(From DCist contributor Kristin Kovner)

Every week, James Stevens plays to a packed house. Not a chair in the place is empty, and a line of listeners overflows onto the sidewalk during most of his set. Some of the audience members are newcomers, and many of them have never even heard of James Stevens. Others are regulars, who come out each and every week. And why shouldn’t they? James Stevens plays a mean guitar, sings like a tenor Scott Weiland, and recently had his song “Color” named a Washington Post MP3’s “Editor’s Pick.”

But the honest truth (we wouldn’t give it to you any other way) is that most of the audience is getting James as an added bonus -– they really came for the Wreck with extra olives.

That’s right. James Stevens is one of many local musicians gaining exposure in the growing daytime music scene in downtown D.C. His venue of choice? Potbelly Sandwich Works.

All over the city, restaurants are turning the clocks ahead and giving their customers that little something extra this summer: a chance to hear some of D.C.’s finest up-and-coming artists, smack in the middle of the workday. With countless locations in D.C., Potbelly’s has made it possible to concert-hop during your lunch break.

“It’s relaxing… a nice change of pace from working,” says Mark, a paralegal we spoke with while he was eating lunch at Potbelly’s on 19th and L. “Plus, the music’s really good.”

Mark is listening to Courtney Dowe, who frequently performs at Potbelly’s in Silver Spring, Dupont Circle, and Chinatown. “I played the 9:30 Club recently, and that was awesome, but my voice still hurts,” Courtney half-complains. “It’s great to play in a smoke-free environment, where kids and elders can also come and hear me play.”

But Potbelly’s by no means holds the monopoly on great music while the sun is shining.