Connecticut Open Mics Updated on
1/12/2019
A very selected list. This page does not list every
open mic in Connecticut. New ones appear with little advertising, and old ones
disappear without warning. Many venues do not advertise their open mic
night beyond a sign in the venue.
We don't work on this page often, so it is possible to send us info, and then
we'll drop the ball for a few months before adding it to the page.
There are two groups on Facebook of interest. One is Open
Mics in CT. This group announces weekly open mics, but does not have a
list of them to refer to.
The other is Open
Mics in New England. This group covers Connecticut, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, and New Hampshire, and it has detailed lists
of open mics by state and day of the week. (This is a one-man operation, and his
editing often falls behind. The Connecticut files are out of date.)
If you don't mind driving, it is possible to perform at an open mic almost every
night of the week.
When
in doubt, check venue websites, or other internet directories and maps, for
directions, age
restrictions, admission fees, etc...
All bars in Connecticut are 21+. Always CALL FIRST
if you are driving a long distance.
Karaoke nights are not listed here. We do not
consider Karaoke to be an open mic. We also do not list
"poetry/spoken word only" open mics.
Many of the listings here are incomplete.
If you have attended one of these open mics, we would welcome information on
the venue, the start/end times of the open mic, any PA equipment available, and
the type of music the audience wants to hear. Yeah, we could call all these
places ourselves, but we don't feel like it.
Just send an email to questions
[at] grimfacts
[dot]
com. Let us know if you'd
like a credit for supplying the information.
Monday
Tuesday Wednesday
Thursday Friday
Saturday Sunday
Monday
The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, Middletown CT
7:30pm - 10:00pm
"Anything Goes" open mic. Hosted by Brian Schroth or J-Cherry.
Multi-channel PA head, several microphones, Baby Grand Piano. "The
audience is small, but quiet and attentive." Suggested donation. 860-347-4957
The Hungry Tiger, 120 Charter Oak Street, Manchester CT
9:00pm - 12:00am
Advertised as "blues jam." Different host
each week. Check website for schedule. Long, narrow stage across from the bar.
Multi-channel P.A. rack near stage. Four 12inch speakers hung from the ceiling.
Two floor monitors. Two microphones with stands and cables. (We did not see a
direct box.) Loudness is possible here. Sign-up sheet. State name and what
instrument you play. (The night we went the host
"assembled" bands from the various players signed up. There was a full
drum kit, bass amp, and two guitar amps, but we do not know if these belonged to
the club, or to individuals.) 860-649-1195 More info needed.
Obriens Pub, 1257 Old Colony Rd, Wallingford
CT 8:00pm - 11:00pm
"A small place with a warm sound." Limited PA system. (1 Mic, 1 guitar, 1
bass) Okay to bring your own amp. Hand drums only!
More info needed.
(Thanks to DH for the info.)
Tuesday
The Acoustic Cafe, 2926 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport CT
7:30pm - 12:00am
2 songs or 10 minutes. Good sized stage with lighting. Multi-channel PA mixer. 12 or
15 inch speakers with horns. 2 powered stage monitors. 2-3 microphones with stands are provided.
Direct boxes, cable snake. 203-335-3665
More info needed.
Pub 32,
847 Stafford Road, RT 32, Eagleville, Mansfield
CT 8:00pm - 12:00am
Hosted by Johnny & Rob. Full PA with mics, a drum set, a guitar amp, and a bass amp.
"Looking for solo acoustic or electric, solo acts, bands, poets, and/or comedians."
Email: pub32.open.mic@gmail.com 860-487-9785. More
info needed.
Wednesday
Black-Eyed
Sally's,
350 Asylum Street,
Hartford CT 8:30pm - 12:00am
Open Blues jam. Hosts vary. 860-278-RIBS (Info
from Hartford Advocate.) More info needed.
The Country Tavern, 704 Long Hill Road, Guilford CT 7:30pm
- ???pm
Last Wednesday of the month. 203-453-9205 More info needed.
Donahue's Madison Beach Grill,
1320 Boston Post Road, Madison CT 8:30pm - 12:30am
203-318-8362 More info needed.
The Maple Tree Cafe,
781 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury CT
8:30pm - ???
Every other week.
860-651-1297 More info
needed.
Thursday
C. J. Sparrow, 908 South Main St, Cheshire CT 9:00pm
- 1:00am
Ken Safety is both the host and a performer with his "House Band."
There is no sign-up sheet. Talk to Ken, and ask to be considered for a slot, if
there is time. (Preference is apparently given to regular performers at this
open mic.) 15
minutes per performer. Multi-channel PA mixer. 15
inch speakers. Two microphones with stands and instrument cables provided. Crowd
noise varies. Remember this is a bar. There can be a lot of crowd noise. If you need a quiet environment, or have
difficulty singing/playing while people are talking loudly in competition with
you, avoid this open mic. 203-272-8204
Infinity Music Hall & Bistro,
RT44, Norfolk CT 8:00pm - 10:00pm
Andy Attanasio is the host and a performer. Signup sheet goes out at 7:00pm. 2-3 songs per performer. Multi-channel PA head, 4 12 inch speakers, 1
small monitor speaker, 2 vocal mikes, 1 instrument mike, 1 Bass amp. No
drum kits, hand percussion only. Held in the Bistro. You are very close to
the audience. From their website: "A
select number of artists will be chosen to compete in our Big Stage Competition
and be an opening act at an Infinity Hall concert." Except, that may
not be true anymore. On another
webpage we found the prizes had changed.
