As a performer, playing live is essential and open mic nights are a great opportunity for musicians to put their skills to the test. We’ve narrowed down the best places in the open mic NYC scene where new talent can take the stage. Are you a singer-songwriter ready to play a gig? Looking to meet other musicians in your area and join a jam-session? Open mic nights are a great place to do this.
In New York City, the open mic night has been a longstanding tradition where talents from various disciplines can share their ideas. From the folk era of the 60s to the punk scene of the 90s, this city has seen some great music. Musicians come from all over the world to play in the Big Apple hoping to launch their careers and be discovered. Every month in NYC, you can find an open mic session practically every night of the week.
Besides the professional opportunities that can come from open mics, they can also be extremely beneficial to the personal growth of an artist. Playing music alone in your bedroom is a lot different from playing on stage. Using the open mic as a warm up to see how you feel in front of an audience and actually sing into a microphone is a great way to get over stage fright. Playing at an open mic event can also help you book upcoming shows or be scouted by professionals! Looking to book a gig right away? Try contacting booking agents directly through Groover.
Whether it’s your first time playing live or you just want some more practice, here are the ten best open mics in NYC to check out.
1. Pete’s Candy Store
Pete’s Candy Store is a cozy venue in Williamsburg that has been hosting open mic nights for over 15 years. They love to showcase new talent and are also one of the few venues in NYC where unsigned and emerging artists can book a show. For the open mic nights, they only accept musicians that present original material as opposed to cover songs. Sign up for the open mic at Pete’s starts at 4pm every Sunday and then runs from 5 to 8pm. Artists usually perform 1 or 2 songs depending on how many people sign up. Get there early because the list fills up fast!
2. The Village Underground
Located in Greenwich Village, the Village Underground is an iconic venue that hosts open mics every Sunday night. Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel are just some of the legendary performers that played at this spot in the 60s. Every Sunday night at 9:30pm, Sony records A&R director Ron Grant hosts an open mic night. Sometimes famous artists even drop by to sing a song or two. Playing at a place like the Village Underground could get you in touch with the right people!
3. Otto’s Shrunken Head
Otto’s Shrunken Head is a tiki bar in Alphabet City that hosts an open mic and jam session on Wednesdays. Singer-songwriters take the stage from 7:30pm and around 10pm the open mic turns into a full on jam session! Musicians can take turns jamming with the house band until the bar closes. The added jam session certainly makes Otto’s Shrunken Head one of the best open mics in New York City. You can enjoy a tropical cocktail and test out your performance skills at this quirky hotspot!
4. Bar Freda
If you’re looking for a neighborhood vibe, check out the open mic night hosted at Bar Freda in Ridgewood. This open mic used to be hosted every Tuesday night at the Bushwick Public House and has since been moved to Bar Freda on Monday nights. At “The Underground”, artists have 8 minutes each to perform on an intimate basement stage at this hip venue. Sign up starts at 7:30pm and the performances start at 8pm.
5. The Local Bar
The “Saturday Songwriters” open mic at The Local Bar in Astoria is a great place to start off the weekend. Hosted by the Astoria Music Collective, this open mic is all about making space for new voices and creating community. Sign up starts at 3:30pm and the performances start at 4pm. The Local Bar also hosts jam sessions on Thursdays from 8pm-11pm if you are looking to play with other musicians.
6. Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar
Located on the Upper West Side, Ashford & Simpson’s Sugar Bar hosts an open mic every Thursday night with a different artist hosting each time. The founders of the bar, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, are the famous soul songwriting duo of top hits like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “California Soul”. They opened this African inspired restaurant and bar in 1996 and have welcomed artists like Stevie Wonder and Roberta Flack to perform in their venue. Check out their website to see which new artist is hosting the weekly open mic. Sign-up starts at 8pm every Thursday night!
7. Starr Bar
Every Monday night at 9pm, Starr Bar in Bushwick hosts an open mic night for music, poetry, and performance. Sign up starts as early as 6:30pm and each musician gets to play at least two songs during their time slot. The Starr Bar is a very inclusive space that supports diverse voices and building community.
8. FRIGID
The Tuesday open mic night at FRIGID in the East Village of Manhattan is one of the most eclectic variety shows in the city. Artists have 7 minutes to take the stage and perform anything from music and dance to comedy and storytelling. Sign up starts every Tuesday night at 9pm and names are drawn from a hat starting at 9:30pm. If you’re looking to see some experimental performances and play to a welcoming audience, check out FRIGID!
9. Kitty Kiernans
If you’re looking to play music in an Irish pub, check out the open mic night at Kitty Kiernans in Bay Ridge. Every Thursday night at 10pm they host an open mic session where local singer-songwriters come out and play their tunes. The environment is friendly and the pints are tasty!
10. Bar Nine
Known as the original “dueling pianos” bar, Bar Nine in Hell’s Kitchen hosts an open mic every Saturday afternoon from 4 to 7pm. Sign up starts at 3:30pm and musicians can test out their original songs at this lively hotspot.
| Read also: Best Open Mic in London: The 10 best places to be heard in London
Now that you know where to play an open mic NYC, it’s time to test them out! If you’re looking to book shows or get guaranteed feedback from professionals in the music industry, check out Groover.
