Weekly open mic night featuring original music from local songwriters, hosted by Jake Farr on the Cactus stage.
Jake Farr is hosting the songwriters' open mic at Cactus Cafe on Tuesday, July 28, and it's part of a weekly run that goes through August 11. The night is built around a single, strict rule: original songs only, no covers. That's what keeps it from turning into a karaoke night and gives it a distinctly Austin character, because you're hearing what people are actually writing rather than what they've learned by heart.
It's a listening room, and that's the point. The open mic takes place on the famed Cactus stage, billed as the best listening room in Austin, and it turns a Tuesday night into a showcase for original local music. There's a discovery quality to it—you never quite know which songwriter is about to deliver the line everyone remembers on the way home. Because it's an open mic, the lineup changes from week to week, and you'll hear a mix of songwriters you've seen before and people stepping up to the mic for the first time.
If you're a songwriter yourself and want to play, you can reach out to the host, Jake Farr, at jakefarrmusic@gmail.com. Just keep that one rule in mind: original material only.
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The open mic runs every Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:30 PM, with doors opening at 6:30 PM, and it continues through Tuesday, August 11. Admission is free. You can find the venue at 2308 Whitis Ave, Austin, TX 78712.
