This story has been updated to clarify information in the description of events at Commonwealth Pub.
My task was to experience three different open mic nights in Central Oregon and share insights with readers who may not be getting out to experience them regularly or haven’t been to one yet. I am happy to report that the open mic scene is a creative, supportive and vibrant one for performers and listeners alike. In the age of digital media today where endless numbers of hyper-edited videos are constantly available on a multitude of screens, attending an open mic night is a bit like a breath of fresh air.
The history of open mics is a long and varied one. We have always had songs, tales and dances around evening campfires. We read about the gatherings of philosophers in Ancient Greece, where almost mythical figures would recite poetry and debate all things Life. The medieval period brought troubadours, traveling with instruments, songs and stories to share in far-flung villages around Europe. During the 1950s and 1960s, Europe and the U.S. experienced the rise of the coffeehouse as a gathering place that brought together poets, artists, political activists and musicians to share, collaborate and create in community. In more modern times, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Ed Sheeran, Regina Spektor, Tracy Chapman, Jon Prine and Ray LaMontagne all are said to have got their start at local open mic nights.
Knowing this rich history of people sharing ideas, artistic creations and innermost thoughts, I first attended the weekly Tuesday evening Open Mic night at the Commons Cafe and Taproom in downtown Bend from 6-8pm. Performers can sign up starting at 5pm and host Mason James, who is one of those really upbeat, gentle and supportive people (who seems perfect for this job), calls up the performers, runs the sound, seems to know everyone and offers up kind words to each musician. By the way, the Commons just received the award for Best Open Mic in Central Oregon… so congrats to them!
The event was set up outside and my husband and I found a place to sit where we had a great view of the stage, Drake Park and the changing colors of the sky. Such a variety of music was played that night, from covers of Lenny Kravitz by a septuagenarian with a ton of fuzz tone distortion on his guitar, to intricate finger style instrumental guitar music by a young man wearing no shoes, but some sweet socks adorned with sunflowers. The audience was rapt. No cell phones were out. There weren’t any loud side conversations taking place. It was a listening space in an authentic way. We all wanted to hear every heartfelt word, every chord.
A variety of younger, older and in-between performers shared two songs each. Each one would step up, plug in and bravely offer up these three-to-four-minute gifts of the soul and heart, then sit back down to warm applause and vocal praise. There were original songs of longing, heartbreak, loneliness, humor and poetic insight. A man who goes by the name “Dad Ideas” shared two songs that really stuck with me because of how original and heartfelt they were. Afterward, I spoke to this “Dad” and he said that authenticity is one of his biggest priorities, and yes, you feel that in his music. I was just so proud of each performer, because it takes so much courage to get up there on stage, by yourself, and do a thing. A real, brave, and vulnerable thing.
Next up was the Monday Night Musicians Showcase at the Commonwealth Pub, held from 6-9pm each week. The vibe of this place is welcoming, informal, quirky and the sound quality is really good. A resident band gets things started by playing a short set, then FAFO (Funk Around and Find Out, who is an older dude with the looks and vibes of a real, original hippy), calls up the musicians, hypes the crowd and keeps everything running smoothly. The resident band for the evening was Bigfoot Country and they were a lot of fun, playing tight and bluesy rock music. Next the musicians were called from the list and came up as small groups, set up quickly and got to rocking out in fast fashion. The crowd was enthusiastic, happy, laid-back… and again, no cell phones were being scrolled.
The highlight of that evening for me was a young teenage guitarist named Adam Martinez who enthusiastically hopped on stage with three middle-aged guys and blew our socks off with his incredible electric guitar skills. I’m guessing he was 13 years old? Maybe older, maybe younger, but he can PLAY. His group did a couple of Beatles covers and I can’t adequately convey his skill, energy and joy. This young man will go far. You heard it here first: Adam Martinez. If Mondays aren’t your favorite day of the week, I think that may change if you get over to the Commonwealth Pub on a Monday evening.
Update: Mac Leckrone, a musician with the local band Funk Around & Find Out (FAFO) reached out to the Source to clarify that FAFO created “The Musician’s Open Showcase Hosted by FAFO” which is held at the Commonwealth Pub every Monday from 6-9pm. Leckrone also states that James Gilchrist, the emcee, is not a part of FAFO but a respected and well-known figure in Bend’s musical community whom FAFO selected as the emcee. Leckrone also says that FAFO is the resident band. Bigfoot Country is a new band which was part of the Showcase. The Source regrets any confusion or errors in the article.
A spoken word open mic was next, and among the few that occur regularly, I chose to attend the Third Thursday Spoken Word Night at the SCP Hotel in Redmond. If that venue name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s the new name for the very old hotel in Redmond smack dab in the middle of downtown. They have done an amazing job restoring the place and creating multiple usable spaces inside.
The high-ceilinged room was sparsely filled. Maybe 14 artsy souls were at this Deschutes Public Library -sponsored event. Most people just shared one or two poems and received applause along with laughs or sighs of recognition. I love listening to words from fellow “feelers.” The empaths and deep types who don’t just experience life once and then say, “That was fun!” They dissect, they look for meaning, they yearn for connection. It’s a road less traveled these days, to be sure. In a city of over 35,000 people, barely over a dozen people came out to share the spoken word. But it’s not about the numbers. It’s about the heart. Again, the audience was so attentive. The word-artists, so brave and vulnerable. Humanity can be so beautiful, and nothing at all like what you see on the nightly news.
My overall thoughts: Yes. Yes, go. Yes, be around creative people. Yes, be with the people who are living their dreams. It just might be contagious. It just might spark something in your very own creative heart.
Open Mics in Central Oregon
Other venues: McMenamins, Elixir Wine,
The Dez, Northside, M & J Tavern and more
This article appears in the Source September 4, 2025.
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