I’ve been playing at this open mic for ages. As a twelve year old kid, I found a home here at the Honey Moon in Bellingham, WA. It used to be a “tasting room”, which let them serve wine and mead while also allowing minors in the establishment. It was a breeding ground for young talent, mostly my friends and I, who flooded this place on Wednesdays to play our songs and drink San Pelligrinos, the only drink we could legally imbibe at the time.
When I started playing here, a fella named Jan Peters was hosting. He would sit next to his mixer up front by the acts, and play mandolin and harmonica with artists that agreed to that kind of thing. He had great knowledge and taste, and was always a welcome accompaniment to the music. He was the first person I met here at the open mic, and would always play his mandolin along with my sets. When I was starting out, I had a hard time keeping time and playing in front of people. He joined in with me most weeks nonetheless, playing mandolin in the perfect spaces he found in my cover sets. Jan gave me endless support and advice over his years of hosting here, and was a huge motivator for me to keep coming out and playing sets.
The Honey Moon has always curated a fantastic group of local musicians, making it the best open mic in the area in my opinion. A great place to make connections, appreciate the talent, and relax. Mostly solo singers with guitars, but sometimes an act will surprise you with a full band with a refined, tight sound. As a kid, it was a huge deal for me to have a place to go to get my finger on the pulse of the music community in my hometown. Friends I’ve made here are some of the closest to me still, invaluable connections that I imagine I’ll have for a long, long time - mentors, collaborators, and acquaintances alike.
Now I’m 22 years old, and the Honey Moon is licensed as a fully functioning bar. The open mic is as strong as ever, but no one under 21 is allowed inside to play. I find it unfortunate that young people won’t be able to find their start here in the local scene, but I realize that it’s probably what is best for business. I wish that there was still a place in Bellingham for kids to find the same opportunity I did here - there are some options, but nothing that lets kids tap into the bar scene like the Moon did. Someday, I’d like to open up a space inspired by the way the Honey Moon was, so that some talented kids in this town could find a foundation like I was so lucky to find.
