesses, “When I say I’m going to do something that people think is a crazy idea, they laugh … until I do it! But, for the first few years, that crazy idea lives only in ‘Mike’s World’.” He tapped his head for emphasis before launching into Bongo, a never-before-heard song that gave Sales a chance to flex his vocal muscles and test his melodic range. Other new songs included Who’s Playing Tonight? – a song about a beach singer who wants nothing more than to entertain the crowds – and Sudden Mood, which describes the magnetism felt during a chance encounter with someone new and appealing.
Even a few rain showers didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits as the crowd quickly moved from the outdoor patio to the indoor dining area, with a little hustle and a bit of teamwork. Sales finished off his set inside the Star Keeper Café with songs you just won’t get to hear on the beach, such as the edgy, “IDon’tKnowIWasDrunkTheWholeTime.”
Paradise Has a Soundtrack
Many of the songs from Thursday’s playlist were off of Mike Sales’ LA Sessions album and are being re-recorded, along with new ones, on Sale’s upcoming Paradise has a Soundtrack CD. Currently in production, the CD will feature Mike Sales’ original guitar and vocals and will be mixed and mastered by BonefireLA Studio in Los Angeles later this year.
If you missed Thursday’s Original Showcase performances by Mike Sales at the Star Keeper, you can catch Sales singing his blend of country, reggae, standards, oldies, pop and rock influences (creating his eclectic, “beachified” style) at other venues on Siesta Key and Anna Maria Island. Visit MikeSalesSings.com and click on the “calendar” for details. To learn more about the Star Keeper Café (located at 1734 Bamboo Lane, Sarasota) visit StarKeeperCafe.com.
