The Circle Set

A shared first note

Over the past few months, we’ve had more and more musicians reach out asking if there might be a way to play music together at Full Circle. Not a performance, not a show—just a space to gather and play. An open jam. A chance to connect with others through music, and maybe build something together that lasts.

This Monday, we’re inviting those folks to come to Full Circle for an evening gathering. It’s both an experiment and an initiation—a first attempt at what could become a regular rhythm in the life of this place. We’re expecting 15–25 musicians, and we’re not expecting perfection. There will be some chaos. That’s part of the beauty. It’s the first time. Firsts are rarely clean.

We’ve just installed a new sound system. We need to test it out. We need to hear what it sounds like when the room is alive with real people playing real instruments, not just isolated inputs. So we’re starting this event with a two-hour window of open play. From 4 to 6PM, anyone who wants to can plug in, mic up, and help us bring the space to life.

After that, we’ll ease into a 6–7PM dinner set. Benton will be open, or you can bring your own food. Music will keep flowing while we eat. Then at 7PM, we’ll pause for an hour—not to stop playing, but to talk about why we’re playing, and what we want this to become.

What Full Circle Is (and Isn’t)

People often ask: What is this place?

The question lingers because the answer is still unfolding. Full Circle wasn’t designed to be a finished product, but a platform—one that holds what the community brings to it. It’s meant to evolve through use, shaped by participation.

At its core, Full Circle is rooted in a belief that connection matters most. Connection to place, to one another, and to the deeper rhythms that move through it all.

Music has been a part of this from the beginning—not because it was programmed from the top down, but because the community kept asking for it. That’s why we’re here tonight. Because there’s interest, energy, and a willingness to show up.

But we want to be clear: this isn’t something we can or will “run.”
This is not a service—it’s an invitation to co-creation.
This only happens if people want it to happen—and if people step up to make it real.

We can build the platform. We can open the space. But we can’t be the ongoing organizers, schedulers, or technicians for this to happen consistently. What we can offer is access, guidance, and support. What we need is community involvement.

What This Gathering Needs to Thrive

There are a few specific things this kind of gathering will require if we want it to last:

• Setup & Breakdown
  The sound system can support a full band, with mic’d vocals and multi-track recording. But it takes time to set up and tear down. This gathering can only happen with musicians who are willing to share in that responsibility—carrying gear, winding cables, setting levels, breaking things down at the end of the night.

• Organizing Sessions
  If we have 20+ people at a jam, we need structure. That might mean rotating sets, sign-up sheets, balanced instrumentation, and clear start/end times. We’ll likely need point people for each session who are comfortable playing a light leadership role—helping keep things moving and making sure everyone gets a turn.

• Communication & Admin
  Someone will need to be available to coordinate logistics: organizing the schedule, communicating changes, sending reminders, managing lists. If this becomes recurring, a shared email or text chain and a few volunteer administrators will be essential.

• Flexibility
  This space is sometimes used for paid events that help cover its costs—rent, utilities, insurance. That means jam sessions might need to move or reschedule occasionally. We’ll do everything we can to give notice and make it work, but it’ll require flexibility from everyone involved.

• Shared Stewardship
  Over time, we hope a group of stewards will form—not to own this gathering, but to tend to it. That might mean 3–5 people who rotate roles: session leads, tech help, organizers, communicators. It won’t work with just one person shouldering everything, but it doesn’t need to be complicated either. Shared care is the goal.

Schedule for This First Gathering

4:00–6:00PM • Open Jam & Soundcheck
Plug in, play, and help us shape the sound of the space.

6:00–7:00PM • Dinner Set
Grab food from Benton or bring your own. Music continues as we eat and connect.

7:00–8:00PM • Community Meeting
We’ll talk about how this fits into the larger vision of Full Circle and what it might take to make these music nights sustainable.

8:00–10:00PM • Main Jam Session
Four 30-minute rotations. We’ll organize groups based on interest and instrumentation.

10:00PM–? • Late Night Jam
Quiet, unstructured. Think fire circle energy. Anything goes.

Final Thought

This isn’t a gig. It’s not a show. It’s not about getting discovered.
It’s about remembering how to make music with each other.
About listening more than leading.
About offering your gifts in service to something larger than yourself.

Music creates belonging. That’s what this is for.
And this is your invitation to help shape it.