thePULSEDon’t forget to check here for the latest on what’s new around town!
By Brian Goslow
If you’re new in town with guitar in hand, there’s no better place to get acquainted with the locals than the “Musicians’ Open Mic,” Tues. at the Java Hut Café, 1073A Main St.. Hosted alternatively by Me & The Kid and Cowboy Matt & Butterfly Joe, the signup sheet goes out at 7:30 p.m. with music starting at 8 p.m. There’s a one food or drink minimum and remember to tip your servers, who tend to be just as poor as any musician.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With school back in session, one of the city’s best kept secrets, the WPI Coffeehouse at Riley Commons, features top folk and acoustic acts every Tues. night at 8 p.m. Admission to the shows is free for WPI students, $3 with a Consortium ID, and $5 for the general public. For the latest schedule, visit soccomm.wpi.edu/coffeehouse.pl.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pasta and passionate tunes go together beginning on Sept. 6 when Andy Cummings returns to his role as host of the Wednesday Night Open Mic Night at Hooligan’s, 29 Blossom St., Fitchburg. From 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., before the music starts, the room throws a spaghetti supper sponsored by Premier Subs ~ and college students, you can’t beat this ~ turn up with your school ID and you eat free! Cummings also holds court at Hooligan’s “Thirsty Thursdays,” offering “The cheapest beer in Fitchburg.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa Martin has been hosting an open mic every Wed. night at 7 p.m. at Udderly Delicious, 243 Main St., Oxford since April. “We plan to continue throughout the winter,” says Martin. “The turn out is variable from week to week but we have some regulars including Dan Chauvin, Mark Schmidt ~ who now hosts the Christian music open mic there on Thursdays, Tom Beaudreau and folks from as far away as Providence and Bristol, Connecticut”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beaudreau also hosts open mics on the first Thurs. of each month at Sturbridge Coffee Roasters, 210 Hamilton St., Southbridge; on the second Sat. of each month, you’ll find Tom and friends at the Moonstruck Café, Route 20 in Charlton. Both shows start at 7 p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Thursday night open mic returns to the Blue Plate Lounge, 661 Main St., Holden, on Sept. 21. Hosted by Ricky Carlson, Ed Sheridan and Al Lake, players on all levels are invited to join in; the trio is open to groups of 2 or 3 musicians performing a feature set at 8:30 p.m. Call (508) 829-4566.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The weekly Thurs. night Rose Room Revue kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at The Rose Garden Restaurant & Pub, 16 Milford St., Upton. Sign up in advance for 15-to-20 minute sets scheduled around the 9 p.m. feature act; Sept.’s include Bob Leal, James Lee Stanley (who’s visited these parts with ex-Monkee Peter Tork), ilyAIMY, and Erik Balkey. Participants are encouraged to bring CDs for sale. Visit uptonrosegarden.com for details.
