For young or aspiring musicians, having a place to perform is essential to gaining the experience needed to play at bigger venues and eventually getting that big break. In general, sharing music with others is an exciting experience. An open mic is a live show where audience members perform at the microphone. This is the perfect chance to perform in front of a live audience––without having to go through the process lining up your own gigs. Here are some of the best open mic nights in the Charlotte area.

The Evening Muse 
3227 North Davidson Street
Charlotte, NC 28205
(704) 376-3737
theeveningmuse.com

Open Mic Night: Mondays at 7 p.m.

Monday nights at the Evening Muse are known for being one of the best open mic spots in all of Charlotte. Each Monday night, the venue offers artists the chance to play their music, make friends, meet people and make lasting impressions. The Evening Muse hosts a lottery to determine the open mic list at 7:45 p.m., however, touring artists, young performers and those prompting shows at the Evening Muse may get offered a priority position on the list. Original songs are encouraged from every music artist, and each performer is allowed to perform two songs, with a 10 minute limit on the performance.

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Smokey Joe’s Café 
510 Briar Creek Road
Charlotte, NC 28205
(704) 338-9380
smokeyjoescharlotte.com

Open Mic Night: Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

Smokey Joe’s Café is a dive bar located in the Elizabeth section of Charlotte. This particular dive bar is known for having a fun, eclectic atmosphere. Inside, the bar is dimly lit with old beer signs and there is the sound of running water, which is very relaxing. The Smokin’ J’s open jamnight takes place every Tuesday night at 10 p.m. and it’s a great place for up and coming music artists to showcase their talents. Nicole Atkins used to perform at Smokey Joe’s before she made it big-time.

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Tommy’s Pub
2007 Central Ave.
Charlotte, NC 28205
(704) 377-0022

Open Mic Night: Wednesdays at 8 p.m.

Tommy’s Pub is a neighborhood dive bar located in the Plaza Midwood section of Charlotte that serves up cold, cheap beers and great music. Don’t let the divey aesthetic of this place fool you–this is one of the best local gems you’ll find. Tommy’s officially hosts an open mic night every Wednesday night at 8 p.m., but nearly every night they have some kind of informal open mic action taking place. The vibe is incredible and friendly, which means everyone is welcome and everyone belongs.

Harvey’s Bar and Grill 
13812 Cinnabar Place
Huntersville, NC 28078
(704) 947-5080
harveysinhuntersville.com

Open Mic Night: Mondays from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Harvey’s has a friendly, laid back casual kind of atmosphere and can be found just outside of Charlotte in Huntersville, NC. Open Mic at Harvey’s takes place every Monday night. Music fans can come out at 7 p.m. while musicians generally arrive around 6:30 to sign up for a performance slot. Spectators get to enjoy dinner and amazing drink specials while listening to some great local musicians. On other nights, patrons can enjoy live bands while noshing on Harvey’s famous barbecue ribs in this Vermillion neighborhood haunt.

Forty Rod Road House 
9229 Lawyers Road
Mint Hill, NC 28227
(704) 573-1773
fortyrodroadhouse.com

Open Mic Night: Wednesdays from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Forty Rod Road House is your everyday, neighborhood bar located in a strip mall in Mint Hill, NC. There are a number of televisions located inside the bar, and the servers generally tune them to the channels that you request. But don’t come to watch TV–come for the amazing local musical performances Forty Rod hosts ever Wednesday. The bar’s Acoustic Open Mic Jam is held between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. and invites songwriters and performers to up on stage to showcase their talents. On other nights, you’ll find live music by local bands. Since the cover is never over $5, you can spend that money on the delicious eats Forty Rod serves up.

Nichole Jaworski is a freelance writer for various publications in Charlotte, North Carolina. Nichole is an extremely versatile writer who writes about Public Policy, Social Issues, and Arts and Entertainment. Nichole is also the founder of a local nonprofit called Serve Charlotte’s Homeless. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.