Higher Ground creates a welcoming environment for local artists.
Mia Smith, Contributor |
A secret community of artists brew every Tuesday night at Higher Ground Cafe in Kensington.
From the hours of 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., everyone is welcome to join and display any talent they would like in front of the open-armed community.
It is easy to find comfort in expressing yourself through music, but it is the community that is built behind the scenes that has people coming back week after week.
Higher Ground Cafe is located right in the heart of Kensington, located across from downtown next to the Bow River. The area is known for its quaint charm within the community acting as a place for locals to grow their businesses in their own way.
Along with coffee, Higher Ground serves fresh food, beer, wine and cocktails, as well as gelato for anyone who craves a sweet treat after dinner.
The cafe does a lot of work with the community, promoting local artists and musicians while also maintaining a positive ecological footprint.
“We are passionate about enhancing our community,” written on the Higher Ground website.
Setting a warm, inviting tone
Open mic organizer, Aqy Baba, shares the excitement that he feels when seeing new faces join the event community every week.
“My favourite part is newcomers coming and really trying,” says Baba.
The weekly event is an opportunity to meet new people and foster friendships in a cozy and warm environment.
According to Baba, who has been hosting the open mic night for two years, half the same people are usually there every week, and half are newcomers.
The regulars spoke openly about the impact that Baba makes on the event.
“The energy, it is very welcoming and Baba, he has become a close friend after all this time,” attendee Cara Orr states when speaking about her experience with the event.
Orr and her group of friends say that they come almost every week when they can make it.
Baba is known for asking almost everyone who walks into the cafe to write down their name on the list and sing a song.
Higher Ground first timers and music duo, Rylan Sampson and Caelan Thain, say that they will most definitely be back.
The duo, who regularly play in Airdrie, are hoping to break into the Calgary scene and step away from the country music scene that they have grown accustomed to.
The pair expressed that the open mic environment is a breath of fresh air in comparison to the older crowd that they regularly get. They are able to play what they want in front of a younger and more youthful audience.
“We loved it, we will for sure be back next week,” shares Thain.
Giving a platform to the unheard
Sean Leechild, a weekly regular, has been playing violin since he was about three years-old.
Leechild, who is legally blind, finds comfort in the community he found to express his music and grow a social circle every Tuesday.
He is passionate about performing and the crowd loves when he steps up and transcends you into a five-star restaurant with his bewitching art.
“We have a beautiful violin artist people would pay big money to see,” says Baba.
There is a speech about a child prodigy who comes and strums his guitar every now and then and impresses the crowd.
The open mic ranges from all ages and demographics, and anyone is welcome to get up on stage.
They welcome all styles from original songs and freestyle rap to crowd singalongs.
Getting involved
Baba hosts a number of other open mic events around the city.
He hosts at S’more Please Cafe every Thursday as well as Kingfisher Seafood every Saturday.
Baba performs himself at Salt & Pepper every Friday night with a group.
From beginners to veterans, everyone is welcome to display their talents and make new friends every Tuesday at Higher Ground.