Originally written and posted by Laura Taxel - Cleveland Magazine Blog 4/10/08

I was at the Town Fryer (30th and Superior) on a Saturday night not too long ago to sip some Shiners, listen to the local roots-rock band The Jack Fords and bask in the glow of owner Susie Porter's warm, southern-inflected hospitality. She has a way of making everyone who comes to her bar and restaurant feel special and welcome. You can't help but like her and her place, and so it makes sense that Fryer fans are legion and loyal. Just how loyal became obvious around 10 p.m.

The room was packed, the bass was blasting and people were happily tipping back beers when, all of a sudden, the power went out, leaving the crowd in darkness and the musicians silenced. There was some giggling, a few exclamations of what the f…, but not much more reaction. In fact, the buzz of conversation got a little buzzier — there was nothing to do BUT talk.

Susie, laid back and unflappable, got candles out fast and lots of them so there was a nice little glow happening, and then she worked the room taking drink orders and trading jokes with her customers and friends. A few folks checked things out in the neighborhood, reporting back that lights were on in other buildings. I overheard someone on a phone saying, "Hey dude, you know anything about electricity?"

Nobody went into a panic, there was no stampede for the door, no slow drift of customers to other nightspots and watering holes. In fact just the opposite happened. Most everyone seemed to adopt a we're in this together attitude and a party mood prevailed. The party picked up steam when Brent Kirby, lead vocalist for the band, whipped out an acoustic guitar, jumped up on a chair and started belting out songs.

Then a couple of guys hauled in an old miniature upright piano from the other room. Keyboardist Chris Hanna pounded the keys, coaxing astonishing sounds out of the tinny thing. Kirby leapt onto the piano, wailing and strumming, and tapping out rhythms with his foot. Then the drummer got in on the act.  Who needed power — we had real powerhouse music, unplanned and unplugged.

The lights finally came back on as midnight approached and the guys got miked and amped again. I joined in the cheering and clapping, but my applause was also for Porter, for the kind of people that come to the Town Fryer, and for the spirited, spontaneous little community we made together.

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