So what could be so special about an open mic night, that performance equivalent of a great big slab of unknown? And on a Monday night, no less, which seems divinely decreed as the domain of Monday Night Football? For a good many Mondays now, Baker Street Cafe has hosted Pat Haney’s Open Mic, which defies cynical logic and actually has that you-gotta-come-see-it buzz for folks on each side of the microphone.

Baker Street Cafe is a good venue for an open mic or songwriters night —large enough to hold an electric atmosphere and small enough to be cozy. Its refreshment format of specialty beers and a grill, as well as its close proximity to the WKU campus, lend the type of informality that tends to attract folks who want to listen.

While the signup board is being filled out, Michael Carroll, a/k/a Mr. C, warms up the crowd for 30-60 minutes. Mr. C offers up acoustic classic rock with smooth guitar playing and his particular personality that Bowling Green has come to know.

Somewhere between 10:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., the open mic starts. Unless the number of performers is light, each performer does a maximum of three songs. The first set is always Pat Haney, who is not a master of ceremonies but a host by performance. Haney intersperses his sets throughout the night’s schedule.

The Baker Street Cafe crowd usually gets cooking around 11:00 p.m. or so. They’re remarkably accepting of various players, from mediocre to superlative, and regardless of musical style. This makes them a cherished commodity for the performers and encourages a diversity of musical offerings. From simple to esoteric, from tight 3-minute songs to 8-minute extended pieces, blue collar to country to rock classics to folkish to experimental — the usually packed crowd gets a good cross-section of music from the area’s performers.

The mixing of ability levels, originals and covers, and musical styles lends a unique charm to Pat Haney’s Open Mic. But it must be said that Haney himself is the glue that holds the event together. His working man’s music and voice serve as the touchstone, bringing a sense of continuity to an uncertain format for live performance. Haney’s partial to doing Steve Earle and John Prine and songs which complement those directions, and he adds his own compositions from time to time.

Some sets Pat plays alone. Others he does jamming with whatever friends are along that evening, adding instrumentation like dobro, harmonica, lead guitar, or bass; those sets usually stand out a bit from the rest of the show.

Some of the regulars and semi-regulars at Pat Haney’s Open Mic include Teresa Ford (of Sky Walker), Ben Tines, Randy Kyle Pierson, Johnny Thompson (of Envy Estate), and Tim Sirles. You’ll often see Susan Morris, Arte Johnson, Jim Buchanan, Joe Jones, Dutch (formerly with Soul Serenade), and Kerry Pruitt in the crowd and sometimes on the stage. This reporter has also been known to lend his voice and songs to the proceedings. Many of these performers also gig at Baker Street or other area venues.

If you’re lucky, someone will talk Cathy Allen from behind the bar onto the stage for a number or two. From Radioactive Flowers fame, Allen has a strong, graceful alto that captivates with its poise and ease, which also carries over into her movements.

From the developing musician or songwriter’s point of view, Pat Haney’s Open Mic is a rare and valuable venue. It also offers listeners a singular live music experience, with its blend of diversity, talent, and informality. Pat Haney’s Open Mic is highly recommended for either group.

Don Thomason is a writer and musician living in Dunbar. Visit him at www.myspace.com/donthomasonmusic