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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us October 15, 2005 The flavor of Mobius Ashland’s all-ages performance venue is as much about the city as the performers By Mercedes Binh Ly Tidings Correspondent Mobius Productions defies description. Located in Ashland’s railroad district, the Mobius is a live performance venue, art gallery and café rolled into one. It also functions as a multimedia production studio. The 175-person capacity space provides an intimate ambience with plenty of dance room. The stage is capable of holding a 12-piece band and includes a 16-foot projection screen used for movie screenings. Included in this space is a green room backstage where band members can relax before a performance, a sound booth, a recording studio and the Blue Room, a café and lounge area where images can be projected onto a blue screen. Although its emphasis is on live music, Mobius prides itself in its ability to offer the community a wide variety of events such as poetry readings, private parties, workshops, theatrical performances and many others. Around 300 events have taken place at this location within the last year, according to manager Marla Welp. “It’s been a lot of fun keeping it diverse,” said Welp, 25, who is responsible for booking and event production. “We’ve been able to appeal to different crowds on different nights. I think it’s one of our strengths.” The “all ages” aspect and a no-alcohol policy are key factors that set Mobius apart from most clubs in town. The venue welcomes the very young to the young-at-heart. A variety of organic espresso drinks, local organic desserts and refreshments replace the typical alcoholic beverages and bar snacks. “There’s a different vibe around here,” said Crystal Soufer, 25, who co-owns the venue with husband Jason Gallagher, 31, and friend Aaren Glover, 27. “You can take off your shoes and dance and not be afraid of stepping in a puddle of beer or glass.” “We’re committed to continuing a classy atmosphere,” Soufer added. “We have found the all-ages aspect is our strength because people choose to come here to experience our relaxed environment. “Initially, I was concerned that a lack of alcohol would be a problem because generally alcohol is so closely tied to music venues, but on the contrary, it’s our strength, and the people in the community are really grateful.” According to Soufer, the venue also functions as a platform for up-and-coming local bands, as well as national touring bands that pass through the area. A few examples include Soul Tempo, a collection of local musicians whose music has an eclectic flavor with influences in jazz, R&B, blues, soul, rock and folk; and Hamsa Lila, a national touring band whose music is inspired by earthy trance from a variety of cultures, including North and West Africa, the Americas, India and the Caribbean. Other favorites include reggae, blues/jazz/funk, bluegrass and world music fusion from the Middle East, Brazil, Turkey and Persia. The Mobius is also host to the hugely popular Poetry Slam, a monthly competitive poetry contest that easily attracts 100-plus attendees. The winner of the contest walks away with a $50 cash prize. The contest is “competitive but not cutthroat,” and it gives contestants an opportunity to express themselves, said Welp. To qualify, the poem needs to be an original piece, no longer than three minutes in length, and no props or instruments are allowed on stage. “Most art forms have a venue that you go to and you show it to an audience,” said Joshua Heuertz, 30, a stagehand at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a performer and coach of improvisation. “That’s what progresses art: an audience. A poetry gathering, as in a jam, allows you to share amongst other poets. The slam offers a clear idea of what you communicated to a spectator, and the scoring gives you a definite idea of what those five (judges) thought of what you did. It’s just higher stakes.” Heuertz, who won the first Poetry Slam, has participated in eight of the 10 monthly contests. He said the slams have given him an incentive to continue to write poetry, a craft he’s taken up again since putting it on the “back burner.” “I have a deadline,” he added. “I have a prize. Fifty dollars is as much money as you’ll make as a poet in your life. You cannot procrastinate.” Mobius Productions, which officially opened New Year’s Eve 2001, has evolved from a multimedia commercial studio a year ago, said Soufer, to a venue that focuses on live events. Although the goal is to maintain its multimedia production capabilities, the crew of four has also expressed an interest in making live audio and video recording projects by capturing the live sounds of the audience during an event on CD or DVD. “I love it,” Soufer said. “It’s really rewarding to be in a line of work where the goal is to create a truly fulfilling experience in celebrating and enjoying the arts. “It’s a family and community-based environment. It’s rewarding to see after a long day of work, people having fun dancing. It’s nice to see we’re enriching the community with art.” Welp believes the venue is unique in that there’s nothing else quite like it. “Mobius is a community space which provides an opportunity for connection, a place for people to come together and celebrate being alive … to put away the mundane and stress and just be,” she said. The venue is available for private rental for parties, birthdays, bar mitzvahs and wedding receptions. The fee is $50 an hour and includes use of the speaker system and projection screen. Mobius Productions is located at 281 Fourth St. between A and B streets in Ashland. For a list of upcoming events or to join the e-mail list, visit www.themobius.com or contact The Mobius at 488-8894. 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