Open your mind to open mics

A guide to Kingston’s upcoming open mic events 

Rysia Andrade
Image supplied by: Journal File Photo
Rysia Andrade

Open mic events are an easy way to get involved with the Kingston arts community.

Whatever your talent is — poetry, spoken word, music, singing or storytelling — you’re bound to find an event suited to you.

Even if you’re not feeling courageous enough to perform, open mics are a great place for a night out with free entertainment.

Here are some upcoming open mics to share your talent, or appreciate the local talent out there:

Musiikki Café

Musiikki Café is located on Brock St. Once you walk into the café, you’ll feel right at home with its living room atmosphere.

Musiikki, which its Queen’s Events page describes as a “neighbourhood live music café”, holds open mics every Tuesday from 8 to 11 p.m. Community members are invited to hear new music or play a song of their own with a glass of whiskey, tea or coffee in a cozy atmosphere.

Tir nan Og

Located down by the water, Tir nan Og is downtown’s most popular Irish pub.

On Monday nights starting at 8:30 p.m., the pub hosts judgment-free open mic events. They even keep a guitar at the pub in case you didn’t come prepared or decide you’re ready for an impromptu performance.

Performers also have a chance to win a guitar donated by Kingston’s Renaissance Music store.

Queens Poetry Slam

If you’re not-so-musically-talented, but have a way with words, Queen’s Poetry Slam is the open mic for you.

On the last Monday of each month, students and Kingston community members gather at a selected location to listen to poetry and share their own work. The first half of the night is dedicated to an open mic, while the second is devoted to a judged poetry slam.

The poetry slam makes for a worthwhile night out to share your own poetry or learn something about your peers by listening to theirs.

Upcoming open mics

There are also some irregular and one-off open mics held in Kingston.

Viva Voce, a storytelling event hosted by the Kingston Frontenac Public Library, encourages young adults to get on stage and share their stories. The next Viva Voce event, scheduled for Oct. 27, will focus on superstitions as its theme. 

Tags

list, Local, open mic, Poetry

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