Open mic nights have long held a role in performance life in the Upper Valley. At these events, musicians, poets and comics have a chance to share new material in a supportive setting. They play an especially crucial role for those just starting out who need practice in front of an audience.

From area restaurants to performing arts venues, it was easy to find at least one — or even multiple — open mics each week. While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the nature of open mic nights, there are still opportunities for artists to perform. Here’s a look at some that are taking place in-person and virtually in the Upper Valley.

ArtisTree Community Arts Center

SOUTH POMFRET — The nonprofit organization is hosting a mix of virtual and in-person open mics on Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m.

Currently, the open mics are held every other Thursday, switching off between in-person and virtual events. The next open mic is scheduled for this coming Thursday and takes place in person at ArtisTree, located at 2095 Pomfret Road in South Pomfret. Registration is not required. For more information, visit artistreevt.org/open-mic.html.

At the start of the pandemic, the events were entirely on Zoom, said Marie Cole Cross, director of marketing and communications.

“They got a group of people who really enjoyed doing that,” Cole Cross said in a phone interview.

The virtual open mics drew people who live well outside the Upper Valley. After the in-person events started up again, ArtisTree kept the virtual open mics going. Attendance varies based on the night.

“It’s just all over the place as far as people knowing if they can attend live events or not,” Cole Cross said.

Comedy Open Mic at Salt hill Pub

LEBANON — Comedy Open Mic restarted at Salt hill Pub in Lebanon last November and take place nearly every Monday night.

Comics can sign up in advance at Facebook: “Comedy Open Mic at Salt Hill Pub” or mctaggartattack.com (click menu and then “Comedy Open Mic at Salt Hill Lebanon!”), or in-person at Salt hill, located at 2 W. Park St., in downtown Lebanon. Performances begin at 8:15 p.m.

Attendance has been mixed since the open mics resumed, according to organizer Kevin McTaggart. The first couple of events were pretty popular, but attendance has ebbed and flowed since.

“There’s been more audience members and less comics,” McTaggart said in a phone interview.

Each comic gets a five-minute slot to perform. Newcomers — especially those who are just starting out in comedy — are welcome and encouraged to attend.

“If you’re thinking about starting out, it’s a good place to start out,” McTaggart said. “I think whenever somebody new shows up, doing it for the first time, I think that’s the best part.”

Thetford Libraries

THETFORD — Interim Thetford Libraries director Emily Zollo has been hosting virtual open mic nights since March 2020.

In the nearly two years since, there have been six music and two poetry-only events. Last summer, there was one in-person open mic that took place outside at Latham Library and there are plans to do another once warmer weather returns. The next virtual open mic — titled “Mud Season Open Mic” — is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24. People can sign up for slots and learn more at thetfordlibrary.org. Performers are given five-minute time slots and can sign up for two if they’d like to.

Area poet Elisabeth Horan is the MC for the events, which draw about 20 to 40 people.

“She knows poets from around the world, so our poetry open mics have been very well-attended and attended by people literally from all over the world,” Zollo said in a phone interview. “It’s been pretty amazing. The wonders of Zoom.”

While the poetry open mics are directed at adults, the others are family-friendly. The events tend to run 1½ to two hours. People do not have to perform to attend and can simply log in to take in the show.

“We usually have a mix of mostly music and poetry, but we have had comedy and we’ve had storytelling,” said Zollo, who has sung while accompanied by her daughter on guitar.

The open mics grew out of in-person events that Zollo started for teenagers prior to the pandemic.

“At some point the attendance really fell off and I stopped doing those, so it was really great to revive the open mic night virtually,” Zollo said.

There are also future plans to do hybrid in-person and virtual open mic nights, so people outside the area can continue to attend.

“I love the fact that all ages participate and I love that it is a really comfortable non-judgemental space in which to perform,” Zollo said.

Whaleback Mountain

ENFIELD – Performers can gather nearly every Friday at 8 p.m. for an open mic at Whaleback Mountain in Enfield.

The open mics started in the fall before ski season and grew out of summer performances that took place on the deck at the nonprofit organization, executive director Jon Hunt said. They take place in-person in the pub at 160 Whaleback Mountain Road and are hosted by Upper Valley-based band Of Conscious Mind. For more information, visit Facebook: “OPEN MIC at Whaleback Mountain!”

“We’re trying to make sure that even on a night when no one feels brave enough to come up and sing we still have music playing,” Hunt said in a phone interview. While so far only musicians have performed, “I don’t think anyone would be disappointed if there was a good poem or some comedy onstage. Nowadays we need a little bit more art in our lives.”

Teenagers are welcome to perform. When the open mics began, people were coming to the mountain specifically for the performances, but that’s started to change.

“Now that we’re in the swing of things for ski season we’re seeing folks finishing for the day skiing and rolling into open mic night after the mountain closes at 8 p.m. for skiing,” Hunt said.

Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.

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