Bangor is the Queen City of the East and the cultural hub of northern and eastern Maine. It's a former lumber boomtown on the Penobscot River, the hometown of Stephen King, and a city that was literally named after a hymn. Players will find a weekly Irish session, a songwriters' open mic at a downtown brewery and a summer Sunday jam where people just show up and play. This guide covers Bangor's history, its music scene and venues, and where to find open mics and open jams.
A Brief History of Bangor
The confluence of the Penobscot River and Kenduskeag Stream has been home to the Penobscot Nation for thousands of years; the Penobscot people knew the area as Kenduskeag. European settlers arrived in the 1770s. According to local tradition, when the Reverend Seth Noble went to Boston in 1791 to register the settlement, he wrote down the name of his favorite hymn tune, "Bangor," so the city's name comes straight from a piece of music.
In the mid-1800s, Bangor was the "Lumber Capital of the World." Logs floated down the Penobscot from the vast northern forests, and at its peak thousands of ships a year loaded lumber here. The wealth built grand mansions and churches, and the city's lumberjack heritage is celebrated by its giant Paul Bunyan statue. A great fire in 1911 destroyed much of downtown, which was rebuilt in brick.
In the 20th century, Dow Air Force Base made Bangor a military hub, and its airport later became a refueling stop for transatlantic flights, where volunteer "troop greeters" have welcomed soldiers since 1991. Today Bangor is a regional center for health care, retail and education, with the University of Maine in nearby Orono and a revitalized downtown along the Kenduskeag.
The Bangor Music Scene
Bangor takes its musical name seriously. The Bangor Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1896, is one of the oldest continuously operating community orchestras in the country. The city hosted the National Folk Festival from 2002 to 2004, then carried the tradition forward for years as the American Folk Festival on the riverfront, cementing a love of folk, Celtic and traditional music that lives on in local sessions.
Summers bring big crowds to Waterfront Concerts at the Maine Savings Amphitheater on the Penobscot, one of the busiest outdoor concert venues in New England. The Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine in Orono books touring classical, jazz and folk artists, and UMaine's music program feeds the local scene. Downtown, breweries and pubs keep live music going through the long Maine winter.
Popular Live Music Venues in Bangor
- Maine Savings Amphitheater (Bangor Waterfront) – A large outdoor venue for the summer Waterfront Concerts series.
- Cross Insurance Center – The city's arena for large concerts and events.
- Collins Center for the Arts (UMaine, Orono) – Home of the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's concerts and touring artists.
- Bangor Opera House (Main St.) – A historic theater, home to Penobscot Theatre Company.
- Gracie Theatre (Husson University) – An intimate theater for folk, Americana and tribute shows.
- 2 Feet Brewing (80 Columbia St.) – A family-run downtown brewpub with a songwriters' open mic and a summer community jam.
- Paddy Murphy's (26 Main St.) – A downtown Irish pub with weekly Irish sessions and an open mic.
- Penobscot Pour House (14 Larkin St.) – A downtown bar with live music and an open mic.
Open Mics and Open Jams in Bangor
Bangor's open stages are clustered within a few blocks of each other downtown, which makes it easy to catch more than one in a night. Below are the standout events, followed by a schedule.
Before you go: Some Bangor events are seasonal, and winter storms can cancel nights. Always check the venue's or host's website or social media before heading out with your gear.
Open Mics
- Songwriters' Open Mic at 2 Feet Brewing (80 Columbia St.) – Tuesdays, 5:00–8:00 p.m. Each songwriter gets 15 minutes. An early-evening favorite for original music.
- Paddy Murphy's Open Mic (26 Main St.) – Tuesdays from 9:00 p.m. to close, following the pub's Irish session.
- Penobscot Pour House Open Mic (14 Larkin St.) – Weekly (it has run on Mondays), 6:00–9:00 p.m. Confirm the current night with the venue.
Jams and Sessions
- Live Irish Session at Paddy Murphy's (26 Main St.) – Tuesdays, 6:00–8:00 p.m. A weekly traditional Irish jam in a classic downtown pub, keeping Bangor's folk-festival spirit alive.
- Sunday Community Jam at 2 Feet Brewing (80 Columbia St.) – Sundays, 2:00–5:00 p.m., during the warmer months (it has run from April through September). "People just show up with instruments and play." All are welcome.
Nearby
- Portland-area jams – About two hours south, Portland offers a much larger calendar of bluegrass, jazz and blues jams for players willing to make the drive.
Bangor Open Jam & Open Mic Schedule at a Glance
| Day | Event | Venue | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday (Apr–Sept) | Sunday Community Jam (2 p.m.) | 2 Feet Brewing | Open Jam |
| Monday (confirm) | Open Mic (6 p.m.) | Penobscot Pour House | All Styles |
| Tuesday | Songwriters' Open Mic (5 p.m.) | 2 Feet Brewing | Singer-Songwriter |
| Tuesday | Live Irish Session (6 p.m.) | Paddy Murphy's | Irish |
| Tuesday | Open Mic (9 p.m.) | Paddy Murphy's | All Styles |
Tips for Playing Bangor's Open Mics and Jams
- Make Tuesday your night. You can play the 2 Feet songwriters' mic, catch the Irish session and finish at Paddy Murphy's open mic, all within walking distance.
- Learn some trad tunes. Irish and Celtic music runs deep in the region; a few common reels and jigs go a long way.
- Plan for winter. Let your instrument warm up in its case before tuning, and watch for storm cancellations.
- Catch a Waterfront Concert. Summer shows on the river are a Bangor tradition.
Helpful Local Resources
- Downtown Bangor Partnership (downtownbangor.com) – The downtown event calendar, including open mics and jams.
- Maine Public community calendar (mainepublic.org) – Statewide arts and music listings.
- Bangor Daily News (bangordailynews.com) – Local arts and entertainment coverage.
- Bangor Symphony Orchestra (bangorsymphony.org) – Concert season and community programs.
