5 types of musicians you’ll find at Fort Collins open mics

by Taylor Sandal

You never know who’s going to take the stage at an open mic. All we know for certain is that they have a guitar and about 15 minutes to give it all they’ve got. Here’s a quick look at some of the types of people who can be found around Fort Collins open mics.

1. The Old-Timer Rockstar

“Bill Bates” by MarcCooper_1950 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

This ain’t his first rodeo on a stage. He’s self-produced 12 or so albums of original tunes, wears a plaid shirt and a fedora, and chats with anyone within earshot about guitars. He’ll pull out a tune that he wrote 30 years ago, and then play something he wrote in the car on the way over to the gig — he’s just that confident.

Reserve your Monday nights for Yum Yum’s Monday night open mic at 7 p.m.

2. The Rising Star

“diane ward” by McBeth is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

She shows up fashionably late because she had band rehearsal in Boulder. She’s a gypsy college drop-out who lives 50% of the time in a van. Her indie style and raw vocals end up capturing the attention of the entire room with her humble talent. The staff are so blown away she gets a free drink and meal after her performance.

Find your new favorite local act at Avogadro’s Number open mic night on Tuesdays.

3. The Promoters

“horse musician, former Berlin wall” by Jeanne Menjoulet is licensed under CC BY 2.0

These musicians have merch for days. They are on tour around the country, playing at different breweries and coffee shops, and happened to have a spare night to play an open mic in Fort Collins. They don’t hesitate to name drop and advertise their new CD multiple times throughout the set, and don’t let anyone leave the venue without following their band page on Instagram.

Perform at the McClellan’s Brewing Company open mic and get a free drink.

4. The Regular Ukulele Duo

“Ukelele Cowboy Party 2” by &y is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

This pair shows up a couple hours early and offer to help set up and sound check. They end up jamming just outside the venue before prior to showtime. There’s no mistaking this duo, complete with dad shirts and ever-present smiles to match. Their music lights up the room and gets people up off their feet to dance.

Find some regular talent at Lucky Joe’s weekly acoustic open mic on Sundays at 7 p.m.

5. The Conversationalists

“UMM Open Mic Night, 25 Jan 2007–063” by Nic’s events is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

This husband and wife duo is undoubtedly chatty. Within the first five minutes, you already know their cats middle name and what they ate for breakfast. For some reason they are uncertain about what to call their songs, and won’t forget to ask the audience for advice and suggestions.

On select Sundays at the Old Elk, you can catch musicians at one of the newest open mic in Fort Collins.