150 Bay St.
Jersey City, NJ
Every other Wednesday @ 7 pm
Food: No
Bar: Beer only
In a word: Packed
Format: 1 song or 5 minutes
There’s apparently a huge creative community/cult based in Jersey City, and I’m only just now finding out about it. They move from event to event alerted by a massive group chat on Instagram.
The open mic at the Departed Soles Brewing Company is just one of their many hubs, and they can draw a crowd. By the time the mic started, the venue became standing room.
I’m usually not a fan of mics that mix music with comedy and poetry, but this mic is a notable exception. Unlike most of the mics I’ve been to, the crowd here actually pays attention to the performers, and isn’t there just to take their turn on the stage. This is also one of the few mics that I’ve been to that draws a significant crowd of non-performers who are there just to observe.
This mic runs on a schedule, and ends promptly at 10, so be sure to get there by 6:30 to ensure a slot on the sign up sheet. The night I went, they capped the list at 30 performers, and there were definitely people who were out of luck by arriving late.
Follow @amaku_guy on Instagram to catch the fliers for the mic, and holler at @201energywizard_antony to get on the group chat.