The “Open Mic” at Birdland is legendary! It’s open to singers of any style, although the venue itself us an icon of the jazz community. It truly isn’t an open mic because there is a band. In jazz, we would say this is a “sit in” rather than an open mic.
The show is called “Jim Caruso’s Cast Party” and is Monday Nights. The host is Jim Caruso and lots of pro and amateur singers go there, including jazz but also theatre, pop/rock (acoustic), classical, and everything you could think of. Monday night is the night theatres are closed as are a lot of restaurants where many in the performing arts work, so this is a night that’s super convenient to a lot of people.
Cast Party takes place in the main venue upstairs. Little known fact is that there are two show rooms – Birdland and Birdland Theatre. BLT is “downstairs” and hosts cabaret, jazz, blues, etc. I believe you can rent it and it’s a good venue for cd release parties and so forth. Birdland (upstairs) has pretty much exclusively jazz aside from the open mic Monday nights.
TIME: Meet at 8.30p in front of the club. The entire party must be present or they won’t let you in. If you come late, tell them you’re a single and look for us.
ADDRESS: 315 W 44th Street between 8th and 9th Ave
HOW TO GET IN: Tell the door person your going to the main stage room and not the “theatre”
TICKETS: We’ll be sitting at the bar and tickets sakes end Sunday night. Let us know by 5p Sunday if you wanna go!