In April of 2009, I was asked to start an open mic in the tiny bar attached to the Taj Mahal Indian Restaurant. To be honest, I was initially reluctant to take the gig; very few of the open mics I had attended reflected the spirit championed by places like The Gaslight or Max’s Kansas City: a place where the best writers, poets, comedians, artists and performers in a city showed off their newest work, knowing it will be heard and criticized by the other hungry artists in town. If Columbus wanted to be the indie art capital many have hoped, they’d need practice. And a room to do it in.

And now, nearly two and a half years (and one co-host) later, I believe we’ve come pretty damn close to creating that room. People honestly listen. The regulars are some of the finest songwriters and artists in town. Dozens of bands have formed out of that room (my own included). Touring bands are relieved to break up the bar scene with an intimate acoustic show. The word “community” is used a lot when people describe the open mic. Some openly refer to it as “church.” Whatever has happened in the past two years in that room, it is undeniably something special.

So, on the occassion of our second anniversary, we set up a few microphones, got dressed up, and asked all the regulars to play their best stuff. It’s as best an answer we can find to those curious what the open mic sounds like. Listen below or on the bandcamp page.

Also, as a bonus, we’ve released five of the Taj’s “greatest hits:” lo-fi recordings I made in the early days of the open mic. We’ve had hundreds of unique moments in that room; this is just five of them.

Anyway, thank you to everybody who has ever hung out with us at the Taj Mahal on a Tuesday night. Jason and I plan to keep running it for as long as the good people of Columbus keep making art and continue workshopping it in that tiny room. In an Indian restaurant. On a Tuesday.