CAMDEN — Acoustic musicians from the Midcoast gathered for a couple of hours of music and fun March 25 at K2 Music in Reny’s Plaza, playing selection after selection to the delight of those attending. Everyone got a chance to pick a song. The evening was the third for 2016 as K2 Music continues its Music After Hours gatherings.

Mac Economy said the next Music After Hours scheduled for the last Friday in April will be blues.

“We do the last Friday of the month so it will be easy to remember,” he said. “Next month, it won’t be just acoustic, but we’ll have some low level electric and if we can twist the arm of a drummer, we’ll have some drums.”

Economy said it was a way to give back to, and develop, community.

“We have musicians show up from all over the Midcoast,” he said. “Sometimes they come from as far away as Ellsworth. They get together and meet new people. They play together and form new groups. And there are far more participants then spectators.”

How did K2 come up with the idea of Music After Hours?

“A good friend of ours who’s a music enthusiast was sitting around brainstorming with us one day,” said Economy. “We were talking about concert and jams and the idea came up that why don’t we do something after hours. It spiraled and immediately took off. It works best in the winter months, not so much in the summer. These are jams. You can come and participate no matter what level of musician you are.”

K2 Music has been open four years and it’s safe to say that it’s working.

“Thanks to the community it’s working,” Economy said. “We have a supportive community here that knows Harvey Curtis and me. They trust us and know we’re going to sell them the right thing and not try to oversell them.”

Economy said they are in it for the long haul.

“We not the one time sales guys,” he said. “We’re building relationships. This store is all about relationships. All the people here tonight are not new to us. We’ve sold them instruments or helped them with their instruments. We see them out and they say hi, and I recognize them because they are a costumer from the store and I think this is so cool.”

Harvey Curtis, who is the other half of K2 Music, said the night was awesome.

“We love it,” he said. “We get to see the folks who come in and listen to them play and hear the items that we sell them and we become friends.”

Curtis said listening to them play actually helps to match an instrument to them.

“There’s a lady that’s here tonight who calls herself a cowgirl,” he said. “She’s a great country player, she’s a great yodeler and she’s looking for a guitar. I gave her one and said this is what you’re looking for. She turned to me and said she’s fallen in love with it. It’s knowing your customer, it’s great.”

Curtis said he was sure K2 would work when they opened.

“There has always been a music store in this area,” he said. “There was one for Mac and I when we were younger. It’s like any other business; there are good days and bad days. Things like this tonight make it worth it. It’s so much fun to see the people and hear them and it’s a relationship thing.”

Curtis said it’s about making a living, but not necessarily about making a lot of money.

“It’s about growing to know all these people I’ve met over the last 25 years,” Curtis said. “It’s about seeing new kids and kids that go off and then come back with their own kids; it’s about selling someone their tenth guitar and then seeing them come in with their children for their kid’s first guitar.”

“I love these people and I love this job,” he said.