My previous article covered the wonderful Slam Poetry at the Cellar, and following up on that routine, I went to the Open Mic Night at the Windsor Castle Bar (AKA, the Grad House) here on campus. The Open Mic, every Tuesday, begins around 7:30pm with signups at 7, and is welcome to all grad students and undergraduates. Undergraduates may have to pay a fee, however, this was unclear and because of the small crowd, I wasn’t required to pay.
It was a very lovely building, and I’m always impressed when I’m introduced to a building on Campus that I haven’t been to before. The Grad House felt like a homely, quaint (in a very good way) little cottage, which included a small bar and some small round tables. It was a warm atmosphere both outside and in, despite the horrible spring-time winds outside. (Does it feel like Spring to anyone else, because I don’t see it yet.)
The crowd was somewhat small and intimate, including a few good friends and some accompanying grad students. Thankfully the small crowd was slightly more comforting after having decided to read one of my own poems last-minute. There were only a few of us who read, including myself, my good friend Ben Dugdale, and the creator of the open mic, Weston. All of the poets were impressive, having read some original works and poems by Elizabeth Austen and Mary Oliver.
For anyone interested in reading or listening, I would definitely recommend this event, or others on campus like it (as there are plenty). Readers are welcome to do poetry, prose, as well as acoustic performances. When I asked Weston for a statement about the event, he said he is hoping for a few more participants and listeners, but the small crowd hasn’t seemed to have diminished his spirit, and he was incredibly upbeat and excited for the event anyhow. If anyone’s interested in reading something they’ve written or enjoy, the Open Mic at the Grad House could be a fun, no-pressure event to become involved in. The Grad House is located just behind the campus Bookstore.
