Tempe Center for the Arts Open Mic Review: Why Walk-in Wednesdays Is One of Arizona’s Most Special Open Mics
There are a lot of things musicians want to know before trying a new open mic.
How early do I need to get there? Is the sound good? Will anyone actually listen? Are originals welcome? What kind of musicians show up? Is this a place where a beginner is going to feel completely out of place?
And maybe the biggest question of all: what is the vibe?
That is really the reason Emma and I started reviewing Arizona open mics for the Desert Vibe Podcast’s “What’s Vibin' in the Desert” segment. Driving across the Valley, fighting traffic, hauling your instrument inside, and trying to get your name onto a list of 20 or more performers is already a commitment. It helps to know what you are walking into before you get there.
When it comes to the Tempe Center for the Arts open mic, I can answer the vibe question pretty easily.
This one is special.
Emma and I have been coming to Walk-in Wednesdays for a couple of years. We first walked through those doors as musicians who were too intimidated to even put our names on the list. Eventually, we started performing there ourselves, tested our original songs in front of the listening crowd, built friendships within the community, and even landed our first paid gig because someone had been watching us perform there.
So this review is not based on one Wednesday night. It is based on several years of experiencing what happens when musicians keep showing up.
Quick Details: Tempe Center for the Arts Open Mic
Event: Walk-in Wednesdays Open Mic Night
Venue: Tempe Center for the Arts
Address: 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe, AZ 85281
When: Wednesdays
Current official event time: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Sign-up: We recommend arriving around 4:15 PM or earlier because the list can fill quickly
Cost: Free
Host/MC: Walt Richardson
Performance time: Two songs or two poems, not to exceed 10 minutes total including setup and teardown
Originals: Yes Covers: Yes Poetry: Yes All ages: Yes
Sound: Professional PA, microphones, and music stands provided
Instruments: Bring your own instruments
Parking: Surface parking and nearby garage parking available
Food: Snacks and drinks are typically available at the lobby bar, but this is not a dinner venue
Environment: Listening room, family-friendly, supportive and community-oriented
Best for: Singer-songwriters, original artists, acoustic performers, developing musicians, seasoned performers, poets and music fans who actually want to listen.
You can check upcoming dates through the official TCA events calendar.
The current City of Tempe listing describes Walk-in Wednesdays as a free event welcoming musicians and poets, with acoustic music preferred. It specifically states that both covers and original music are welcome.
What Makes the Tempe Center for the Arts Open Mic Different?
The first obvious difference is where you are playing.
This is the Tempe Center for the Arts.
You are not squeezed into the corner of a bar trying to sing over televisions, conversations, clanking dishes, and somebody ordering another round six feet away from you.
Most weeks, Walk-in Wednesdays takes place in the large lobby area at TCA. Depending on what else is happening inside the building, we have also seen the open mic move into other spaces, including the Lakeside Room, the Studio theater, and the lakeside patio during cooler weather.
The City of Tempe confirms that TCA includes a 595-seat Theater, a 220-seat Studio, a 219-person Lakeside space, the lobby and several additional performance and gathering areas.
Wherever the open mic lands that particular week, there is something different about performing inside a legitimate performing arts venue.
The sound is professionally managed. There is a stage. People are facing you.
And most importantly, they are listening.
This Is a Real Listening Room
For Emma and me, this may be the single biggest reason the TCA open mic stands apart from many others around the Valley.
People listen to your music here.
That sounds like it should be obvious at an open mic, but musicians know that is not always the case.
At some venues, you are essentially background music. You might be playing your heart out while people are having loud conversations, watching televisions, eating dinner, or moving around a crowded bar.
There is nothing inherently wrong with that environment. Some musicians actually prefer the lower pressure of being background music.
TCA is different.
When you step onto the stage, people are watching.
That can make the room slightly intimidating the first time, but it is also what makes it such a good place to perform original music.
Emma and I have played both covers and originals here many times, and the audience has always been welcoming to both. But there is something particularly rewarding about bringing a brand-new original song into this room.
We have essentially tested all of our original music at TCA.
When we want to know how a new song lands, this is one of the places we trust because we know people are going to hear it. Afterward, we can talk with musicians and friends whose opinions we respect and get actual feedback.
For a songwriter, that is incredibly valuable.
How Sign-Up Works at Walk-in Wednesdays
This is also one of the more popular open mic nights in Tempe, so my first piece of advice is simple:
Get there early.
The official event begins at 5:00 PM, and TCA has also promoted Walk-in Wednesdays activity beginning around 4:30 PM.
From our experience, sign-up generally starts around 4:30, and sometimes people begin gathering even earlier because they know how quickly the list can fill.
Typically, the first 20 performers make the main list.
