Open Mic Nights in Chennai

Chennai's open mics cover stand-up comedy in Tamil and English, music jams, poetry and storytelling, and the events below are refreshed daily. The scene is spread across small rooms rather than big clubs. Medai – The Stage, a black-box space in Alwarpet, hosts stand-up, improv and storytelling nights. Studio rooms in Kodambakkam, such as Trinity Studio, carry weekend comedy line-ups, with October 2026 shows listed at ₹399. Kreate by Kraft lists a recurring roast battle from ₹199 and Tamil 'jamming' nights from ₹299. Comedy collectives also take open mics to cafés in different neighbourhoods; recent listings include Mylapore, Anna Nagar and Porur. Music open mics and acoustic nights turn up at cafés in Adyar, Besant Nagar and Nungambakkam, and poetry and spoken-word groups meet at bookshops and cultural centres. Tamil-language comedy is a large part of the circuit, so check the language on each listing. Open mics are the cheapest way to see live comedy, usually a few hundred rupees or free with a minimum order, and they are where new comics and musicians test material, so expect a mixed bag. Most are rated 16+ or 18+.