We are fortunate to live in an area with vibrant, diverse art scenes that offer opportunities and events consistently. An open mic can be found every night, somewhere. Brandon Diehl’s “I Hate Poetry” series is still going strong at the Unicorn Theater in Catasaqua, with a mix of featured performers and open mic. The reading has established a following of regulars, and the same can be said for Allentown’s Coffee House Without Limits, Hava Java, and Easton’s Connexions. Hava Java has had a few changes in hosts and schedules, but lovers of music and poetry can typically find a crowd on Saturday and Monday nights.
Darrell Parry, “I Hate Poetry” at the Unicorn Theater in Catasaqua.
Steve Wohl hosts on Saturday and while it was admittedly more music than poetry or stand up, all are welcome and the atmosphere is chill. If you are getting your feet wet with performing in front of people, come early and give it a shot. The coffee is good, too!
Hava Java, Open MIc
Saturday Open Mic at Hava Java in Allentown
Lehigh Valley poet Matt Wolf hosted the annual poetry open mic night as part of Perspectives 4 this year. Participants performed poetry and music, with an environmental focus. Matt was joined by local artist and bass player Jared Balogh for a collaborative performance. The Basaltic Rock Opera were a hit, a mix of music and vocals that filled the space- their name inspired by one of the Science on a Sphere shows at the center. The audience heard both tanka and a pantoum, the latter performed by John Cosgrove who wrote the poem in our workshop in response to a prompt, a quote by John Muir.
The open mic night is part of the Perspectives: Art On Environment project at the Nurture Nature Center which features partnering artists who create works of art and literature based on environmental themes for exhibit in the show that runs from November-January each year. Check it out over the next few weeks.
John Cosgrove, Perspectives Open Mic Night
Matt Wolf, Perspectives Open Mic Night
Perspectives 4 Open Mic Night at the Nurture Nature Center
