Weekly open mic night for songwriters featuring original music only at the historic Cactus Cafe on the University of Texas at Austin campus.
Cactus Cafe is hosting its Songwriters' Open Mic on Tuesday, October 6, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. It's a weekly thing, so if you miss this one, it'll be back every Tuesday through November 24.
The format is strictly original music only—no covers. That's the whole point of the night: you're there to hear what people are actually writing, not a version of something you've already heard. If you've got a few songs you've been working on, this is the kind of room where you can bring them out and see how they land.
For context, Cactus Cafe is an intimate listening room and bar on the University of Texas at Austin campus that's been open since 1979. Over the years, it's built a national reputation for showcasing top local, regional, national, and international acts. Some of the names that have played there include Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen, Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffith, Alison Krauss, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Townes Van Zandt, Bill Monroe, and the Chicks. Billboard once listed it as one of fifteen 'solidly respected, savvy clubs' nationwide 'from which careers can be cut.' It's an all-ages venue, and the open mic is billed as playing the best listening room in Austin.
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Admission is free. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and the music runs from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. You can find the cafe at the Texas Union, 2308 Whitis Ave, Austin, TX 78712.
