The first Friday night of the month finds an eclectic group at the Borders on High Point Road.
All age groups, all ethnic groups, all types of people gather to become part of the Introvert Creative’s “First Fridays” program. The artist sits next to the businessman or woman while music of local and regional groups floats throughout the space guiding people around the watercolor paintings for sale and viewing on the walls.
First Fridays is a program put on at Borders for free on the first Friday of each month. It begins at 7:30 p.m. and continues with a live band until about 9:30 p.m. The featured band the night I visited was The Benjamin Circle, based in Charlotte. A mixture of cello, drum percussion, bass, trumpet and one clear female vocal created their unique sound. The group was mostly instrumental jazz with a flair of Middle Eastern and Latin music.
Based out of Tate Street Coffee House, this group of artists is now in its eighth year together. They participate in many activities in and around Greensboro just like “First Fridays.” The group has collaborated on a poetry book entitled Got a Poem For Me? and even had a show on Guilford’s own WQFS 90.9 from 1996-1997. A table set up at the side displayed poetry books, stickers, and CDs for sale from the various members of the group.
Some of the founding members could be seen at a table in the back with artwork laid around them. They would talk with people who came up to the table, but otherwise stayed pretty much to themselves. I, being too much of an introvert myself at times, did not go up to talk.
The wonderful thing about the location of “First Fridays” is that it reaches a lot more people who would not necessarily go to Tate Street Coffee House. You are free to talk with everyone there or you can stay quietly to yourself and enjoy the atmosphere, wandering off into the bookstore to pick up some good reads too. I enjoyed my evening very much and would do it again. It put me into the perfect mood to go home, lock the door, and read through the books I bought that night. Very introverted and hermit-ish, but necessary. I recommend that everyone has an evening like this every once in a while.