Ana Alexander/ Winonan

On Friday March 27, the lights in Acoustic Café dimmed as Melissa Kay McCarthy took the stage along with David Schipper and Lynn Konsela, who accompanied her performance with their guitars and, for some pieces, a harmonica.

Audience members drank beer or coffee from white mugs while McCarthy performed covers of country songs along with some original pieces.

The environment was casual and warm. The brick walls of the coffee shop were hung with a variety of artwork, the low lighting lent the room a sense of familiarity. McCarthy addressed the audience very conversationally in between pieces.

Two audience members got very involved with the performance. A little boy energetically played a yellow tambourine, as his sister shook a multicolored maraca from the back of the room. During the songs, the two gradually made their way near the front of the café, where they danced and played their instruments.

After McCarthy finished her song, she commented on the two lively audience members with a smile.

“We could use some new members, I think. Are we recruiting? We’d have a hard time getting them into the bars, but…” McCarthy trailed off as the audience chuckled.

Konsela waved the kids toward the stage, and the children’s father guided them toward the front of the room. Konsela asked the kids if they wanted to come up on stage, but the children suddenly turned shy.

“I promise I don’t bite!” Konsela laughed, but the children could not be persuaded to come on stage, opting to play their instruments from the sidelines instead.

Performances like McCarthy’s offer the community a night of free entertainment in a warm atmosphere, providing delicious food, cold beer and smooth coffee. Acoustic puts on shows every Friday and Saturday night at 8 p.m. free of charge.

One of the audience members, McKenna Schmidt, commented on one of the factors that make the weekly performances at Acoustic so entertaining.

“I enjoy the fact that local artists are coming and performing in a venue close by,” Schmidt said.

The lineup at Acoustic often features artists from the Winona area, giving audience members a taste of the kinds of music that people from the surrounding communities are creating, as well as giving the artists more exposure to performing.

Performances at Acoustic last around two and a half hours, giving audience members a half an hour to finish their drinks and socialize before the café closes at 11 p.m. Acoustic Café posts their new lineups on their website, as well as on their Facebook page, where those interested in performances can keep track of upcoming events.