Eat your heart out MTV Unplugged; Ames’ first mini Woodstock hopes to quell the worries of all Iowa Staters feeling mid-week Veishea apathy this year.

“Playing live shows becomes an addiction for everyone involved. It will be nice to have so many new performers hangin’ out at one show,” Megan Hunt, lead vocalist for the local folk-rock ensemble Clowd Nyne says.

Tonight and Thursday evening, People’s Bar and Grill will host its first annual Veishea Local Acoustic Showcase, featuring eight up-and-coming Ames performers.

Each evening will include a one-hour set from four different musical acts. These short sets promise a fantastic variety of covers and unique original jams. The new acts will bring an energetic, fresh sound to the local establishment best known for providing quality live shows.

Clowd Nyne, performing Thursday, will include Hunt, rhythm guitarist Drew Waddle and vocalist/lead guitarist Eric Larson. Hunt says that they consider themselves folk-rock with plenty of energy.

“If you come to see us, be prepared for a girl with a really loud voice and some amazing guitar work,” Hunt says.

Hunt and company have a strong list of original tunes mixed with some Grateful Dead, Ani DiFranco and Janis Joplin hits.

“We love to play our original stuff, but it’s hard to do that when the crowd keeps yelling ‘Free Bird’ and things like that,” Hunt says.

One of tonight’s performers, Zak Nunu, also likes to bring back some older tracks that people haven’t heard in a while. Nunu says that some of his favorites include The Who and Johnny Cash.

“I think these shows will put more variety into the week,” Nunu says. “The noise level should be a lot less than most of the shows at People’s.”

Nunu is a self-taught artist who says his voice is his strong feature, covering up some of the sins on the guitar. In his fourth show in Ames he hopes to add this experience to past Veishea memories.

“During Veishea of 1996 some friends and I decided to hit some golf balls through the goal posts at Jack Trice stadium. This won’t be that crazy, but it’ll be a great time,” Nunu says.

Chris Pennington, junior in mechanical engineering, also hopes to add to the experience when makes his Campustown bar debut performance tonight.

“This arrangement is a great idea,” Pennington says. “Seeing new music is always entertaining and it gives you great ideas on how to improve yourself.”

Pennington’s solo act consists of a few original tunes woven between some of his favorite Pearl Jam, Creed and other new alternative songs. Currently, Pennington is forming a group act which he hopes has some potential after his graduation next year.

“Most people that know me like to hear something I call the ‘beer song,'” Pennington says, “It depends on who shows up, but I think I might play it.”

Whatever the song, by whomever the artist, the first annual Veishea Local Acoustic Showcase will offer great entertainment. Other acts include Brian Congdon, Dan Canny, Matt Gardner, Dan Nielson and Little Mojo.