Speakeasy Carrboro: Where Music, Community, and Inclusivity Thrive

Every Monday night, Speakeasy Carrboro transforms into a showcase for emerging talent and seasoned performers alike. Sign-ups start at 7 PM, with performances running from 8 PM until midnight. Set times are 10 minutes each, with a 5-minute break between sets, giving everyone a chance to share their music in an intimate, supportive environment.

The Monday open mic has become a beloved weekly tradition for the Carrboro music community, offering a no-pressure platform for singer-songwriters, poets, comedians, and musicians of all genres to take the stage. Whether you're testing out new material or performing your polished favorites, the attentive audience and quality sound system make every performance count.

Blues Jam: Triangle Blues Society's Monthly Session

Speakeasy hosts the Triangle Blues Society's monthly blues jam, bringing together blues enthusiasts for an authentic jam session where musicians can sit in and trade licks. These sessions continue the Triangle's rich blues tradition, offering a welcoming environment for players to connect, improvise, and keep the blues alive in downtown Carrboro.

Beer & Banjos: Tuesday Night Americana

Every Tuesday at 7-9:30 PM, Speakeasy hosts Beer & Banjos, a live music series featuring the B&B All-Stars and guest performers. This weekly event celebrates Americana, bluegrass, and roots music, creating an energetic atmosphere where the beer flows and the banjos ring out. The series regularly features special guest acts, with performers ranging from up-and-coming local artists to nationally recognized musicians stopping through Carrboro.

History: A Musical Legacy Reborn

Speakeasy opened in November in the space formerly occupied by The Speakeasy at Tyler's, inheriting a location with deep roots in Carrboro's music scene. The building sits at the heart of downtown at 100 East Main Street, with historical significance dating back to the town's beginnings when it was known as "West End". In the early 1920s, the building housed Hearn's Grocery, and after a 1924 fire wiped out Carrboro's original business district, the wooden structures were replaced with the brick buildings seen today.

True to its name, Speakeasy doesn't have an exterior sign—"It's a word-of-mouth kind of thing," as they say. This adds to the venue's mysterious charm and underground feel, making discovery part of the experience.

Under the ownership of Nona Poulton, Speakeasy has established itself as a vital part of Carrboro's cultural fabric, committed to presenting diverse live music and creating an inclusive space for the community.

The Vibe: Intimate, Welcoming, and Dog-Friendly

Step through the side door next to Neal's Deli or enter through the double wooden front doors, and you'll find yourself in an intimate music venue that feels both vintage and vibrant. The performance room features large garage door windows that can be opened to allow music to spill out onto Main Street, connecting the indoor experience with Carrboro's walkable downtown.

The venue features dim, intimate lighting and a couple of pool tables for entertainment, creating a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy a drink, play a game, and catch live music. Speakeasy is dog-friendly and has water bowls, with even a bar dog named Hickory who's adept at sitting up on the venue's chairs. As they joke, "We're dog-friendly and people-tolerant!"

The space maintains the perfect balance between bar and music venue. While you can drop in for a drink and conversation, Speakeasy aims to be a live music venue first, offering an eclectic mix of performances without limiting acts to one type of music—jazz, touring bands, Nashville artists, and punk bands all find a home here.

Atmosphere: Purple Lights and Warm Welcomes

The intimate showroom features purple lights dancing around the room, creating a cozy ambiance perfect for both listening and socializing. The draft beer selection is decent, and bartenders are knowledgeable and helpful with cocktail recommendations. Despite its speakeasy mystique, there's nothing pretentious about the place—it's genuinely welcoming to newcomers and regulars alike.

There's a piano at the back of the house facing the stage, positioned so performers can hear and respond to every nuance from the piano's soundboard, making it ideal for jazz and collaborative performances.

The Crowd: Diverse, Engaged, and Supportive

Speakeasy attracts a wonderfully diverse crowd that reflects Carrboro's progressive, artistic community. You'll find UNC students mixing with longtime locals, LGBTQ+ community members, jazz aficionados, blues lovers, open mic regulars, dog owners with their furry friends, and music lovers of all ages. Throughout any given night, the number of people fluctuates between a small group and a full room, but the energy remains consistently warm and welcoming.

The venue has become particularly important as a safe, inclusive space for the LGBTQ+ community, with audiences ranging from curious first-timers to devoted regulars who consider Speakeasy their second home. The sound of pool sticks clicking in the adjacent room provides a comforting backdrop, reminding you this is a neighborhood bar at heart—one that happens to host incredible music.

