Simplified: Midtown Coffee Radio Hour — a variety show based in a mythical Sioux Falls coffee shop — has been bringing music, stories and overall coziness to the community for five years. Here’s a look at how a small pandemic-era radio show went from backyard performances to the Orpheum Theater.
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Midtown Coffee Radio Hour started around Christmas 2020 when Nick and Tina Jackson had the idea to start a radio show in the style of popular NPR shows like Prairie Home Companion or Live From Here.
- The couple had moved back to Sioux Falls from Denver a couple of years prior, and as creatives and performers, they were looking for a way to create art in a time when folks weren't able to get together in crowds.
They called up their friends – singers, musicians, orators – and created a mythical midtown coffee shop in central Sioux Falls as a home for the radio show. The first episode was recorded at Asbury United Methodist Church, where Midtown performer Matt Morrison serves as pastor.
- The group recorded several shows in the church and released them on podcast streaming platforms before inviting a small audience to a backyard performance in the summer of 2021.
"We initially started this selfishly for us to have something to do," said Maren Engel, a singer, songwriter and Midtown performer from the start. "It really quickly became something that our listeners loved because they could tell that we love each other and that we love doing it."
Five years later, the group is preparing to bring Midtown Coffee Radio Hour to the big stage at the Orpheum Theatre next week.
"It's wild to think that five years later here we are doing a show at the Orpheum," Midtown performer Wade Gemar said. "It’s hard to imagine my life without it now."
From backyard to the big stage
The switch to performing in front of an audience changed the dynamic of the radio show.
- Now, all shows are recorded live, and that makes for a more interesting listening experience. It's common to hear applause, cheers and even the occasional shout from an audience member in the audio.
- That also means the group of performers has had to adjust their own expectations for each show – especially when you can't do multiple takes until everything is "perfect," Tina Jackson said.
"Imperfection is woven into this at every place," she said, noting that the group comes in about 90% prepared for a show – leaving a little room for those authentic moments of connection and real life to be a part of the experience.
Over the years, Midtown has also grown from performing primarily cover songs to adding original pieces mixed in with scripted skits and conversations. The goal is to create a vibe of comfort and community, Nick Jackson said, adding that attending a Midtown show feels like eating a really good meal.
- And, he added, it doesn't hurt that every member of the group is extremely good at what they do – from the singing to the drumming to the sound mixing.
"It’s a rare thing that we have so many talented people but there also really close to us personally," he said. "All that creates a really strong bond of trust on stage."
Celebrating five years
Midtown Coffee Radio Hour is celebrating its five-year anniversary with a performance Friday, Jan. 23 at the Orpheum Theater. The theme for the show is "Still Hygge After All These Years."
- The performance will feature guest artist and local singer/songwriter Elsa Rae, who will bring her musical talents to the group.
Tickets are $23, and you can snag yours here.
What happens next?
As the audience grows, Midtown's goals of creating connection and coziness remain the same. The group doesn't know exactly what's in store for the future, Tina Jackson said, but they're taking it one step at a time and making sure each step is rooted in authenticity