The normal slot is two songs or up to 10 minutes. That matches the current City of Tempe event rules, which specify two songs or two poems with a 10-minute maximum that includes setup and teardown.
But Walt Richardson does something I really appreciate.
If the regular list fills and more musicians have shown up hoping to play, he will often create an overflow list and do his best to squeeze people in for one song.
There are no guarantees when the room is packed, but Walt genuinely tries to give people who made the effort to come out an opportunity to get onstage.
That says a lot about the philosophy behind this open mic.
Walt Richardson Is a Huge Part of What Makes TCA Special
You cannot write about Walk-in Wednesdays without writing about Walt Richardson.
Calling Walt a fixture in the Tempe music community almost understates it.
The City of Tempe's own historical records document Walt as the host of Walk-in Wednesdays going all the way back to 2009. The Tempe History Museum describes him as having been part of the Tempe community for more than 40 years and recognizes his work encouraging musicians from different backgrounds through this very open mic.
Walt also received a City of Tempe Diversity Award in 2019.
You can read more about him through the Tempe History Museum's Walt Richardson collection.
Fellow Desert Vibe host Glen Gardner has another explanation for Walt's legendary status.
According to Glen, Walt is a legend because he is extremely old.
That is Glen giving his longtime friend a hard time, of course.
What really makes Walt special is the way he runs the room.
He is the MC, host, and the person meticulously managing everybody's sound. Whether you have been performing your entire life or you are standing on stage for the first time wondering why you thought this was a good idea, Walt has a way of making you comfortable.
Emma and I experienced that before we ever played a note at TCA.
The First Time Emma and I Walked Into TCA
When Emma and I moved back to Arizona from Oregon in 2023, we had only been playing music for about a year.
We had never performed at an open mic.
We decided to go to the Tempe Center for the Arts just to see what an open mic was actually like.
That particular evening, Glen Gardner was filling in as host because Walt had been recovering from hip replacement surgery.
It also happened to be Walt's first night back at the open mic as an audience member.
He came in and eventually took his traditional number 14 spot on the list.
When Walt got up to perform, the entire room gave him a standing ovation.
Then they gave him another one when he finished.
Emma and I had no idea what we had walked into.
We started putting the pieces together.
This was obviously the regular host. He had been gone. Now he was back.
But what really struck us was not just how well Walt played.
It was the feeling in the room.
There was genuine love there.
You could feel the community.
A Handshake We Never Forgot
Something else happened that night that Emma and I still talk about.
We were leaving and walking past people in the audience when we passed Walt's seat.
He was in the middle of a conversation with somebody, but he stopped.
He reached his hand out toward us.
Walt told us he had never seen us there before and wanted to meet us and welcome us.
Think about that from our perspective at the time.
We had just watched this guy perform like a pro while an entire room gave him a standing ovation. We were nobodies who had walked in to see what an open mic looked like.
And he noticed that we were new.
He went out of his way to welcome us into his world.
That moment stuck with both of us.
It also showed us exactly what kind of place this was.
Of course, there was one problem.
The musicians were really good.
So Emma and I were terrified to play there.
It Took Us About a Year and a Half to Finally Take the Stage
We kept playing music and getting better, but TCA remained that intimidating open mic in the back of our minds.
It took us roughly another year and a half before we finally decided we were ready to put our names on that list.
When the day came, Walt was back where he belonged, hosting and running sound.
And just like he had done when we were strangers walking through the audience, he made us feel comfortable.
We played our songs.
We survived.
Then Walt gave us his review.
He told us, "Don't quit your day job."
Just kidding.
What he actually told us was that he liked the husband-and-wife duo thing we had going and that we should keep it up.
Then he told us something that ended up being far more important than we realized at the time.
"These open mic nights are auditions. You never know what doors might open if you keep showing up."
He was right.
TCA Helped Lead to Our First Paid Gig
Over time, Emma and I kept showing up.
We played covers. We played originals. We tested new material. People started recognizing us.
Eventually, somebody who had been watching us perform at the TCA open mic booked Emma & James Music for our first paid gig.
Walt's advice had become real.
Somebody in that listening room had been paying attention.
And in a funny full-circle moment, Walt ended up running sound for us at that first paid show too.
That experience changed the way I think about open mics.
Yes, they are places to practice.
Yes, they are places to meet musicians.
But they are also places where relationships form and opportunities quietly develop.
Sometimes the person sitting in the back of the room is just enjoying the show.
Sometimes that person is deciding whether they want to hire you.
You usually do not know which is which.
So you keep showing up.
Are Original Songs Welcome at the TCA Open Mic?
Absolutely.
The official event rules specifically state that both covers and original music are welcome.
From our experience, original music is one of the things this audience really appreciates.
That does not mean you need to be a singer-songwriter. Covers go over great too.
