Growing up in Miami, I didn’t go out much, but after moving back home from living in Illinois, I decided it was time to get to know my city. On a Thursday night, my cousins told me about an open mic place in one of Miami's historic neighborhoods, Little Havana. Since I’ve never been to that part of town and since I was looking for an excuse to rid of my stage fright, I found myself getting excited. Art Spoken Performing Arts Center is a little hard to spot at first, but when you see it, you see it. Outside they usually have this silver mannequin covered in random items, like stickers, floppy disks, and CDs.

As for the performers, they’re just as quirky as the place itself. The first night I was there, every person that went up on stage to perform was different from the last. Over time, I started to notice who the usuals were and even became one myself along with my cousin. The ambiance is very welcoming, feeling uncomfortable is nearly impossible in my opinion. One of the many things that I love about this place is the fact that three guys—Yesler, Pachi, and Doble Nueve—started the Blue Talisman Open Mic. They are in a band and the lead singer’s mom helps them out by selling Cuban sandwiches, water, beer, and wine at the bar to help raise money for Art Spoken’s rent. There is nothing I love more than seeing families and friends supporting each other’s dreams, it makes it all the more unique to me.

If you wanted to get on stage to perform, all you have to do is ask Yesler to put you on the list of performers and you’re all set. Over the last few months, I’ve seen all kinds of performances. I’ve seen people do covers of songs, sing original material, recite spoken word poetry, standup comedy and even a few rappers have stopped by to perform. A few months ago, they were holding the open mic outside in the back of the building where they have lights hung and plenty of big tables and chairs. But recently, they’ve been holding it inside where they usually host performances that they offer during the week. Personally, I haven’t gotten to experience that part of Art Spoke, but I do plan on giving it a chance.

If you decide to check out this little hidden gem more than once, be prepared to get a slightly different musical and poetic experience every time. Just a little FYI for all the people out there like me that are on a budget, and possibly looking for a cool date idea, there is no need to worry about a cover charge. You get to experience Blue Talisman free of charge. If you wanted to see some more photos like the ones you’re currently seeing then you can check them out on Instagram at @blue_talisman or on Facebook at @bluetalisman. Hopefully with all this information I’ve been able to convince most of you to at least think about giving Art Spoken’s Blue Talisman Open Mic a chance. Maybe you’ll even spot me in the crowd, if you’re lucky you’ll see one of my spur of the moment performances. Most of all I hope you come to love it as much as I do.