Lovin' Cup, the new coffee joint-music venue-bar-restaurant just off the RIT campus (but looks for all the world as though it's part of the campus), is now open and in full swing. Lovin' Cup takes it name from a Rolling Stones song, and bills itself as a music bistro. It's doing a lot to back that up, booking bands like Gaylord, Triglactagon, The Night Gallery, and the Niche, all while serving three meals a day, and all sorts of drinks.

We swung over on a Tuesday night to catch the venue's open mic night, and though the place is new, word must be spreading, because it was pretty full. You'd think it'd be all college kids, tossing back coffee and smoothie-type drinks ‘cuz they're under age, but it was packed with a 20something drinking crowd, mostly musicians, many signed up to play. I nabbed cans of PBR - two bucks apiece - from the bar, while a middle-aged couple next to me perused the wine selection.

In fact, the wine makes itself known immediately: walk through the door, and you can't help but notice the wine rack, a huge metal work that dominates the wall above the bar. It's equal parts art and function (you notice the beauty before the bottles), much like the venue itself. The singular shape (or blending of shapes) is mirrored in tables of the same design: their transparent tops are held up by artistic, twisting metal. It's reminiscent of mercury, lava, or gobs of solder. But prettier.

The walls are subdued green, blues, and browns, and the twinkling lights in the windows by the stage are surrounded by twiney threads of green. The feel of the place would border on lounge if there were more than two couches (one of which faces a wall-mounted flat panel TV), and maybe some cabaret. Then again, the place is considering a comedy night or amateur movie-makers night, so anything could be in the cards.

During the open mic, though, the stageside baby grand was put to use, and the roomy, low stage welcomed many of the musicians, including a guy with an acoustic guitar who ripped through covers of songs like "Baby Got Back," to the apparent delight of some of the dancing, hair-tossing crowd.

The crowd alternately listened, talked, sipped large glasses of wine, and drank beer out of what I presume is threatening to displace the homely pitcher: a cylindrical tower of beer, which is served to your table, and left there for you to dispense yourself. Though it's easy to stick to the cheap end of things (like PBR and Genny Cream Ale), for a buck or two more, you can choose from draft beers including Guinness, or a Rohrbach's brew concocted especially for Lovin' Cup.

The place stayed busy right up until close - midnight when we were there - and though the open mic wrapped up around 11:30 p.m., and the sound system was turned off, an impromptu piano and guitar jam session picked up. No one seemed ready to leave.

Lovin' Cup (292-9940, lovincup.com) is located at 300 Park Point Drive, Suite 101. (It's easier, though, to find the intersection of Jefferson Road and John Street in Henrietta, then just look for the sign.) Lovin' Cup is open Sunday-Wednesday until midnight, Thursday until 1 a.m., and Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. It celebrates its grand opening on Saturday, September 27, with outdoor performances by The Buddhahood and Big Eyed Phish. Also, keep an eye out for T. C. Riley's, an Irish pub that'll soon join Lovin' Cup on the RIT-area nightlife circuit.