Cheap and loose: Open mic nights are here for you

Mondays: This one can be a bit loose, but that’s part of the charm. An even mix of poets (and on some nights, heavily skewed toward them) and solo music has always been featured at this longtime place to showcase. The crowd and the performers are on the younger side, some even pre-teen. Sign up at 7:30 p.m, start at 8 p.m. Free. All ages.

Mondays: Oh, anarchy! The open mic here has been going since the bar converted from biker to rocker crowds, and the what-will-happen vibe befits this place. It usually has a mix between poets and musicians, mostly solo performers either way, but it also depends on some variables: the host (they rotate among local musicians), if anyone shows up, the ratio of, uh, chemical enhancements, etc. Earn your show weirdness wings here. Sign up at 9 p.m., start at 10 p.m. Free. 21+.

Thursdays: The twist at this one is electrifying. Instead of showing off your own wares, the challenge for a singer or player here is to jam on blues music as you sit in with a full band. Not that folks haven't brought in their own tunes (if the changes are easy!) but the potential for both cacophony and blissful music-making is in the air at this tucked-away bar in downtown Reno. The adventurous should give it a shot. Sign up at 8 p.m., start at 9 p.m. Free. 21-and-older. On Wednesdays at 9 p.m., it's open mic comedy. 3rd Street, 125 W. Third St. 323-5005.

First Fridays: Singers and writers from the south part of the region have a place to try stuff out as well. This long-running open mic is another one suited for younger performers, but the age and stylistic range (from quiet folk to skronky experiments) is as open as an open mic can get. Plus, it’s a funky and fun room to try your stuff in (you might get distracted during your short set if you look around too much). Sign up at 7 p.m., start at 8 p.m. Free. All ages.