| Open Mic Nights
by Isaac Morrison
Open mic night holds a sacred place in the
heart of musicians everywhere. The opportunity for musicians of all skill
levels to meet and interact with each other is available nowhere else. In
the course of an evening the variety of material presented spans genres
and decades effortlessly. Best of all, if the music you hear doesn’t fit
your tastes, you can always go up and offer your own. Harrisburg music
veteran and open-mic host Mike Banks says it plainly, “I learned more
about music in one year of playing open mics than I did in the previous
ten years that I spent playing guitar at home by myself.”
Unfortunately, the past year has been a
difficult one; several favorite locations have terminated their open mic
nights, or even closed their doors altogether. The Wire, The Sun Ray, and
most recently The Vault are no longer options for the roving musicians of
Central PA. Despite that, those seeking an audience for their music can
still find at least one or two venues in the area almost any night of the
week.
Mondays:
John and Peters
One of the longest running open mics in Central PA, John and Peters in New
Hope has been around for over twenty years. Jim Seward starts the fun off
at 8:00 p.m., and all are welcome. 215-862-5981
MJ’s Coffee Shop
MJ’s Coffee Shop in Anneville, PA holds their open mic from 9:30 p.m. to
around 11:00 p.m., hosted by either Chris Laughery or Lisa Barter.
717-867-4766
Tuesdays:
Nick’s 1014 Cafe
Nick’s 1014 on Third St. in Midtown Harrisburg is a favorite
of both locals and visitors. Hosted by Mic Banks, it runs nonstop from
9:00 p.m. until Sal the bartender chases the crowd out at closing time. It’s
best to arrive early, because the list gets very long very quickly.
717-238-8844
Hary’s
Hary’s in Allentown, PA actually
pays performers $5.00 for their performance. Hosted by Phil Stahl, “Mr. Open Mic" himself; call for details. 610-345-6631
Wednesdays:
Gingerbread Man, Mechanicsburg
At the Mechanicsburg Gingerbread Man, Voxology’s Kevin Neidig hosts a
consistently good open mic from 9:30 p.m. until they run out of
performers. 717-697-8882
Pete’s Cafe
From 9:00 p.m. on, Pete’s in New Cumberland offers more than just a
musician-friendly stage on Wednesday nights. They also offer a
musician-friendly drink special, a pint of Yuengling Lager for a buck.
717-774-7273
Thursdays:
Mister G’s Place
For those who keep earlier hours, Mister G’s Place offers a nice open
mic in uptown Harrisburg from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 717- 233-0456
Gullifty’s
Gullifty’s is once again having an open mic downstairs from 9:00 p.m. to
12:00 a.m., and although it is only a few weeks old, it shows a good deal
of promise. Host “Chile” is looking to feature local electric
bands in addition to the more traditional acoustic acts offered by most of
the other venues in the area. 717-761-6692
Gingerbread Man, Harrisburg
The Harrisburg Gingerbread Man in Strawberry Square has an open mic every
other Thursday hosted by Kevin Neidig. 717-221-8400
Fridays:
Mandy’s
This small coffeehouse in Carlisle, offers a quiet open mic from 8:00 p.m.
to 11:00 p.m., hosted by Chris Laugherty. 717-243-8899
Saturdays:
North St. Cafe
The only coffeehouse open mic in downtown Harrisburg is held from 9:00
p.m. until Midnight at the North St. Café. 233-7194
Sundays:
Crown Books
Voxology’s Les Vonderlin and
Kevin Neidig have just begun hosting this open mic evening from 5:30 p.m.
– 7:30 p.m. in the Hard Bean Café at this new bookstore in Hampden
Center. 717-730-0440
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