Small folk music clubs in the US

Subject: RE: Small folk music clubs in the US
From: Ani
Date: 02 Sep 98 - 08:41 PM

Bseed: An open mic thread might be a good idea. In the Hartford/Middletown CT area we have many to choose from. Also the Northampton Ma area has some good venues.

Subject: RE: Small folk music clubs in the US
From: BSeed
Date: 27 Aug 98 - 04:17 PM

Thanks, Northfolk and Barbara. That's just exactly what I hoped for on this thread. Do you think we might get more hits if I start a new thread called Open mike nights?--seed

Subject: RE: Small folk music clubs in the US
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 27 Aug 98 - 07:16 AM

Friends Coffeehouse in Westbrook, Connecticut (on the Boston Post Road) has a drop-in jam on Friday and Saturday nights, and a "classical Folk jam" on Sunday afternoons. I've been to the coffeehouse once, and it was a very young crowd doing very contemporary music.

Subject: RE: Small folk music clubs in the US
From: northfolk
Date: 26 Aug 98 - 11:25 PM

The model you describe is very much like the Ark in Ann Arbor Michigan. It is a great venue, but has evolved over at least 30 years. there are still open mike nights, and I know of no other clubs, that have emphasis on drop in performers. I am limited to the role of audience member, so I am OK with other people, paid and planned or spontaneous, being on stage. There used to be a group of "old timey" musicians in East Lansing, MI. that were playing on a weeknight each month, in an alley off of Grand River, (main street through Mich State U.)They were loosely based at Elderly Instruments, don't know anything else to add.

Subject: RE: Small folk music clubs in the US
From: BSeed
Date: 26 Aug 98 - 10:50 PM

The underwhelming response to this thread forces me to add another message. The Fifth String (guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc.) in Berkeley has a weekly drop-in jam, lots of very good players, mostly tolerant of lesser talents--Thursdays from 7:30 to 9:30. The group forms in the banjo room and if many more than 10 people show up, a splinter moves into another room; very occasionally the group splits again into a third room. There is no charge, but most of the players have bought instruments there and buy strings, CDs, capos, etc., to make it worth it for the store to stay open. The repertoire is heavy on fiddle tunes, bluegrass ballads, and gospel songs, but other tastes squeeze in, also.

The Fifth String is located on Adoline Ave., across the street from the Ashby BART station.

This is the kind of thing I'm hoping other people will add to this thread; it would be particularly nice to find a similar place that also sells beer or coffee or other kinds of refreshments. --seed

Subject: Small folk music clubs in the US
From: bseed
Date: 25 Aug 98 - 09:13 PM

On another thread I read of some folkmusic pubs in the UK where musicians drop in and perform, fueled by the beer provided by the landlord. Here in Berkeley, Cal., we have a folk club, Freight and Salvage, which has one or two open mike nights a month, but otherwise is booked up with various bluegrass and folk groups, some local, some on tour. Years ago F and S was smaller and much more open to drop-in performers, to play-alongs, and so on.

If you know of any, wherever in the US you live, please notify this thread, and maybe we can start a directory.

--seed