Queer Cabaret: Celebration and Community

One of Speakeasy's signature events is the monthly Queer Cabaret, held every second Saturday of the month and hosted by beloved drag queen AmanDuh Barron (Victor Dronzek). The cabaret started out as "Big Gay Wednesdays" and was created in collaboration with Alex Stalling. Russell Davis, owner of event coordinator group Lavender Social Collective, and AmanDuh took charge when Stalling left, with Davis bringing bands to the scene and AmanDuh bringing her performances.

These evenings feature local bands, drag performances, and entertainment that celebrates gender and sexual identity differences. As owner Nona Poulton explains, the event offers "not just the opportunity to be together, but also the opportunity to celebrate gender and sexual identity differences and feel supported in that and truly celebrated, not just seen". The Queer Cabaret has become a space where people come together under any circumstances—performers and audiences have shown up through winter storms and challenging times, creating a resilient community.

Jazz Residencies and Special Performances

Speakeasy regularly hosts jazz residencies featuring local talent. Veteran vocalist Katharine Whalen and her JazzSquad have performed cocktail hour sets from 5-7 PM on select Sundays, playing "Hep East and West Coast jazz standards from the 1930s to the 1960s". Whalen, known for her versatile musical projects including Certain Seas and Brandy Rambles, represents the caliber of established local artists who call Speakeasy home.

Other jazz performers like Robert Griffin maintain their own residencies at Speakeasy, and groups like Yeaux Katz regularly perform, ensuring there's quality jazz programming throughout the month.

Carrboro Music Festival: A Key Venue

Speakeasy plays a crucial role in the annual Carrboro Music Festival, one of the region's premier music events. The festival brings thousands of people into town to watch 100 bands across 20 stages, and for Speakeasy, the day's sales resemble the holiday season. As Poulton notes, "It's one of the ways we can exist when we don't have good days, when we are not meeting solvency, basically".

Speakeasy builds relationships with neighboring spaces like Orange County Social Club, Open Eye Cafe, and Steel String Brewery during the festival, exemplifying the collaborative spirit that makes Carrboro's music scene thrive. Many musicians who perform at the festival are regulars at Speakeasy, deepening the symbiotic relationship between the venue and the local arts community.

Other Events and Programming

Beyond the regular weekly programming, Speakeasy hosts:

Touring Bands: National and regional acts stopping through Carrboro
Singer-Songwriter Workshops: Educational events for aspiring musicians
Local Choir Performances: Community groups using the stage
Trivia Nights: Including themed events like Queer Pop Culture Trivia
Special Theme Nights: Such as "Twerksgiving" and seasonal celebrations

The venue strives to offer diverse programming that reflects Carrboro's eclectic tastes while providing opportunities for local performers to develop their craft and connect with audiences.

Practical Information

Hours:

Monday: 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM
Tuesday-Sunday: 12:00 PM - 2:00 AM

Location Details:

Enter through the side door next to Neal's Deli or the double front doors on Main Street
Interior access between bar and performance spaces
Parking available in the new library parking deck right next door and street parking throughout downtown

Venue Features:

Pool tables
Full bar with craft beer selection and cocktails
Professional sound system and stage
Piano available for performances
Dog-friendly with water bowls provided
Both standing room and seating available

Community Impact

Speakeasy represents more than just another music venue—it's a community gathering space that adapts to meet people's needs. Whether providing a stage for emerging artists, creating safe spaces for marginalized communities, or keeping the blues and Americana traditions alive, Speakeasy contributes meaningfully to Carrboro's cultural identity.

The venue faces the same economic challenges as many independent music spaces, but through community support, diverse programming, and genuine commitment to the arts, it continues to thrive. As Poulton and her team navigate the realities of running a small venue, they maintain relationships with other local businesses and town leadership, ensuring Speakeasy remains woven into the fabric of downtown Carrboro.

Why Musicians and Music Lovers Keep Coming Back

Speakeasy succeeds because it remains true to its mission: presenting quality live music in an accessible, unpretentious environment. The open mic gives newcomers their first stage, the blues jam connects generations of musicians, Beer & Banjos celebrates roots music, and the Queer Cabaret creates space for expression and celebration.

The venue doesn't try to be everything to everyone—instead, it focuses on being a genuine neighborhood bar that takes music seriously. Whether you're walking your dog down Main Street and stopping in for a beer, participating in the Monday open mic for the first time, or catching your favorite local band's monthly residency, Speakeasy offers that increasingly rare experience: a place where community and creativity intersect naturally.

For those seeking open jams, live music, or simply a welcoming place to spend an evening in Carrboro, Speakeasy delivers authentic experiences without pretense. No password required—just show up, enjoy the music, and become part of the story.