What We Do
Stage Left Open Mics on 2nd Fridays
Our regular Open Mics are held on the 2nd Friday of every month from 7 – 10 p.m. at Stage Left Cafe, 125 Van Buren St. on the historic Woodstock Square.
These open mics each feature a performer who will take the stage for a 30-minute set. Other performers will do a 10 or 15-minute set (2 or 3 songs), depending on how many people are signed up.
Off Square Music invites musicians, singers, poets, and other performers to participate in the Open Mic Nights. Whether you’re just starting out as a performer or are a seasoned veteran, Open Mic Night offers a supportive atmosphere with an exceptional performance space and sound system.
You don’t have to perform to enjoy Open Mic Nights. Just come on out to enjoy live music and Woodstock’s charming atmosphere. Off Square requests a $5.00/pp donation to support our many music activities, including Open Mic Nights.
To sign up to perform, visit this page and fill out the form. If you stop by an Open Mic Night early in the evening, there might even be an available slot that same night.
All-Original Open Mic at Stage Left Cafe
On the 4th Friday of each month, our All-Original Open Mic at Stage Left Cafe features original songwriters, poets, storytellers, and composers. We are delighted to showcase these artists in a warm, welcoming community setting.
All performance styles are welcome as long all material is original and the performance is family-friendly. Each performance slot is 10 minutes.
All-Original Open Mics meet on the 4th Friday of each month at Stage Left Cafe, 125 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock, 7:00 – 10:00 pm. Stage Left Cafe offers an exceptional performance space and sound system for these events.
To sign up to perform for the All-Original Open Mic, please fill out the sign-up form. Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join us for these wonderful evenings of family-friendly entertainment. There is a $5 suggested donation for these events.
Every Saturday Virtual Open Mic
Our Every Saturday Virtual Open Mic from Off Square Music started when we couldn’t get together for live music and stayed when we went back to live performances. They bring together long-time friends and expand our music world and friendships way beyond the boundaries of Woodstock.
Want to hear some great music (or share your own) without having to leave the comfort of your home? Then these virtual open mics are for you!
Every Saturday, Off Square Music hosts a virtual open mic featuring performers from our community and beyond. We typically feature six-eight people every week. Each person performs two songs or a ten-minute set (whichever is less). Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the music starts at 7:00 pm, usually running until 8:15 or 8:30 pm. People are welcome to hang out and chat after the music.
How to Participate
If you are already on the Off Square Music mailing list, you don’t have to do a thing. If you would like to join our mailing list then visit our website and sign yourself up with the short form in the right column of every page of the site. Be sure to check the “Every Saturday Virtual Open Mic List”. You will receive a weekly reminder email with the link to join “Every Saturday.” We record these sessions, so you will also receive a follow-up email with a link to the recording so you can enjoy the evening all over again!
How to Perform at Open Mics
To promote and support our performers in the best way possible in all our venues, we ask that all current and future performers visit this page to complete a one-time informational form. Once you submit that form, you can return to the same page any time to request a performance spot in any of our venues. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Virtual Open Mics. We’d also like to point you to our guide for How to Get the Best Sound and Video for Zoom Open Mics.
Sundays on the Square
During the summer months, enjoy some great bands from 5:00 – 7:00 pm on the historic Woodstock Square, Cass & Van Buren Streets, Woodstock IL 60098. These concerts are completely FREE!
Sunday evenings on the Square are always a memorable part of summer in the Woodstock area. Put the dates on your calendar now, and we’ll look forward to seeing you there! Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for details!
Concerts
Off Square Music hosts concerts featuring touring musicians and bands; They will be held at Stage Left Cafe, 125 Van Buren St., Woodstock. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for details!
And there’s lots more . . .
Off Square Music co-hosts, co-sponsors, partners with, assists and supports many other local organizations and events in a variety of ways. Look for these events under the Concerts tab.