But if you have been writing music and have been looking for a place where you can perform something new in front of people who will actually listen to the lyrics, this is one of the Arizona open mics I would recommend trying.
It is one of the reasons Emma and I have repeatedly brought new songs here.
There is a difference between performing an original while a room talks over you and performing it in front of musicians and music fans who are genuinely paying attention.
TCA gives you the second experience.
What Kind of Performers Will You Hear?
One of my favorite things about Walk-in Wednesdays is the range.
You may see teenagers beginning their musical journey followed by somebody who has been playing for most of their life.
We have watched complete beginners.
We have watched seasoned professional musicians.
We have seen performers well into their later decades of life get up and play.
The younger performers typically get an opportunity early in the evening before the adult list gets rolling.
The official event listing specifically welcomes musicians and poets, and TCA says acoustic music is preferred.
Stylistically, we have found the room extremely accepting.
You do not need to worry that your song does not fit some narrow house genre.
That is important because one of the biggest concerns musicians tell us they have about trying unfamiliar open mics is whether their type of performance is going to fit.
At TCA, variety is part of the experience.
Poetry and Spoken Word Are Welcome Too
Walk-in Wednesdays is not exclusively for musicians.
Poetry is officially welcome, with performers receiving up to two poems within the same 10-minute maximum.
We have also experienced spoken-word performances within this broader environment.
One thing I would not assume, however, is that this is a general comedy open mic. The official listing specifically identifies musicians and poets, not stand-up comedians. If comedy is what you are planning to perform, I would contact TCA before making the trip rather than assuming it fits the event.
That distinction also contributes to the atmosphere of the evening.
A Family-Friendly Arizona Open Mic
TCA has always felt family-friendly to us.
People generally keep their sets clean. Songs can obviously deal with real-life, difficult experiences and mature subjects, but we have found profanity to be uncommon.
That contributes to the classy atmosphere of the event and is probably one reason you regularly see people in the audience who are not musicians at all.
They simply come to hear local talent.
That is another major difference between TCA and an open mic that exists primarily because a bar needs Wednesday night entertainment.
Walk-in Wednesdays has become an event of its own.
The Sound Setup at TCA
If complicated sound setups make you nervous, this is another area where TCA shines.
The current official listing says microphones, music stands, and a PA system are provided, while musicians bring their own instruments or recorded music.
In practice, we have found the setup very plug-and-play.
Bring your instrument, and Walt will get you situated.
TCA does not normally provide a house drum kit. We have seen drummers within the community bring a kit and place it off to the side so they can sit in with performers who want drums, but I would never arrive expecting a drum set to be waiting for you.
If you have an unusual setup, multiple instruments, or specific technical needs, contacting TCA beforehand is always smarter than assuming the equipment will be available.
Parking and Load-In at Tempe Center for the Arts
Parking is relatively easy compared with many downtown performance situations.
The Tempe Center for the Arts is located at 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway, and there is parking around the facility as well as a nearby garage. The City of Tempe notes that the garage is about 500 feet from TCA's main entrance.
When we perform, we can pull into the garage, take a parking ticket, and bring it inside.
We have been able to get parking validated as performers, so the garage does not cost us anything.
Because parking rules and event rates can change, I would still recommend confirming the current validation procedure when you arrive rather than assuming every event uses the same policy.
For musicians carrying a guitar and a normal amount of equipment, load-in is straightforward. If you are bringing substantially more gear, plan accordingly.
Drinks, Snacks and the Most Underrated Performer Amenity
Most nights we have attended, the lobby bar has been available for alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks along with simple snacks such as popcorn and treats.
Do not come expecting a full dinner. This is not a restaurant open mic, and there is no normal hot-food menu associated with the event.
We have also brought outside food and drinks during our visits, although I recommend checking TCA's current rules if you are planning to bring something substantial because facility policies can change.
There is another amenity I feel obligated to mention on behalf of nervous performers everywhere.
TCA has multiple nice restrooms.
You might laugh.
Wait until your name is getting closer to the top of the list and you have somehow needed to use the bathroom three times in 45 minutes.
Then you will understand why this belongs in the review.
Is the TCA Open Mic Intimidating for Beginners?
Yes.
And no.
The quality of musicians can absolutely be intimidating.
Emma and I are proof of that. We waited roughly a year and a half after our first visit before we were willing to get on that stage.
But here is what we misunderstood when we were new.
The people were never intimidating.
The talent level intimidated us.
The community did the opposite.
This is a room where someone can have decades of professional experience and be followed by somebody taking the stage for the first time.
Walt treats both like they belong there.
That matters.
The Tempe History Museum specifically credits Walt with creating an inclusive environment for musicians from different backgrounds, which lines up remarkably well with what Emma and I experienced ourselves before we knew him personally.
So if you are nervous because you are new, I understand.
