With not one but two open mic nights every week, Silver Moon Brewing offers a platform for performers to try new material or just get some experience in front of a live audience. Every Sunday, longtime Bend musician Jeshua Marshall hosts a music-focused open mic from 4:30 to 8pm, while Mondays are reserved for comedy, with Cody Parr of Beertown Comedy hosting from 7 to 9pm. On Sundays, "every art form is welcome with an emphasis on music but no one is turned away. Comedy is just stand-up comedy," Marshall explains.
"The vibe is very inclusive and welcoming to all performers no matter their skill levels and experience," Marshall tells. "Everyone is invited to share and be a part of the community. The audience is always very encouraging and supportive of the performers." It doesn't hurt that every open mic is also free and all ages.
Featuring hosts that carry some gravitas in the local scene lends credibility to Silver Moon's open mic nights.
"Cody Parr is a professional comedian and show producer with a real dedication to the comic scene," Marshall says. Meanwhile, Marshall himself has decades of experience in the music industry. Currently serving as the brewery's music booker and performing as Jeshua Marshall & The Flood, he's possibly best known as a founding member of the now-defunct, high-energy Central Oregon troubadours, Larry and His Flask, a bluegrass/punk band that toured the world and played Warped Tour several times.
Marshall believes their success lies in the fact that "both hosts are not only performers of their craft but are also well-versed in the local entertainment community, helping determined musicians and comedians to get to the next place in their artistic journeys."
The proof is in the pudding: Rising Bend acts like "The Rumpeppers and Billy and the Box Kid both got their starts performing in public at Sunday's open mic," Marshall says.
Second place: The Commons Cafe & Taproom
