The Blue Bottle coffee shop will be celebrating its one-year anniversary this weekend with the Ball State Saxophone Quartet and the Miller Twins.
The Saxophone Quartet will perform tonight at 9. Two of its members, senior and soprano saxophonist Eddie Rich and baritone saxophonist Ryan Muncy, are featured on the Grammy-nominated disc "America's Millennium Tribute to Adolphe Sax Volume 5."
Rich said that while most of their regular material is contemporary classical music, they plan to play a more audience-friendly set for the occasion.
The newest members of the quartet are tenor saxophonist Kelly Jones and alto saxophonist Holly Hubbs, a Ball State doctoral student. Professor George Wolfe coaches the group.
The Miller Twins will perform Saturday at 9 p.m., and will play a variety of acoustic originals and covers, mixing '80s songs with classic rock, blues, bluegrass, and Grateful Dead and Dave Matthews covers. Rhythm guitarist and back-up vocalist Nat Miller said the group will probably play for three hours, but it depends on the response of the audience.
Both Nat Miller and lead guitarist and vocalist Ben Miller are Ball State seniors. They host the Blue Bottle's open mic night every Wednesday and usually play on the first Saturday of every month.
"We're used to playing rowdy bars," Nat Miller said. "People are just there to drink. [At the Blue Bottle] people seem to stay, and they clap. They even give requests."
Although the twins usually play as a duo, drummer Jason Scott and bass player Bob Breitung will join them Saturday.
Owners Tom and Kristine Steiner opened the Blue Bottle on Feb. 2, 2001. Tom Steiner said the past year has been a learning experience.
"When you open a building you have this idealism," Steiner said. "You think things are going to be booming. Boy, did I learn a lot about the business."
Steiner said that in two years they will be able to see more clearly whether they are a "viable part of the Village."
Steiner said the Blue Bottle has been successful, but in different ways than he and his wife had thought. They met their goals, attracted a group of regulars and acquired a hardworking and dependable staff, many of whom have stuck around since the Blue Bottle opened.
"All [our] hard work is starting to show," Steiner said. "It's starting to happen. I have a great staff, and I couldn't do it without them."
The Blue Bottle started hosting musical guests at the end of the summer. Steiner said he feels music makes the Blue Bottle more inviting and gives people a place to go on Saturday nights.
"We have a very diverse and talented local music scene," Steiner said. "I think it's great that we're able to tap into it."
"It's pretty cool to see talented people who are my age playing music, and it's always fun to go out on the weekends," said Freshman Matt Sweeney. "It's a really cool place to hang out."
There is no cover fee for the night, but Steiner asks that people buy drinks to support the bands. Mochas and vanilla lattes will be $1.50 all week long, starting Friday.
For more information, call the Blue Bottle at 284-3630.
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