"1st - Winner will perform in the OPEN MIC Winners concert and will be treated to the famous Infinity Hall Hospitality! PLUS $200 cash. In addition to that the 1st place winner will also receive 6 hours of studio time at Dirt Floor Studios.
2nd - Voice coaching from award winning professional singer and teacher Katherine Griswold, 4 tix to a show of your choice (some restrictions apply).
3rd - 2 tix to a show of your choice (some restrictions apply)."
So which is it? 860-542-5531
Molten Java, 213 Greenwood Ave, Bethel CT 7:00pm -
9:00pm
A coffee house in downtown Bethel. Multi-channel P.A. and microphones provided.
There can be a lot of noise from the coffee bar. Crowd noise varies. Sometimes,
it's quiet, sometimes, people are talking in competition with you. You are very
close to the audience. 203-739-0313 More info needed.
The Pine Loft
Cafe, 1474 Berlin
Turnpike, Berlin CT 7:30pm - 10:00pm
860-828-9797
More info needed.
Friday
The Free Spirit Cafe, 341 Kelly Road, Vernon (Rockville)
CT 8:45pm - 11:45pm
Bands welcome. Full
drum kit. PA. 860-644-9637
The Hope Out Loud Monthly Coffeehouse and Open
Mic
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Pay To Play. $5.00 donation. Held the last Friday of each month at
various locations by the Connecticut Coalition for Peace and Justice. The
open mic is from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, and the coffeehouse, with scheduled
performers, runs until 10:00pm or so. 860-246-5700
LaSalle Market and Deli,
104 Main St, Collinsville CT 6:00pm -
9:30pm
Acoustic and Electric open mic/open jam. Hosts vary. Warning!
Hosts allow
pre-signup via phone call. Call in after 1:00pm. Limited walk-in spaces on the
sign up sheet. The list can be full at
6:00pm. Two or three songs per performer. Multi-channel PA mixer, two microphones with stands,
cables. The
performing space is in the front corner of the dining room, right near the
windows. You are very close to the audience, and they can be loud and
inattentive. We used to say "Family friendly! Watch your
language!" but too many "performers" don't care that there might
be children in the audience during the first hour or two of the open mic, and
sing songs with lyrics that promote drug use, lyrics that are about sex, or
lyrics contain violent images. Sometimes, this is more of an overly loud
jam session than a true open mic. Pizza, sandwiches and dinners available. Daily specials. 860-693-8010
Vanilla Bean Cafe, RT44
& RT97, Pomfret CT 6:30pm - 9:00pm
First Friday of the month. Featured performer
varies. 860-928-1562 More info needed.
Saturday
Cafe Nine, 250 State St, New Haven CT
4:00pm - 7:00pm
Advertised as a "Jazz Jam." Multi-channel PA mixer. 18
inch speakers. Two stage monitors. Two microphones with stands and instrument cables provided.
Remember this is a bar. There is a lot of crowd noise, and a tendency
for the PA to be cranked too loud. If you need a quiet environment, or have
difficulty singing/playing while people are talking loudly in competition with
you, avoid this jam. 203-789-8281 More info needed.
Sunday
Michael Angelo's Restaurant
Pizzeria and Lounge,
256 Main Street, RT 44, New Hartford CT
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Acoustic and Electric open mic/open jam hosted by Coyote Doty. This is often an overly loud
jam session. Multi-channel PA mixer, two microphones with stands,
cables. The speakers are small, and on the floor. Audience size varies. 860-738-8585
My Place, 8 Queen Street, (Big Y Shopping Plaza) Newtown
CT 9:00pm - 12:30am
Acoustic open mic. Sign up sheet. Small four channel PA, two 12inch speakers, two
microphones w/ stands, some instrument cables. Small bar. You are very close to the
audience, and the front door. 209-270-7061
Sully's Pub, 2071 Park Street,
Hartford CT 9:00pm
- 1:00am
Advertised as an "Electric open mic." Decent sized stage, with lighting. Multi-channel P.A.
rack across from the stage. Three 12inch EV speakers with horns mounted off the
ceiling. Four 12inch floor monitors. Two 18inch Carvin woofers on the floor. Two microphones with stands,
direct box. Bring your own cables. Loudness is possible here. Sully's is on Park Street in Hartford, one
block in from Prospect Ave. There isn't very much parking. Drink specials, TiKi
Bar outside in good weather. 860-231-8881
Widow Brown's Cafe,
128 Federal Road, Danbury CT 9:00pm - 11:00pm
On RT 202, across the street from Stew Leonard's, near the Brookfield
line. 203-743-7021 More info needed.
Grim Music Service
When You
Just Have To Listen