Songwriters' Open Mic

Cactus Cafe hosts its Songwriters' Open Mic every Tuesday night, and this Tuesday, August 11, is no exception. It's a regular fixture on the calendar, and if you're looking for a night of original music in one of Austin's best-known listening rooms, this is where you'll find it. The room is billed as the city's best room for listening, and the night is built around that: people come to hear songs, not to talk over them.

There's one rule that defines the whole evening: original songs only. No covers. That means everything you hear is something the songwriter wrote themselves, not a version of a song you already know. It turns the night into a discovery session, and the draw is that you never quite know which songwriter is about to deliver the line everyone remembers on the way home. It's a good way to hear what local artists are working on when they aren't playing a set of their hits.

Jake Farr hosts the night, and his presence gives the whole thing a distinctly Austin character. He keeps the flow moving and holds the space for the songwriters to do their thing. Because it's an open mic, the lineup changes from week to week, so you're getting a different mix of voices and styles every time you drop in.

The music runs from 7:30 to 9:30 PM, and doors open at 6:30 PM, so you've got plenty of time to get a seat and settle in before the first song starts. Admission is free, and the venue is at 2308 Whitis Ave in Austin, TX 78712. If you've got a Tuesday night open and want to hear some original local songwriting, this is a low-stakes way to spend it.