by Anna Weaver | Oct 15, 2016 | All Posts, US open mics
It’s not always easy to tell whether an open mic is going to welcome poets. My research often turns up nights geared toward musicians, sometimes comics. Sometimes they say outright whether other genres are welcome, but not always. But when the venue is named Kafe...
by Anna Weaver | Jul 10, 2016 | All Posts, US open mics
The Boston suburb of Jamaica Plain has a reputation for being eclectic and inclusive. For 25 years, the Midway Cafe has (so the bartender told me) sought to reflect all the local flavors in its music shows and other events. After one night, I can’t speak to all...
by Anna Weaver | Jul 3, 2016 | All Posts, US open mics
The folks at Trend Coffee & Tea House in Montclair, NJ, don’t say too much on their website about the Wednesday open mic, but all you have to do is walk into the space to see how committed they are to music and arts. Like a lot of coffee shops, Trend decorates its...
by Anna Weaver | Jun 30, 2016 | All Posts, US open mics
As with most things, open mics run on a bell curve. Most are okay. Some are incredible. And yes, some just blow. I’m not one to dwell on the negative—and even a bad night of open mic is better than, say, when your boyfriend of four months stops answering your calls...
by Anna Weaver | May 22, 2016 | All Posts, US open mics
Friends and fellow poets/performers, it’s happened again. In two years and 16 states (plus the District of Columbia), I’ve struck true open mic gold only three times: Once, in Norfolk, VA, at The Venue on 35th. A few months later, in Oklahoma City at the Red Dirt...
by Anna Weaver | May 19, 2016 | All Posts, US open mics
Across 16 states now, I’ve noticed a couple key ingredients in what makes a strong open mic—the kind that’s been running weekly for so long the regulars can’t remember a time before it was part of their creative routine. The kind that feels like buoy, or an oasis—a...
