Central Virginia will probably never be mistaken for a mecca of this new folk music. But about 70 localfans had a chance Wednesday night to hear three of the field's best, as Richmond native Greg Greenway, Pierce Pettis and Chuck Brodsky brought a stage full of guitars and a couple of harmonicas to Scarlett's for an evening of coffeehouse music with a message.

While the mood of Greenway's vocals ranged from breezy serenity to gospel- choir intensity, the force of his convictions was always apparent. The autobiographical "Road Worth Walking Down" traced the maze of paths that Greenway has chosen in life, while "Free at Last" was inspired by Nelson Mandela's 1991 Boston visit and the ideals of freedom that the appearance represented and inspired.