Whispers had a unexpectedly good turnout  for their soft opening, Sept. 9 in the former Tongue n Groove building.

 They were auditioning bands on the first night, so I hung out for the Janni Lee Band, which included Pat Ackerman on bass and drummer Raz.

They played a solid set of soulful blues music including reworked blues classics like  “Hoochie Coochie Girl,” and a solid version of “The Thrill is Gone.” Janni Lee displayed an impressive set of pipes, belting out the blues, but  still held the sound down to a “whisper.”

 The band was tight with tasteful guitar solos and a solid beat.

 The venue itself hasn’t changed much though the walls look a little bare without the art. The stage is still impressive, though the curtains have been removed, leaving a big blank white screen and they still have a great sound and light systems.