Sounds at the Hound: open mic night

Sounds at the Hound is back at Cactus Hound Bar on Tuesday 3 November, the open mic and jam night that runs every Tuesday in St Leonards. It's hosted by Steve Didge and Dan Giles, who keep the night moving and the slots rolling.

As an open mic, the bill is built on whoever turns up on the night. You'll hear a mix of local singers and musicians stepping up to the mic, some with a few songs ready and others just testing the waters. Because it's also a jam night, it's as much about the playing as the performing — people jumping in on a track or pulling together something on the fly. It's the kind of night where you might hear a solo acoustic set followed by a full-band jam, with the line-up changing from one Tuesday to the next.

Steve Didge and Dan Giles run the whole thing, handling the hosting and the running of the night. Having the same two names at the helm every week gives it a bit of a regular feel, and since it's a weekly fixture, you can drop in whenever it suits you without worrying about missing a one-off show. If you're playing, it's a chance to get something in front of a crowd; if you're just watching, it's a good way to see what's being worked on around the area.

It's free to get in, so you can just turn up and listen. The night runs every Tuesday at Cactus Hound Bar in St Leonards, Hastings, with the next one on Tuesday 3 November.