About Us
the story of "storytellers"
"storytellers" started in a VIP booth in a sac-town music venue/club - "harlow's". while not necessarily in a moment of visionary genius, dustin - our now founder, raised a glass to some friends in between 2 great songs & said "cheers". they clinked cocktail glasses & pint glasses together like they had a hundred times before in that very same booth. as dustin leaned back over the railing - he had this unrelenting sense that he wanted to sing worship songs from that stage. in fact - he even shared the idea with the folks who were with him that night (many of which are part of our "storytellers" team). while everyone there quickly agreed & loved the idea - dustin decided to just enjoy the night of music together rather than risk one of those embarrassing "hold my beer" moments where the ol' liquid courage causes you to abandon common sense...for what you're convinced "is a good idea"...only to realize it's viral on the internet the next morning. hypothetically speaking, of course. :-)
for dustin & those friends who were there that night - it wasn't uncommon for many of them sharing that booth to have just been in church singing those songs dustin was talking about together. in fact - getting together for drinks and/or live music after just pulling off a worship set at their home church was a pretty common saturday night activity.
all that said - what has now grown to be a brand/apparel line & a community of risk-takers & boundary pushers who meet in large & small numbers in bars all over sacramento, ca - started off simply as a "bucket list" line item for dustin. in that moment - he simply wanted to merge 2 of the things he enjoyed most in life: singing about Jesus...& drinking with friends. after sharing the idea with his wife & "storytellers" co-founder, jess, - she instantly shot down the idea. well...at least his initial name idea. :-) this "one & done" idea of hosting a night of worship in a bar (that dustin originally wanted to call "Jesus & jack daniels") has now evolved into a collective of new friends & old who are very simply "storytellers".
we're sharing our lives & stories together - & celebrating the greatest story of all time - the story of Jesus. "storytellers" simply exists to "bring reckless love to unexpected places". we're a space to drink with friends, find community, discover faith, ask questions, share stories. we are simply a place to belong.
what is "storytellers"?
good question. it's 3 things:
- storytellers: a brand. - we believe in the community idea of "storytellers" whole-heartedly. & whether it's your favorite band...favorite coffee spot...or favorite store - we wear things that inspire us. we wear things we are proud of. as a result "storytellers" created a brand/apparel line that exists to celebrate that community. all of our clothes/apparel/gifts are centered around our chance of enjoying life together. in fact "til death do us part" is printed on a couple different shirts. while typically a wedding vow - the same opportunity to celebrate & share life together is true for all of us. the "storytellers" brand is about celebrating the stories that divide us...as well as unite us. celebrating our diversity is central to sharing our stories together.
- storytellers: a night of worship. - it's definitely not a church. many of us have those that we attend on the weekends. however...for some...it's the closest they choose to get to church...& we're okay with that. for others...it's their first step to give (or re-give) the idea of faith a shot because they've never found a "home" in a church. maybe for you it's simply a place to grab a cocktail with friends. we're equally okay with all of those. "storytellers" has 2 main goals. #1 - create a space full of rock n roll centered around the love of Jesus where people can drink together & share their stories. #2 - host an evening that leaves the promotors & bartenders excited for us to come back. we want the generosity in the way we tip...the sincerity in the way we interact...the excellence in the way we play...& the uniquely special environment in the room to be one that every venue is excited to see return. in short...it's a night of worship. a 21+ worship service with a full bar for those who might drink a little...cuss a little...but love Jesus a lot. if you attend a church - you'll probably recognize the majority of the songs we sing. those of us who know them will sing songs about Jesus & His great love. all of our events have a full bar serving liquor, beer, wine...as well as the "unleaded" stuff like soda & water. :-) it's a place were pastors & bar tenders...sinners & saints....young & old get together to raise a glass together.
- storytellers: a conversation - if the brand/apparel line of "storytellers" is the uniform...& the night of worship is the voice - this part is the heart of who we are. it happens in spaces/bars that we already love to hang out in. they happen as a collective of names & contacts who we meet at our nights of worship from friends who would like a shot at sharing their stories & finding community in "smaller bites". in the conversational flow of "storytellers" - during the nights of worship we talk & share with you & during these conversations - you talk back. ask questions. bring struggles. come to laugh. be pissed at the church or frustrated with Jesus. just bring your story. the unfiltered one...& not the B.S. one we usually let people in on. :-) these conversations aren't nearly as much about providing answers as much as they are about providing a safe place to ask questions about life & faith. the good - the bad - & the ugly. let us pray with you or for you. or...let's just laugh till it hurts for a couple hours. these conversations are happening in pubs, bars, & tasting rooms, all across sacramento. if you'd be interested in being a part of one...let us know at info@storytellerssac.com.
[ help author our story ]
our goal is to drive every ounce of sales back to the venues, bars, & small business owners who allow us to share their space. none of the musicians make a dime to play. if you'd like to help cover some of the costs such as production, travel, marketing, equipment, etc - it would make such a huge difference.
| we've missed you |
stay tuned for our next night of worship announcement in the near future. we can't wait to raise a glass with you.