Live on Agricola

Live on Agricola returns to the North End on Saturday, March 15, from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM. It's an open mic crawl that threads live performance along a stretch of Agricola Street, moving from one venue to the next through the afternoon and evening. This time, the music runs between Obsolete Records (2855 Agricola Street), Cafe Lara (2347 Agricola Street), and Agricola Street Brasserie (2540 Agricola Street).

Ben Caplan hosts the day, with special guest performances from Seamus Erskine, Laura Merrimen, and Jake Ballard. The crawl was created in partnership with Open Mic House Halifax and is built as an open door: anyone who wants to play can sign up and RSVP, so the day works as much as a showcase for local artists as a social for the community. The open mic format keeps the bill unpredictable, and the crawl itself was conceived as a way to get people out of their usual rooms and into the bars and record shops of the neighbourhood.

Because it's a crawl, you're not stuck in one spot. You can start at one of the venues and follow the music as it shifts down the street, or just drop in at one and see who's playing. The whole thing runs from 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM, so you can make a day of it or just catch a few sets in the evening. It's a good way to hear local musicians in their element, and if you're one of them, it's a chance to get on stage yourself.