LOCAL MUS IC
PIG N FALCON This pub in St Neots hosts an assortment of gigs, karaoke sessions and regular open mics. They run fortnightly on a Wednesday from 8pm. STOLEN The open mic in the Liquor Loft of this restaurant, which ‘steals’ the best ingredients from around the world, plays host to all musical genres. Find them on Mondays at 8pm to 11pm. THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD Anything from rock, funk, blues, soul, reggae, jazz, live electronic, Gregorian chant, indie and ambient are on the cards at Jam Sandwich. Head down on Sundays at 8.30pm to 11pm. TREEHOUSE TUNES Taking place at Tall Trees, this open mic is hosted by acclaimed local singer-songwriter Dan Wilde and reliably features plenty of quality acts. WHETHER YOU’RE READY FOR A ROMP OR WOULD SWOON FOR A CROON, HERE’S OUR TOP PICK OF OPEN MICS MAGIC MICS
SING IT LOUD
Eli Bre (left) has travelled all over with her music, even gracing our very own Cambridge Junction
SPOILT FOR CHOICE Scratch the surface and you will find a vibrant open mic scene in the city
Cambridge, there is a noticeable disparity between male and female or non-binary performers – she wonders whether the lack of women on stage is a discourager, reinforcing a “vicious cycle”. Even so, she urges the unversed to come along. “You get to hear so many different people and genres. The atmosphere is lovely, because people are usually interested in talking to new people, even if they’re not performers. Many come to these open mics who are not musicians, they just enjoy being there and listening. What would musicians be if there wasn’t an audience, right?”
backdrop projected on the stage wall) are intriguing enough – the fact that Tom works as an audio engineer helps on the technical side. He is among those pushing to make open mics even more accessible, saying of the Cambridge open mic scene: “There’s an interesting mix of stuff going on, but some of it is still obscure, in that it’s hard to find out about things: you have to be in certain groups, or know certain people. There’s still room for it to grow further and be more diverse.” Eli reiterates that, despite the welcoming atmosphere of open mics in
the first events booked when Tall Trees was opened by Jonathan Czerwik in September 2021: “The idea was at the start of the week, I’d be able to view the local talents – for me to come and see who I could book for their own gig,” he says. Here, attendees come for the music and they quickly get hooked. True to its name, Tall Trees is bedecked with greenery, The Alma becomes “like a little theatre”, while at The Blue Moon the walls are collaged with old cuttings, with fairy lights strung from the walls. The assortment of equipment that performers bring (and the psychedelic
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