Tucson unplugged: Where to find acoustic music in the Old Pueblo

The venue seats no more than 50 and admission to the shows, held every other Tuesday, is free.

Holden’s and Gest’s shows aren’t quite as small, usually attracting audiences in the couple hundreds, not the thousands that you can expect from artists who play the Rialto Theatre or Tucson Music Hall. Guitarist Leo Kottke, a regular to In Concert, is an exception, Gest said, noting that in pre-COVID-19 times, as many as 1,200 people have loosely filled the Berger to see Kottke. At his show in February, as the county was riding the omicron COVID-19 wave, only 500 attended, Gest said.

“There are certain artists that will pull some people, but mostly, it’s not easy,” Gest admitted.

“I still have a passion for this music,” he said.

Gest’s love of acoustic music was actually sparked after seeing the biggest rock band in history — the Beatles.

He was 13 and was in London, where his father, an Indiana University biology professor, was on sabbatical when he and his older brother saw the legendary band in a 2,000-seat hall.

“Twelve songs in, the Beatles left the stage except for Paul McCartney and he sang ‘Yesterday’ for the second time he ever performed it and every single girl and guy shut up and listened to every note,” said Gest, a longtime Pima Community College geology teacher. “That one thing made me interested in acoustic music. … Folk and acoustic are music forms you can actually hear and get a message from oftentimes, or just hear played well with the audience really listening.”