Rick West contributed (with slight edits by me): "The session at O'Reilly's (now Saturdays 7-10:30 pm) has a core group of people and invariably attracts 5-6 additional musicians. I'm not exactly a host but did establish O'Reilly's as a session location, originally on Sundays, with Mike Hanrahan, Graham Wells, Stan Pickett and Phil Babcock. The Saturday session, which began at The Ship Inn several years ago, was started by Rob Murphy, Jackie Ryan, Larry Foley and perhaps Dave Panting. Again, there isn't really a host, however, Rob Murphy (flute) does lead in to a good number of tunes. Rob, Jackie, John, Michelle Brophy, Rob Brown, Mike Hanrahan, Graham, Phil Babcock, Stan Pickett and I are regulars. We had small crowds at first but now are bringing in enough paying customers to cover the stout that we drink. Some fine players are dropping in on a regular basis so the quality of the sessions now is quite good. This, the location and the great food should have O'Reilly's packed during the tourist season. If anyone needs more information they can contact me at reely.west@thezone.net . " This session is sometimes slower in the summer IF it is a festival weekend and many of the regulars are off at a festival instead of at the pub. But last year even during the festival there was a small session, plus of course probably others in houses after the festival hours.
There is still very occasionally (e.g. when a visiting musician is in town and the local top musicians want their own private session with him or her) a session at The Ship Pub, also on Saturdays from about 6 to 9 p.m. and regulars include Christina Smith, Rick West, Frank Maher, Kelly Russell, Dave Penny and Dave Panting when he is in town. More mature musicians attend this session as compared to the O'Reilly's one, and at this Ship Inn session more Newfoundland tunes are played, along with some Irish ones, whereas at the O'Reilly's session more Irish tunes are played. (This session now happens only rarely so I suggest players go to The Ship Inn about 6 p.m. on Saturday and then if nothing is happening head to O'Reilly's around 7:30 p.m.)
The St. John's Folk Arts Council recently (March 2002) held a celtic session for young people that perhaps they may make a regular thing. It was followed by a concert at The LSPU Hall (another such concert is coming up I think Feb. 22, 2004).
Here is something written by Fergus O'Byrne on sj.general (slightly edited after a June 2003 e-mail from him):
"For those interested in traditional music, each weekend there are informal
sessions held in various locations.
These `trad. sessions' are informal gatherings of both musicians and
listeners who enjoy playing and listening to traditional music and song in a
relaxed atmosphere. There is no `performance' as such other than the
natural exuberance of the players themselves. The sessions provide an
outlet for seasoned players to let lose with the tunes they know and also
allow newer players a chance to play along and/or listen without any
pressure. The session also gives people of like mind a chance to socialize
and meet new people.
Times and locations:
8:00 pm every Friday evening at Erin's Pub, Water Street
7:30 pm every Saturday evening at O'Reilly's Irish Pub, George Street
[DD: 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Sunday at Bridie Molloy's Pub, George Street]
6:00(approx) every [DD: still occasionally held] Saturday evening at
The Ship Inn, Solomon's Lane"
Another one is 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Monday night at Bitters Pub and Restaurant, in Feild Hall on the Memorial University campus (across the parkway from the Arts and Culture Centre), hosted by Fergus Brown-O'Byrne.
There was a youth session from 2 to 7 p.m. on Sundays at O'Reilly's for a while, and many of those who play the Neil Murray Stage at the folk festival are better at celtic music than the best adults in most other cities of similar size in North America. This session is currently not being held but might start again in summer. There is also an annual Young Folk at the Hall with workshops leading up to a Sunday concert. There may be more info on that on the Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Council web site.
All of the sessions Fergus listed are purely traditional round-table unamplified sessions. Also, I think there is room for a slow (beginner, all ages, including slow adults) session perhaps at The Peter Easton Pub or The Ship Pub or alternating between them each week, or at a non-alcoholic non-pub venue if all ages. (But young people under 19 are allowed in pubs that serve food, up to I think 8:30 p.m., if accompanied by an adult.) Also during the summer festival season sometimes musicians are at the festivals and thus round table unamplified sessions at pubs are much less full of musicians, but generally in the night after a festival's evening concert there are usually late night impromptu sessions somewhere.
O'Reilly's Irish Pub has a Tuesday night Open Mic Night from 10 to 12 with paid hosts playing before 10 and after 12 and this is often packed, especially during university year.
Furey's Saloon in Holyrood has an open mic on Saturday nights hosted by Gary Woodford I think. They are a half hour drive by highway from St. John's or 55 minutes by the coastal scenic route.
CBTGs has a jam night on Tuesday nights.
The Victory Tavern (formerly The Spur) has a DJ open mic on Tuesday nights and a regular open mic on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. hosted by Jim Bellows.
Turner's Tavern I think has an open mic night and I will post the details here when I get them.
Distortion has an open mic but I forget the day.
Wednesday night is St. John's Folk Arts Council Folk Night at The Ship Inn and in between sets of the featured performer there is a chunk (about an hour) of time for four open mic spots each consisting of three songs or three sets of tunes. This gets going around 9 p.m., but to get a good seat show up by 8:30 p.m., and it ends around 11:30 p.m.
The Rose and Thistle has an open mic on Sunday nights, hosted by Chris Picco. No cover, a free beer for performers.
Hava Java coffee shop has an open mic on Sunday evenings, I think from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., and it is an all ages one since it is not a bar.
There was an electric/acoustic blues jam Sunday nights at The Fat Cat for years but it has now been replaced by an open mic on Sunday night (no cover, and pretty good sound system) hosted by Jim Bellows, and with still some blues (often acoustic blues though) but also other stuff. Based on my Sunday night visit on Oct. 24, 2004, the open mics can go quite late (I think they run 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. and could go to 2:30 a.m. if they are busy). I'm not sure if this is still going on.
There is a blues jam at The Dock every Sunday night hosted by Darrell Cooper.
The Breezeway bar in the university centre at MUN has an open mic Wednesday nights hosted by Terry MacDonald during the university year.
The Georgetown Pub on Hayward Avenue has an open mic every Friday night I think starting at about 9 p.m., hosted by Blair Harvey.
I've seen a few more on posters and in The Telegram and in The Scope but haven't been making note of them but will start to I guess.