When musician Kate Schimke knew it was time for a change, she returned to her old love of booking performers, which dates back to her time at Mascenic Regional High School.
“I started to get an itch because in high school, I used to host talent shows,” she said.
On Aug. 1, Schimke remembers waking up ready to rebrand her store, Prayers of Nature, in Wilton and build her brainchild, The Hidden Gem.
“I wanted to create a space basically for me, and then it attracted, and I can cater to people that perform like me,” she said.
By the end of August, The Hidden Gem had taken shape in the same spot as her previous store, a hard-to-find mill building off Main Street in Wilton, focused on selling gemstones and vinyl by day and hosting concerts by night.
‘Take the risk’
Inspired by her friend Laurie Gouley, owner of Mystic Market in New Boston, Schimke took the leap and created her dream venue space with the storefront she had. Gouley remembers telling her, “Life’s too short. Take the risk.”
So, Schimke redesigned her storefront and opened her doors as soon as she could.
“She’s the happiest I’ve ever seen her,” Gouley said.
For Schimke, a big step in transitioning her storefront from an art focus to music was choosing a new name.
So, focused on her love of music and gemstones, Schimke felt stuck until she remembered how hard it is to find her store. The Hidden Gem fit well when describing her work as a booker, too.
“I like that concept of a hidden gem when I get through my emails, and I get email after email after email of people who want to play here. I’m really looking for these shiny, unique pieces,” she said. “I find hidden gems every day.”
Curating shows and building a network of musicians has become Schimke’s dream job.
“I pinch myself. I’m so lucky,” she said.
Schimke works closely with each musician to plan sets and provide coverage for small, independent artists, whether that’s photos and videos of the performances or online marketing.
“If I play my cards right and they do well with me, they may never book with me again because they’ll go on to bigger and better things, which is kind of the goal,” she said.
With a list of over 200 musicians interested in playing The Hidden Gem, Schimke said booking involves a lot of hard conversations, but over time she has learned to appreciate the bluntness of rejection, even in her own music career.
“Every week there’s a new musician that wants to play this room. It’s incredible, but it can be very soul-crushing at the same time,” she said.
‘Curating experiences’
During the day, The Hidden Gem sells vintage vinyl, gemstones, fossils and crystals, all displayed on wheeled shelves ready to roll away at night.
Against a backdrop of golden, glimmering curtains, musicians play under a bright chandelier for a 20-seat audience at The Hidden Gem.
“It’s limited, but it’s very intimate. We put a lot into curating experiences,” Schimke said. “It creates a little community in that moment for two or three hours. We’re all here to hear that musician, to support that musician, and celebrate them.”
Her ideal candidates produce a unique and original sound.
“I really like people who are on the streets hanging out next to the gutters and then putting them under a chandelier,” she said.
The end goal is to promote the artists and bring entertainment to the Wilton community.
“What her and I both like to bring is opportunities for people to just be … to enjoy life,” Gouley said.
Schimke performs at her venue only twice a year: once in October for spooky season and once in February to play ironic breakup songs and murder ballads for Valentine’s Day.
“The rest of the year is all about other people,” she said.
Upcoming shows include headliners Dr. Gasp and Cryin’ Caleb on Oct. 3, and Savoir Faire, Lynda Mandolyn and Schimke (stage name Darling Hill) on Oct. 17.
For more information, visit musicandrockshop.com.