Go anyway.
You do not even have to perform the first time.
That is exactly what we did.
Why Musicians Should Visit an Open Mic Before Performing
This is actually something I recommend for anyone who has serious anxiety about trying a new venue.
Go watch first.
There is no rule saying your first visit has to end with you onstage.
See where people sign up. Watch how performers plug in. Listen to the genres. Pay attention to the audience. Introduce yourself to people.
Find out whether it feels like your kind of room.
That is one of the reasons we created What’s Vibin' in the Desert in the first place.
Musicians constantly have to make decisions about where to spend their time.
Is it worth driving 45 minutes through Valley traffic?
Will I get there only to discover the list is filled before I arrive?
Does the venue welcome originals?
Can I use a backing track?
Will people listen?
Is this an open mic for beginners, professionals, or both?
Is the crowd supportive?
We want these reviews to help answer those questions before you load the guitar into the car.
The Real Reason People Keep Coming Back: Community
If I had to reduce the entire TCA open mic experience to one word, it would be community.
You hear that word thrown around constantly in local music scenes, sometimes to the point where it starts losing its meaning.
At TCA, you can actually see what it means.
It is an established musician receiving a standing ovation when he returns after surgery.
It is that same musician noticing two complete strangers in the crowd and taking the time to welcome them.
It is teenagers sharing a stage with musicians old enough to be their grandparents.
It is somebody trying an original song for the first time while the room actually listens.
It is musicians sitting in with each other.
It is people making friendships.
And sometimes it is somebody quietly watching you week after week who eventually offers you a paid gig.
Today, Emma and I are fortunate to help Walt Richardson and Glen Gardner with the PR, marketing, website, merchandise, and blog surrounding the Desert Vibe Podcast.
More importantly, we are fortunate to call them friends.
We did not know any of that was coming when we walked into TCA in 2023.
We were just two nervous people trying to figure out what an open mic was.
That is why Walt's comment about open mics being auditions stuck with me.
You really don't know what doors will open.
Would Emma & James Music Return to Walk-in Wednesdays?
We already have.
Many times.
And we will continue to.
For us, this is no longer simply another Arizona open mic to review. TCA has become part of our own history as Emma & James Music.
It's where we went when we were afraid to perform.
It's where we eventually found the courage to take the stage.
It's where we tested and continue to test original songs and where we made friends.
And it indirectly led to our first paid gig.
That makes it pretty difficult for me to pretend to be an objective reviewer.
I am biased.
But I am biased because this place earned it.
Who Is the Tempe Center for the Arts Open Mic Best For?
I would especially recommend Walk-in Wednesdays for:
Singer-songwriters wanting people to actually hear their original music
Musicians trying an open mic for the first time
Experienced musicians looking for a strong local community
Acoustic artists
Duos and small acts
Performers who appreciate professional sound
Poets and spoken-word performers
Younger musicians looking for an all-ages environment
Music fans interested in discovering Arizona talent
Musicians who want networking to happen naturally instead of feeling forced
If your ideal performance environment is a loud bar where nobody pays too much attention to you, TCA might actually feel like more pressure.
If you want people to listen, this is exactly why you should try it.
Final Take: The Vibe at TCA
The Tempe Center for the Arts already gives Walk-in Wednesdays something most open mics cannot replicate: the environment of performing in an actual arts center overlooking Tempe Town Lake.
Then you add professional sound.
Add teenagers, beginners, lifelong musicians, songwriters and poets.
Add an audience that listens.
Then put Walt Richardson in charge of the room.
That combination creates something pretty magical on Wednesday nights.
The official record shows Walk-in Wednesdays at TCA dates back to 2009, and after years of attending ourselves, it is not difficult for me to understand why it has lasted.
Open mics are not just places to practice songs.
The good ones become little ecosystems.
You show up because you want 10 minutes onstage.
Then eventually you realize the 10 minutes were only the excuse to walk through the door.
The relationships are what keep bringing you back.
For us, that is the vibe at TCA.
And if you are an Arizona musician wondering whether you would feel welcome here, I can tell you what Walt Richardson showed Emma and me before we had ever played a single song on his stage:
Yes, you belong in the room.
About the Author
James Mattison is a musician and blog writer for the Desert Vibe Podcast. He is one half of Emma & James Music, an Arizona-based husband-and-wife music duo performing mostly original music with select covers that fit their soulful, guitar-driven style.
Emma Mattison is known for her expressive vocal style and also manages the website, social media, marketing, and online presence that help Desert Vibe reach listeners and musicians across Arizona.
Together, Emma and James are exploring live music events around the Valley for Desert Vibe’s “What’s Vibin' in the Desert” segment, sharing firsthand reviews designed to help musicians understand what to expect before they walk into a new venue or put their name on an open mic list.
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