Step back up to the mic at Hopkins downtown

Noah Rock hosts the Friday night open mics at the downtown Hopkins Icehouse.
Noah Rock hosts the Friday night open mics at the downtown Hopkins Icehouse.

TEXARKANA, Ark. - With live events gradually returning to Texarkana, Hopkins Icehouse has brought back its Friday night open mics with a popular host at the helm.
"We'll be doing open mics from now on. Noah Rock will be hosting it. Every Friday around 8:30 p.m.," said the downtown Hopkins manager, Christian Mackey. They just restarted this weekly event about a week ago, Mackey saying the host hails from the Tucson, Arizona, area.
"He kind of learned a lot from there and just decided to come this way to see if he can get his foot in the door in other places and stuff. It's actually been pretty 'growing' for him, I guess. He's definitely kind of blossomed," Mackey said. "He plays at Hopkins quite a bit. As a host, he's all I can ask for as a host, to be honest. He does the job really well."
Friday night open mics at Hopkins are a give and take in terms of numbers, said the manager, with sometimes as many as 28 on stage over the course of the night.
"Anybody who comes, he puts them in a lineup and makes sure everybody gets a little time on stage," Mackey said. "It is normally acoustic acts, somebody playing the guitar and singing."
But it's not limited to that. The Hopkins stage on a Friday night might welcome spoken word performers, comedians and more. "If you want to get on stage for a little bit, this is the time," Mackey said. "Honestly, it's the perfect time if you've never done it or if you're a little uncomfortable and just want to kind of break that seal. It's the perfect time."
And with the Hopkins atmosphere, expect a chill crowd.
Live music continues this Saturday, too, with John Riddle performing on stage. He plays covers and originals, but also puts his spin on the covers, said Mackey. "He's really talented," he said.
Hopkins live music just restarted last week. "We decided to wait a little bit longer than most people," Mackey said.
They still have their capacity limited for now, which means they can hold about 70 patrons at a time. In addition to those capacity measures, some tables are put away so tables are spaced out.
"If you're at a table, then you're definitely six feet away from people," Mackey said.
As for future live music, he's still looking for someone to play on July 4. The weekend after he'll have Jake Gathright with a few deejays playing the following weekend.
(No cover for Friday night open mics. Guests are encouraged to bring an instrument and play. Hopkins Icehouse is located at the corner of 3rd and Wood streets downtown. More info: 870-774-3333.) 

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