Open mic

Chad

Chad

Slender Hobbit
Anyone here ever go to open mics? @Guitar Heel and I have gone to watch at this place near us and it has been amazing. When I say amazing, I mean if 10 people get up to perform, 8 or 9 have no business ever stepping on a stage. We couldn't tell if some of the acts were for real, or just doing some kind of comedy performance.
 
I go intermittently. Last time was before I started playing with my band, but I think it’s time to go back.

They call it open mic for a reason though. :embarrassed:
 
Chad said:
Anyone here ever go to open mics? @Guitar Heel and I have gone to watch at this place near us and it has been amazing. When I say amazing, I mean if 10 people get up to perform, 8 or 9 have no business ever stepping on a stage. We couldn't tell if some of the acts were for real, or just doing some kind of comedy performance.
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Always nice to see a musician being helpful and supportive to his/her novice peers. :corksniffer:
 
I've gone to a few and banged out a couple of tunes. They're pretty hit and miss in terms of the participants and their skill level. Seen some folks that absolutely humbled me and some that made me feel like James Taylor :)

Been a couple of years since I've even just gone to listen though. I might dive back in as we get closer to Summer.
 
I used to do solo stuff at an open mic a good 15 years ago. And yeah - the talent runs from amazing to non-existent. It's fun!
 
There are few open mics in the south bay area. That makes me sad, but probably makes my (putative) audience quite happy...
 
We have a huge open mic scene here. I haven't been out in a while, but I built my performance sense in that community.
 
There were a couple different open mic nights I used to go to on a fairly regular basis to spectate.

One was at a venue known for great sound and had an incredible amount of talent hit the stage. The organizer was fairly selective of who got stage time and some people resented that it wasn’t truly open and didn’t make the cut.

The other was run by Blanchard’s twin brother and anyone could get on stage. It was a total train wreck of shenanigans which was entertaining in limited doses.

Both had their appeal
 
I used to do open mics, a lot. They're fun, although some people clearly have no business getting up on stage like that.

I always preferred that format to jams, which invariably end up being one continuous mega-solo by the biggest asshat.
 
When my band was building a setlist and our stage chops, we went to open mics and the challenge was to pick one thing we could learn from each act that went up. Sometimes, all there was to learn was reckless self confidence, but there was almost always something admirable about even the worst acts--good use of effects, good song selection, interesting guitar technique, etc.
 
I go now and then when I have been too long between gigs. I especially like trying out new songs at open mics. And yes, the quality of acts can vary, but everyone is doing their best and putting themselves out there, and I clap for them all.
 
I don't think there are many open mike nights in Phoenix. There aren't even buskers to be found downtown except for an occasional saxophone guy who doesn't play for shit but gets good tips.
 
There used to be more at my local coffeehouses and small restaurants/pubs but those have dried up. Word was ascap/BMI came around and these places can’t or won’t pay. There’s only one left close by and it’s once a month and it’s strictly originals and it’s enforced.
It’s not worth it to me to drive 60 mi rd trip to play a couple of songs on open mic.
 
I used to go to a cool little spot in DC. I was happy that Soo-Jin took me to this spot in the burbs.

My Dead Uncle will make it’s debut on Thursday. :thu:

here’s young Chad at the DC place. :grin:

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I go to a lot of open ja
Chad said:
Anyone here ever go to open mics? @Guitar Heel and I have gone to watch at this place near us and it has been amazing. When I say amazing, I mean if 10 people get up to perform, 8 or 9 have no business ever stepping on a stage. We couldn't tell if some of the acts were for real, or just doing some kind of comedy performance.
Click to expand...
I go to a lot of open jams, but never open mics.
 
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