This was my first time at a US open mic. What to expect? Would I make some horrendous cultural gaffe, a poetic equivalent of, say, not understanding the infield fly rule [a rule in baseball] ? Or my accent; would it have them demanding subtitles?

Well, what do I expect from a good UK open mic? Friendly ambience. Newcomers encouraged to read. Everyone gets listened to. A friendly group who know each other but still welcome strangers. A host who goes out of her/his way to make everyone welcome and encourage the poor wayfaring stranger? Yep, that would be good.

What else? I suppose I expect a good mix of poetry for the page, personal dilemmas and anger vented: a good rant or three. Poems about identity: what it is to be me/black/Asian/Colombian/female/gay/a mother, etc. A good mix of humour and serious stuff. Perhaps some verbal dexterity, playing around with words and ideas, people experimenting, being brave because the audience allows them to by making them feel safe.

Perhaps introducing other fields of creativity and expression from time to time, much as John Togher did at Wigan in the early days with film backgrounds and stuff. So, how about someone sitting at the side of the stage, painting a picture during the performances?  Or a lass with a guitar singing a Nina Simone song, and declaring that she will not be able to do it justice, then doing a performance that would have made Nina worry about the competition. No, I wouldn’t expect those, but they’d be a bonus.

What’s the most important element? Hmm. The truth: everyone telling their own truths, relating their own stories, expressing what they need and want to say. I would expect all the above from a really good open mic night of the calibre of, say, Wigan, Middleton, Sale, Stockport, Marsden, etc.

So how did Mic Check measure up? Pretty darn good! In fact I’d go so far as to say it was like being at home with the Write Out Loud family, with a side order of Nina Simone and painter Will, not forgetting guest Black Root with his dexterous dialogue and daring didgeridoo. What more could you want? Well, for British audiences, a drink perhaps. There’s no alcohol, it being a coffee bar  - with a fantastic dark roast in a huge cup, hot milk on the side and a free refill.  Heaven.

Many thanks to host Poetryzchyld (pictured with one of Will’s pieces of art), and coffee shop manager, Veronica (hope I have that right!) for making me so welcome.

Culture Coffee Café contains: creativity, culture, calm, clever conversations, carefully crafted canvases, cracking company, community.

Mic Check open mic poetry on Kennedy Street is every Monday evening. Doors open at 8.30pm.

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