[Editor’s note:  Night Owl Pub is hosting the Sower Records Fundraiser this Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m. RSVP here.]

Tucked in between an antique store and a head shop in on South 13th Street’s Indian Village Plaza, the dim-lit basement bar Night Owl Pub has a charming, hole-in-the-wall aesthetic.

Its entrance is identified by a chalkboard with the words, “BAR DOOR,” written in bold, capital letters. Inside, a small alcove above the brick stairwell is decorated with a vintage chair, a black and white “WANTED” poster and a hanging lamp that illuminates the carpeted, beer-splattered staircase.

With every step, the dark basement’s character comes to light. A long, L-shaped bar is backed with local draughts. Neighborhood regulars surround a poker table in the middle of the room, taking smoke breaks on the patio in between hands. Mirrors are mounted on a ceiling above the large dance floor. A black tree is decaled on the wall behind the stage where blue and white fluorescent lights hang. This is where the self-proclaimed “live music junkie” Jackie Storm has been hosting her Lincoln Open Mic Night every Wednesday since early January.

Storm, an Iowa-born music lover and local band manager, got her foot in Lincoln’s music door when she started an open mic at The Cask in March 2015 after working for a couple of years at the now-closed Haymarket bar.

“I always wanted to have that creative control of how music happens in a venue,” Storm said.

Coincidentally, the home of Lincoln’s longest-standing open mic, Duggan’s Pub, had just closed the week before.

“It was kind of the perfect timing,” Storm said.  “And plus, there were already musicians who wanted to play.”

Hosting an open mic at The Cask led Storm to build close relationships with the musicians who played there. Storm connected with Lincoln folk musician Evan Bartels, and now she manages his full band through her music promotions and management business, Storm Media Management. Artists like The Wildwoods and Dylan Bloom Band have also sought out Storm’s promotional skills.

When The Cask closed its doors in December, Storm approached Night Owl owner Chris Rosiak about hosting Lincoln Open Mic Night and booking other live shows on the weekends. The musicians Storm had befriended at The Cask were ready to follow, and Rosiak was quick to jump onboard.

“Jackie just kind of came swinging in,” Rosiak says. “She became the connection for me to the music. Being the owner, I am a little more behind the scenes and not as active, so she’s really the bridge between me and the artists.”

While Rosiak manages the bar, Storm — equipped with an educational background in media communications — handles promotional work like scheduling, booking and keeping up with social media. When booking shows, Storm always ensures that everyone is on the same page prior to the show.  

Storm’s recent endeavors in music management paired with her 15 years of experience tending bars has helped her understand the relationship between an artist and venue, describing herself as the “go-between” at Night Owl.

“I know what the bar is giving and I know what the artist is giving, so I feel like I’m in the perfect position to figure out how to balance that so everyone is in a win-win situation,” Storm says.  

Just over a mile outside of downtown, Night Owl is a short drive or bike ride away from the popular Near South neighborhood, where many musicians live and work. There’s more incentive than just free parking and convenience of location, however. Open mic artists are guaranteed a 30-minute set, which is two to three songs longer than a typical open mic. The open mic starts at 8 p.m. and can run as late as 2 a.m. Storm says that the schedule is usually full by Sunday evening for the upcoming Wednesday.

“When I moved [Lincoln Open Mic Night] here it exploded,” Storm says. “People don’t want to deal with downtown because the parking is such an issue, so this is kind of a nice little escape from everything.”

Many of the musicians who followed Storm’s Lincoln Open Mic Night from The Cask have now become Night Owl regulars. Acoustic singer-songwriter Joseph Rempe, who normally kick offs the open mic’s 8 p.m. slot, hardly ever misses a week. If he does, Rempe says it doesn’t get past Storm.

“If I haven’t already signed up on the Facebook page, I’ll get a text from Jackie asking if I want to play that week,” Rempe says. “It’s that kind of thing that makes people come back.”

Night Owl’s sound engineer and self-recording rock musician, Brian Sabel (Scarftough), shares Storm’s intimate approach to working with artists. Sabel plays an important role in making musicians sound the best they can while also ensuring they feel comfortable up on stage. Sabel’s kind, uplifting attitude can be seen in the way he reaches out for high-five or gives a young artist a compliment immediately after their set.

“We want people to think ‘I feel valued as a musician and performer,’” Sabel says. “That’s what we’re ultimately trying to do here.”

Whether it’s a musician who’s performing at the open mic or Night Owl’s resident artist Bartels, who plays on the last Friday of every month (RSVP here), the Night Owl team has the same artist-centric approach.

Big-drawing artists who are booked to play weekend shows can expect to receive a little extra: the exclusive Night Owl green room.

“Not everyone gets to go in the green room,” Rosiak says. “It’s reserved for only our best shows.”

The large room in the back of the bar is suited with leather couches and whiskey bottles. Its bright green walls are covered in black and white photos of artists like Bartels, Josh Hoyer and Andrea von Kampen, who’ve all (except Bartels) signed their portraits with metallic Sharpie.

The green room is something for up-and-coming artists to work toward, rather than be discouraged by if they can’t get in yet. Sometimes Storm will let young musicians get a sneak peek into where only the best of the best hang out.

Storm says that encouraging young artists is especially a focus at Lincoln Open Mic Night. She always keeps her camera and laptop nearby, and takes photos and videos of artists who are just breaking into the scene. Consequently, the Night Owl stage often earns its place in the background of artists’ Facebook photos.

“It’s funny because the stage, and tree specifically, has kind of become a staple of the Night Owl,” Storm says. “Anytime someone sees a photo with that it in, they know where you are.”

At Night Owl, music is treated as something that is deeply rooted in the experiences of the performers. This attitude is upheld on and off the stage, and is exemplified by the Night Owl team. Their love for music extends beyond the venue’s brick basement walls, influencing meaningful relationships between the artists who play there.

“We’re building a venue around celebrating how great our local artists are and cultivating the growth of new artists at the same time,” Storm says. “That’s kind of the cool thing about this place, it’s connects local musicians with one another.”