Weekly open mic nights at Gryphon Cafe

On any given Monday night at the Gryphon Café, a small coffee house found on Lancaster Avenue in Wayne, college students can be found attending open mic night.

While some students take advantage of this opportunity to express themselves publicly, others choose to just sip their beverages and listen.

The festivities start at 8 p.m. and last until about 10 p.m., depending on the number of people participating.

For about ten years, many people from the surrounding area have been attending and participating in this weekly event. Various local artists and bands including Amos Lee, Gregory Alan Isakov and the Beekeepers have been found showcasing their talent at the open mic night.

In order to sign up to perform, potential participants simply have to show up at the Gryphon on Monday night around 7:30 p.m. and place their names on a list located at the bar. All may display their talents as long as they keep their acts clean.

There will be no previews of the acts unless a band or singer wants to take a paid gig on a Friday or Saturday night.

Many of the acts are musical, but spoken work and stand-up comedy have also been done.

Chris Wall, the event’s organizer, advises that everyone who wants to participate should remember that it is a family event.

First-year student Kelsey Magee says she likes to attend the open mic nights because “[it is a] mixture of people from all walks of life with different stories.”